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西班牙律所看重国内市场 随
着中国对欧洲和拉美市场的投资增长，同时面对本土市场英国和美国事 务所的激烈竞争，西班牙律师事务所认为中国市场将更具增长潜力。 执照申请获批六个月后，西班牙法律服务巨头 Cuatrecasas于上月在上海 正式成立代表处。 高级律师 Omar Puertas 担任其上海代表处主管。自2006年底，Omar Puertas 便在上海负责该所的中国业务发展。Puertas 透露，上海代表处旨 在配合客户的业务扩张策略，同时吸引中国企业赴欧洲和拉美投资。 Cuatrecasas 聘请高级律师 Jimmy Tsui 加入律师团队，巩固事务所在中国 市场和法律体系方面的服务实力，Jimmy Tsui 是大成律师事务所前合伙人。 为巩固上海代表处，Cuatrecasas 采取的其它措施包括，招聘两位中国年轻 律师，并将一位律师由西班牙调至上海。 去年，Cuatrecasas 宣布在上海成立代表处的计划后不久，另一家总部位 于西班牙的领先跨国事务所 Uría Menéndez 决定开设北京代表处。 北京代表处将成为 Uría 的首家亚洲分支机构，同时也是北京首家伊比利亚事 务所代表处，目前，所有在中国开展业务的伊比利亚事务所均位于上海。 Uría 合伙人 Juan Martín Perrotto 将担任北京代表处负责人，他表示：上 海是客户分支业务的基地，对于希望持续提供经营方面法律支持的事务所而 言，上海是理想的业务所在地。“而北京是政府和企业总部的所在地，对于服 务境内及境外投资业务而言，北京更为适宜。” Uría 北京代表处希望充分发挥事务所在拉美地区的服务优势，使中国投资 人获益。新代表处业务团队将包括资深西班牙律师，在拉美地区投资领域拥 有丰富经验，且与拉美本地的律师事务所保持密切合作关系。 Perrotto 在阿根廷和西班牙法律服务领域拥有14年工作经验，擅长处理金 融交易和并购业务，他认为：“通过将事务所的亚洲和拉美业务相互结合， 我们将获得巨大发展潜力。” 他表示：“我们认为，当前的资产价格以及中国对自然资源的需求会将拉美 市场转变为中国对外投资的主要目的地。” 作为中国市场的新来者，Uría对即将面临的竞争有十分清醒的认识，采 取与欧洲“业务挚友”司力达律师事务所和黑石律师事务所联合办公的方式 经营北京办事处，遵循 Uría布鲁塞尔办事处的经营模式。此外，Uría 还将 与本地律师事务所密切合作，确保为欧洲客户提供卓越服务，将市场摩擦 降至最低。
国浩领携中小企业版上市 项目 深
圳证券交易所的最新统计数据表明，国浩、金杜和锦天城承办的中小 企业板IPO项目数量领先于其他律师事务所。 截止至2009年2月，在深交所上市的中小企业板IPO项目共计274家，其中由 国浩承办的上市公司为28家，占全部项目的10%，位居全国各律务所首位。金 杜和锦天城紧随其后，分别为15和14家。 国浩预计在2009年的深交所中小企业板上市中， 创新型企业将得到更多 的关注。“高新园区科技企业将得到进一步的支持，同时，各保荐机构将积极 参与中小企业金融支持体系的建设，整合各类金融创新资源，‘优中选优’， 最大限度地发挥资本市场的导向和纽带作用，”国浩上海办公室管理合伙人 管建军表示。
►► Top three FIRMS ACTING ON SME LISTINGS Firm
Number of IPOs on the SME board
Grandall
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King & Wood
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AllBright
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Update >>
Insurance Are extended warranties considered insurance?
I
n China’s emerging legal system, the question of whether an extended warranty or service contract will be subject to increased regulation under the Insurance Law of China remains unanswered. For those interested in undertaking a venture of this nature in the Chinese market, the answer is of fundamental importance. From an entrepreneurial stance, treating the contract as a non-insurance contract will allow potential investors ease of market access. It would not appear practical to subject such contracts to the rigours of insurance law. According to leading Chinese scholars, an insurance transaction should incur a large number of policy holders, an insurable unexpected risk which is identical for each policy holder in the grouping and the payment of a premium. On this basis an extended warranty may then be classified as being within the scope of the Insurance Law. However, this is simply academic opinion. Interestingly, some light has been shed on the issue after the CIRC published (5 January, 2009) formal reply No. (2008)36. As per the formal reply, extended warranties sold in conjunction with appliances at supermarkets in China are not subject to increased regulation as a conventional Chinese insurance contract would be. The basis of the decision was premised on the fact that traditional forms of insurance cover damage caused by accidents. In this case, an extended warranty was linked with the normal wear and tear of a consumer product and not an unexpected accident resulting in damage. However, the decision does not mean all forms of extended warranties and service contracts will be freed from the hold of insurance regulation. Leading Chinese experts lack consensus as to the appropriate regulatory place of an extended warranty in China. Questions regarding a different consumer product, for example, an extended warranty covering car radios, will likely go before the CIRC in the future. In the purest form, an extended warranty for the purchase of a Chinese supermarket appliance is not inherently different from an extended warranty purchased for any other standard consumer product. Regardless, the legal position of an extended warranty remains largely uncertain under Chinese law. As with any business transaction, the risk is inherent. However, market entrants may take steps to reduce potential risk and at present the establishment of a venture whose primary focus concerns extended warranties not subject to insurance regulation remains real. Regardless, foreign investors should proceed with caution. Dr Zhan Hao, Managing Partner Grandall Legal Group Beijing Office Tel: 010-65890699 Fax: 010-65176801 E-mail: zhanhao@grandall.com.cn Web: www.grandall.com.cn
Zhan Hao
21