After more than a year of negotiations, Reed Smith LLP has completed the final piece of last year's merger with London law firm Richards Butler. Richards Butler Hong Kong will merge into the firm, effective Jan. 1.

The deal gives Reed Smith 110 lawyers in Hong Kong, plus an operation in Beijing. It will also seek a license to practice in Shanghai. Once the transaction is completed, Reed Smith will have 23 offices, more than 1,500 lawyers and revenue of more than $1 billion.

Reed Smith is Pittsburgh's eighth-largest private company and second-largest law firm. It is the second Pittsburgh-based law firm to enter China following Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP, which via a merger completed this past January, has offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei

Richards Butler Hong Kong is among that city's five largest firms.

Reed Smith firmwide Managing Partner Gregory Jordan said in a statement that the firm's strategic plan has been to develop a leading presence in commercial business centers most important to its clients.

"Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing are clearly among those key markets," Jordan said.