Voorhees, NJ – Archer, one of the largest full-service law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region, today announced the launch of its Houston, Texas office, which will house its new China Practice Group, established to assist clients with business in China and the United States. The group will be co-chaired by Archer partner Steve Packman and its new Houston partner, Jiangang (James) Ou.
In addition, Houston attorneys Ying Chen, and Brian Gargano will join Archer and practice in Archer's new office at 3040 Post Oak Boulevard. All three attorneys were previously practicing with BOGC Legal PLLC in Houston. Each brings extensive experience helping clients navigate the legal systems in China and the United States, as well as complex commercial litigation and cyber security experience.
"Welcoming James, Ying, and Brian to Archer presents an exciting opportunity for our law firm and further strengthens our services already being provided to China-based clients," said Steve Packman. "Adding these well-respected and experienced professionals to Archer's roster gives our firm a unique advantage in assisting clients with matters in the United States, China, and throughout the world."
Steve has extensive experience working with China and U.S. based clients, including Chinese companies, liquidators, creditors and other parties in various litigation and insolvency proceedings. Steve represented the first Chinese company (in insolvency administration in mainland China) to ever file bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. He has represented Chinese bankruptcy administrators, creditors and liquidators in bankruptcy and litigation proceedings in New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, North Carolina, Delaware, Texas, and other jurisdictions.
James, Ying and Brian have extensive experience in complex cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration, bankruptcy, intellectual property, enforcement of foreign country judgments and arbitral awards, business counseling and US-China mergers & acquisitions. Their legal experience spans a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, pharmaceutical, medical devices, petroleum, agriculture, aquaculture, alternative and renewable energy, among others. They currently represent U.S. and Chinese clients doing business with or in China. As native speakers of Mandarin, and with more than 20 years of combined experience practicing law in China and the United States, James and Ying are well-equipped to interpret and explain legal issues faced by Chinese clients.
"We're excited to join a dynamic firm like Archer. Archer's platform will afford our clients all the benefits of a full-service law firm with a well-established presence in multiple jurisdictions, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, where many of our China-based clients conduct business," said James Ou.
"At Archer, we are always looking for our strategic services and capabilities to match our clients' needs. With increasing globalization of markets, we have learned that clients need attorneys with hands-on experience in China and who have a deep understanding of how to do business in China, the second largest economy of the world," said Chris Gibson, President of Archer. "In addition, Texas is perhaps the fastest growing economic and legal market in the United States, particularly in areas such as energy law, which is one of Archer's primary practice groups."
Clients of Archer's newly formed China Practice Group are leading companies that span across multiple industries, including alternative energy, petroleum, pharmaceutical, life sciences, manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, transportation, financial, real estate, and agriculture.
In addition to the new Houston office, Archer has more than 170 lawyers practicing across eight offices throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including Hackensack, Princeton and Red Bank, New Jersey; Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; and New York, New York.