Large Firms
Jul. 25, 2002
Yahoo Lawyer Returns to Firm
SAN FRANCISCO - Jim Wu has rejoined the local office of Preston, Gates & Ellis after nearly four years with the online portal Yahoo Inc.'s Asian ventures, the law firm announced Tuesday.
"Returning to private practice was the best thing for my career," Wu said of his decision to leave Yahoo. Working at Yahoo "was a great experience, but I prefer being an outside counsel."
Wu, 35, rejoined Preston Gates on July 1 as a partner in the firm's corporate, business and international practice groups.
He first joined the Seattle-based tech firm in 1998 after working at the former Graham & James in San Francisco. He left Preston Gates in 1999 to direct Yahoo's legal affairs department in Asia.
Last year, Yahoo assigned him to seek out joint ventures, investments and acquisitions in greater China, which includes Taiwan, Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China. Wu's biggest deal last year was Yahoo's acquisition of kimo.com, Taiwan's largest online portal, for $65 million to $70 million.
Wu speaks Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese. He said he hopes to establish a satellite office for Preston Gates in Taiwan.
Currently, he is spending about half of his time in San Francisco and the other half in temporary quarters in Taipei. He expects to be licensed to practice in Taiwan soon.
Although he had offers to work at other law firms, Wu said he was attracted to Preston Gates because it had "the best combination of elements for a successful push in Taiwan."
Preston Gates, he added, "has the confidence and desire to establish something full-time here."
Lawrence Low, a senior partner in the firm's San Francisco office, said rehiring Wu was part of Preston Gates' strategy to expand its presence in China.
With his many contacts in Silicon Valley and Asia, Low said, Wu will help Preston Gates "exploit the significant connections between many parts of Asia and Silicon Valley."
Low said Preston Gates is looking for additional lawyers to help it expand its existing venture, technology and intellectual property base in Asia.
Two years ago, the 400-lawyer firm expanded its Hong Kong office and now has 19 lawyers there. It is also affiliated with TransAsia Lawyers, an Asian law firm with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Sydney.
Erik Cummins
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