Davis Wright Tremaine’s China practice was the first American group licensed in Shanghai and has been in China for years assisting clients with the intricacies of the local economy. In 2005, the firm added former Washington State Governor Gary Locke as a partner, reinforcing its unprecedented position in the Chinese market. Governor Locke's addition to the practice gave the firm unparalleled insight into conducting business with (and within) China based on his connections with officials at every level of the Chinese Government.

As a result of Governor Locke’s relationships, Chinese officials accorded him the stature of a government minister. His friendship with the Chinese government is what the Chinese refer to as “Guanxi”, which literally means “relationships”, but in the Chinese business world it is understood as the network of relationships among various parties that cooperate and support one another. The foundation of Chinese business is the voluntary exchange of favors. Understanding this relationship is the key concept to functioning effectively in the Chinese economic market.

It was natural for Chinese President Hu Jintao’s staff to approach Gary Locke in 2005 for assistance in organizing the President’s trip to Seattle in August of that year. Governor Locke’s role in the visit was a direct result of his unique insight and the many public and private partnerships he had forged over the years.

IPR was tasked with developing messaging and story ideas to pitch to the media from international, national, local, business, trade, and legal perspectives, incorporating Governor Locke’s knowledge and connections and Davis Wright Tremaine’s depth of experience and presence in China. Our efforts were twofold in that we needed to raise awareness of the firm’s capabilities in China and highlight the firm’s Chinese practice group, led by Gary Locke in the U.S.

A project of this magnitude required a high level of confidentiality and tremendous coordination. The challenge IPR faced was creating messages for the U.S. business audience while adhering to the restrictions mandated by the Chinese government.

IPR developed a media list of more than 200 reporters and contacted media outlets around the clock to accommodate international time changes. We developed relationships on behalf of the firm with English-speaking Chinese media outlets in China, Chinese-focused publications in the Pacific Northwest, and major national news publications in the U.S.

Our efforts resulted in Gary Locke and Davis Wright Tremaine being quoted in numerous print and broadcast media outlets nationally and internationally, which included The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, The Asian Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg News, NPR, Christian Science Monitor, Asia Times, CNN’s World News Asia. The firm was also quoted in important regional publications such as The Oregonian, Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Olympian, and the Spokesman-Review. Finally, Governor Locke was featured in an article titled “Locke’s Stock” which ran with a full-color photo in the South China Morning Post, Asia’s largest English language newspaper in Hong Kong.