US Law Firm Mayer Brown Poised to Split Off Its Hong Kong Office

Chicago-based law firm Mayer Brown LLP is preparing to split off its Hong Kong operation amid US and China geopolitical tensions, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mayer Brown’s Hong Kong office will become an independent entity, said the people, who requested not to be named discussing private information. Mayer Brown didn’t respond to emailed requests for comment.

The breakup comes at a time when companies increasingly need to navigate conflict between the world’s two largest economies. In 2021, Mayer Brown represented the University of Hong Kong in ordering the removal of a sculpture commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square ...