2026 Strategic Shift: King & Wood Mallesons China And Australia To Split After 14 Years And Operate Separately
King & Wood Mallesons to separate China and Australia businesses in 2026, resuming independent operations under original brands.
2026 Strategic Shift: King & Wood Mallesons China and Australia to Split After 14 Years and Operate Separately
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) will separate its China and Australia businesses in 2026, ending the combination between Chinese firm King & Wood and Australian peer Mallesons Stephen Jaques formed through their 2012 merger. From 31 March 2026, the firms will operate independently under their original brands, with the China-based firm as King & Wood and Australia’s as Mallesons, which will also retain the Singapore business. The Hong Kong office will operate as King & Wood.
The decision reflects the evolution of both firms and their respective strategic priorities and future aspirations. All client work will continue on a business-as-usual basis, and ongoing joint matters will not be affected. Both teams confirmed they will coordinate to ensure a smooth transition without disruption to clients, local leadership, governance, or operations, while expressing interest in collaborating on a non-exclusive basis in the future.
Wang Junfeng, Global Chairman, King & Wood, said,
"This development reflects the different strategic horizons of our firms. We thank the Australian firm for the years of teamwork and partnership. We sincerely appreciate the long-term support and trust shown by our clients. We will continue to put clients first while striving for excellence in everything we do. We remain committed to our international strategy and will continue to expand our geographic coverage through both organic growth and collaboration with other leading firms globally. King & Wood’s Hong Kong office, the largest law firm in Hong Kong by number of lawyers, will continue to take on a strategic role in this effort."
Renae Lattey, Chief Executive Partner, Australia, said,
"We thank the partners and colleagues of KWM China for their professionalism, collegiality and friendship over the past 14 years. Mallesons is a trusted and respected brand with nearly two centuries of legal excellence and 50 years of international experience and relationships. We will continue to build on this proud legacy as we become the only top-tier independent firm operating from Australia with the flexibility to collaborate more broadly with global elite firms to meet the needs of our clients and our people here, across the region and around the globe."
Founded in 1993, King & Wood was one of China’s earliest private partnership law firms. The 2012 merger with Mallesons Stephen Jaques created KWM, which expanded rapidly, opening offices across Europe and the Middle East. Following structural challenges, including the administration of KWM’s UK and European offices in 2017, the firm restructured its global operations, including a formal cooperation agreement with Eversheds Sutherland in 2023 for cross-border matters in several jurisdictions.
KWM currently maintains 26 offices worldwide, including Beijing, Shanghai, Changchun, Chengdu, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Tokyo, Singapore, and New York. The separation allows both King & Wood and Mallesons to focus on their strategic priorities and local market strengths, while maintaining a coordinated approach for ongoing client matters.
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