China

With 100 partners and 300 lawyers, AllBright Law Offices’ litigation and arbitration practice is known for its work in commercial disputes. The firm is often involved in the real estate, mining and metals and financial services sectors. It is often instructed by international corporations and major domestic enterprises. With a proven track record in litigation, the firm is also growing its presence in the international arbitration scene.

Rui Guo is a key name in the firm, acting as lead partner on the majority of cases related to the banking and financial services, construction and real estate sectors. Jianfeng Wang and Sheng Zhang are other lawyers to note for both commercial disputes and international arbitration.

In a notable commercial disputes case, the firm provided counsel to Shenzhen Fenda Technology regarding performance commitment and profit compensation disputes arising from an acquisition. The original shareholders violated commitments, leading to fake financial information and governance failures. The firm’s team led by partner Guo promptly filed arbitration and sought property preservation, successfully safeguarding the interests of the listed company and small shareholders. The case achieved a remarkable resolution within six months, resulting in a compensation of Rmb1.8 billion ($249 million) and relieving the listed company of significant burdens.

On the construction front, the firm provided legal counsel to Excellence Group (Shenzhen) Real Estate in a series of land disputes involving historical land issues in Shenzhen. Through comprehensive legal analysis and evidence collection, the firm successfully demonstrated that the disputed land was state-owned allocated land. Additionally, the firm resolved conflicts between transaction documents and terms by employing interpretation methods and presenting the complex business logic to the court. The case resulted in a complete victory for the firm’s client, leading to a settlement and the return of all subscription funds. The case holds significant reference value for similar land disputes and urban renewal transactions in Shenzhen.

China Great Wall Asset Management, China Shanshui Cement Group and Debon Securities are some of the firm’s recent clients.

Client feedback

“Allbright Law Offices always provides efficient service to our company with excellent results.” – Shipping

Frank Cao

“Frank Cao has a long-term relationship with our company, he's professional in legal practice and thinks deeply with regard to the shipping industry. As senior partner, Frank Cao still pays special attention to our cases.”

Minli Tang

“What I would say is that Minli is my absolute go-to lawyer for China-related disputes. I have had the opportunity to work with and against a large number of Chinese lawyers in a variety of firms, and out of all of them, Minli is my favourite lawyer for many reasons. She is very smart, speaks English fluently and has top-level international arbitration knowledge. I don't need to explain things to her – she just gets it, figures out the answer on the spot and comes back with excellent answers. Every time, without fail. She makes my life considerably easier when dealing with China-based clients and she would easily fit in as a partner at any top-tier international law firm if she wanted to. She is really an excellent international arbitration lawyer, and for that reason, I would (and have) recommended her to a lot of my colleagues and clients.”

“I am working with AllBright on one ongoing matter, have worked with them on a previous matter and am working against them on a third matter. So, I have a fairly good perspective of the firm overall. What I would say is that the lawyers that I work with – principally Minli Tang in the Shanghai office – are very sharp individuals and yet easy to get along with. Minli in particular has the same technical sophistication on international arbitration matters as any lawyer in the ‘big international firms’. She is also classy and yet a feisty and dedicated fighter, which I absolutely love when we are working together on tough cases!”

AnJie Broad Law Firm’s rapidly growing dispute resolution team is recognised for its work in international arbitration and commercial litigation, with particular industry expertise in insurance. The firm regularly represents clients before all levels of court and at various international arbitration institutions, including the International Chamber of Commerce the London Court of International Arbitration and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre.

Key partners of the team include antitrust and insurance expert Hao Zhan and employment specialist Zhenghe Liu.

On the intellectual property front, the firm is currently representing ACON Biotech (Hangzhou) Co in a patent invalidation administrative case against Sinocare, before the Beijing Intellectual Property Court. This case carries significant weight as it involves two prominent biotech companies in China and pertains to the highly consequential blood lipid tester market, which holds immense importance for both parties. Under the leadership of Qinghui (Nick) Liu, the team conducted an exhaustive examination of the case and performed a meticulous analysis of the facts, resulting in the development of a well-founded trial strategy.

In the area of labour and employment disputes, the firm provided advisory services to a renowned government-owned telecom company over a period of 10 years. This involved handling multiple rounds of labour inspections, administrative litigations, and labour disputes with the company's employees.

The firm’s major clients include Amgen, Cambrios Film Solutions (Xiamen) Corporation and Sharp Corporation.

Labour and employment boutique Baohua Law Firm has etched itself a formidable niche in the Shanghai legal landscape with its concentration on handling contentious work arising from employment issues. Clients seek the firm for its services in labour disputes including regulatory, contracts and investigation matters. Runqing (John) Dong and Jay Chen are key contacts for labour and employment issues. The details of all cases the firm worked on during the research period remain confidential.

Full-service firm Be Wu & Associates specialises in copyright protection, tort defence, and trademark protection, with a notable expertise in representing clients in the media and internet sector. Key partners focus in copyright and trademarks are Xiaoyu Zhu, Ping Li and Hongxiang Jia.

In one triumphant IP dispute, the firm successfully represented CCTV International Network in copyright infringement proceedings against Beijing Doogoal Technology, which broadcast GIF images of the 2018 FIFA World Cup without a licence. The judgment in this case represents the largest compensation award to date for GIF image infringement. It showcases the judiciary's thorough assessment of GIF image infringement and holds significant guiding value for the online content-sharing service provider industry.

In 2023, the firm bolstered its litigation practice with the addition of several exceptional lawyers. These new hires include an expert in government compliance, with extensive experience working within China's administrative and regulatory agencies. The firm also welcomed an IP specialist who focuses on criminal law matters.

Beijing Cyan Law Firm is well known for construction and infrastructure-related disputes. It is lauded for its experience in advising on a range of domestic and foreign-related disputes at all levels of court. The firm’s clients are mainly large private, public and state-owned companies.

The team is led by Wanhe Ye together with Yinli Gao, both renowned for expertise in construction and engineering disputes.

The details of all cases the firm worked on during the research period remain confidential.

Client feedback

“Under the leadership of managing partner Wanhe Ye, the team was quickly formed to provide important support for our company's letter of guarantee and other related projects. Under the conditions of a tight schedule, complexity and heavy task, the team provided comprehensive legal services such as evidence collection, strategy formulation, and the whole process of stopping the payment of the letter of guarantee, and gave all-round consideration to our company, analysed the problems professionally and efficiently, and solved the legal problems in the process of litigation and stopping the payment of the letter of guarantee. The team analysed the problems professionally and efficiently, solved many legal problems in the process of litigation and stop payment, and safeguarded our legal interests. Our company is very satisfied with the quality of the team's work, the results, the team of lawyers and so on.” – Construction

“Cyan is a boutique law firm with strong strengths and expertise in both international and domestic construction and real estate. A variety of international and domestic construction and real estate cases have been handled by the construction team led by Wanhe Ye, Yinli Gao, Wei Shi and Arthur Chiu, which has provided high-quality and comprehensive legal services. The team has rich experience in providing services in construction projects and provides quick and comprehensive legal advice to resolve various legal issues and disputes in the process of litigation, arbitration and daily contract review, etc., effectively promoting the smooth progress of the projects.” – Construction

“Beijing Cyan Law Firm is the top choice for international dispute resolution. It has an international profile, hiring foreign legal experts as well as Chinese lawyers with a high command of English. The law firm particularly excels in the area of commercial arbitration and cases regarding the construction and engineering industries. What makes Beijing Cyan Law Firm stand out is its strategic, analytical approach and clear communication even in complicated legal matters.” – International arbitration

“They provide out feasible solutions that strike a perfect balance between the need for operation in Russia and compliance with US law.” – Trade and customs

Arthur Chiu

"Arthur Chiu is an experienced lawyer who possesses a unique understanding of applying clients' business interests to foreign, international and domestic (China) law. He specialises in resolving complex international contract disputes with a focus on aligning legal strategies with clients' specific business needs."

“Arthur Chiu has remarkable expertise in international commercial arbitration and business negotiation. Being both a practising lawyer and a lecturer at the UIBE Law School, he has very wide practical and theoretical knowledge regarding international legal and business matters. His rich legal experience, business-oriented mindset, and effectiveness make him an invaluable asset to Beijing Cyan Law Firm.”

“He is honest, hard-working, dedicated and smart.”

“He provides care for the client and rich experience in international business and law. Arthur knows the logic of business and law and can balance them well.”

"With a strong sense of professionalism and great negotiation skills, he excels in providing various solutions to the challenges presented, highlighting his exceptional ability to innovate."

Wanhe Ye

"Wanhe Ye has been deeply engaged in the letter of guarantee business for many years and has handled more than 30 cases of independent demand guarantees in international projects since 2008. He has also handled guarantee disputes (including bond injunctions) with a huge guaranteed amount in international projects. Some of the guarantee amounts are up to $1 billion – involving domestic and foreign courts, the intermediate people's court in major cities in China, several provincial high courts, and the Supreme People's Court. This is also the cornerstone of why we have chosen to cooperate with Mr. Ye multiple times. Mr. Ye provides comprehensive legal services for many of our company’s overseas engineering projects, especially in the formulation of strategy, grasping the direction of the important support, genuinely solving practical problems, and maximising the maintenance of the company's interests."

"The professionalism, efficient feedback, meticulousness, and overall perspective of Wanhe Ye are all commendable. Wanhe Ye has provided whole-process legal services in multiple foreign-related projects, including letters of guarantee, international arbitration, international negotiation, and daily legal services."

"Wanhe Ye possesses important professional qualifications, including being a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a national first-grade registered construction engineer, and holding a building economist qualification. Wanhe Ye can be regarded as an expert lawyer in the field of construction engineering. Many years of professional experience and continuous improvement of legal knowledge have made Wanhe Ye a leading lawyer in this field, capable of providing clients with high-quality and efficient legal services."

One of the earliest law firms in China, Beijing Kangda Law Firm sees dispute resolution as one of its core strengths. It focuses on disputes in the fields of securities, equity, investment funds, real estate, and labour and employment. The firm is also particularly known for its expertise in government and regulatory, and criminal disputes.

Main commercial disputes partners include Yan Lian and Rongkuan Yang. For regulatory, senior partner Lina Meng is a key contact.

Case highlights include acting for a biotech company in a Rmb30 million ($4.1 million) product quality liability lawsuit against a seed industry company.

Key clients include Lumenous Device Technologies, Nanchang Quanfei Industrial Development and XX Technology Group.

Headquartered in Beijing, CCPIT Patent and Trademark Law Office’s legacy practice boasts nearly 300 patent and trademark attorneys and lawyers. The enforcement team provides litigation, administrative enforcement and mediation services to clients relating to patent, trademark, copyright, domain name and unfair competition matters. Its practitioners are well versed in the pharmaceuticals, chemicals and high-tech industries.

Key partners include president Chuanhong Long and vice presidents Shaohui Yuan and Jianzhong Kang.

The firm acted for Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in a series of patent invalidation cases before the China National Intellectual Property Administration. Seven standard essential patents in the video coding/decoding area owned by Mitsubishi were challenged by the petitioner in 2021 and all successfully held valid. Due to the importance of these patents, the petitioner filed a second round of invalidation requests. The firm represented the patentee, Mitsubishi, and had all seven patents maintained valid again.

In another significant IP matter, the firm represented Apple in a patent invalidation proceeding, navigating through the invalidation procedure and two instances of administrative litigation. Through strategic arguments, the firm successfully defended the validity of the patent in the Supreme People's Court. The case hinged on the inventive step of the patent, with alleged disclosures in prior art. By emphasising the innovative core and the interdependence of key technical features, the attorneys persuaded the judge to consider them as a whole. The Supreme Court ultimately adopted the firm's opinions, confirming the patent's inventive step.

The firm’s recent client roster includes Beijing Dajia Internet Information Technology, Blue Sky Innovation Group, Canon and HC SemiTek.

During the research cycle, the firm lost partner Gang Hu to China Patent Agent (HK).

A Chinese litigation boutique that has been on a noticeable growth spurt in its headcount and its branding traction, Chance Bridge Partners has attained a sweet spot in the market, adding steadily to its bench while remaining at under 30 partners. The firm’s dispute resolution practice is active in securities litigation, shareholders litigation and contractual disputes.

Partners John Ye, Yuxiang Hu and Liyong Wang helm the firm’s disputes group.

Among the commercial and transactions cases, the firm advised Golden Resources in various private equity fund disputes between its subsidiary and Seibor Investment Group.

Over the past year, the firm has provided legal services for clients including AVIC Trust, Huarong Capital Management, Ping An Bank and Sino-Conflux Insurance Company.

Runhua Guo joined the firm as dispute partner from Han Kun Law Offices in October 2023.

Founded in 1984, China Patent Agent (HK) is one of China’s pioneer IP firms. The team houses lawyers with backgrounds in electronics, chemicals and biotechnology. The firm is acknowledged for its expertise in handling patent prosecution and litigation work. Apart from its Hong Kong-based main office, the firm also has offices in Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, New York, Tokyo and Munich.

IP specialists Yuhe Wu and Yanfeng Xiong are key names in the firm.

In one case highlight, the firm acted for German multinational technology conglomerate Siemens in an administrative dispute over the rejection of a patent application for invention.

Key clients of the firm include Meiji, The Lycra Company UK and Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam.

In June 2023, the firm hired leading IP practitioner and trademark specialist Gang Hu from CCPIT Patent and Trademark Law Office as a deputy general manager.

Client feedback

“They successfully defended the invalidation requests filed against our patents in China with CNIPA.” – Intellectual property

“China Patent Agent (HK) has good understanding of our clients’ needs in China and in the region.” – Intellectual property

Yanfeng Xiong

“Professionalism, dedication, excellent performance.”

Nicole Yu

“Nicole Yu and her team at China Patent Agent (HK)'s Beijing office deliver high-quality IP legal work. We are very pleased with all aspects of their work, from reporting, advice and not least understanding possible cultural differences between how things are handled in China compared to Europe and the US. Furthermore, their English is excellent and, due to the above-mentioned, misunderstandings do not occur.”

City Development Law Firm occupies, and some would argue dominates, a construction-focused space in the Shanghai legal market. The firm’s construction team consists of star lawyers with both legal and civil engineering backgrounds. The team has always been in a leading position in the field, with a particular forte in infrastructure, public utilities and landmark projects.

Deputy directors Zhongchun Song and Rubo Han are key names to note, while senior partner Shuying Zhu is a long-time authority in the construction capacity.

In one case sample, the firm successfully represented Taizhou Feilong Group in defending an arbitration initiated by a subcontractor, who requested the client return its overpayment of more than Rmb34 million ($4.7 million) in project recovery. The firm filed a counterclaim for arbitration against the subcontractor, requesting it to pay the delayed period financing fee and return the amount of the quality guarantee.

In another case, the firm successfully represented Shanghai Road and Bridge Group in a construction contract dispute against Jiangsu Keshun Construction and Installation Engineering, who sued for Rmb13.35 million, claiming that the work payment should be jointly made by the client and another construction engineering company. As the 'general contractor' for the project, the client didn't have a direct contractual relationship with the plaintiff, who sought to leverage their position as the 'actual constructor' to make a claim against the client. Past cases had set a precedent that interpreted the 'general contractor' as the 'contractor' responsible for non-payment based on their role as the 'actual constructor'. This jurisprudence posed challenges for the firm's client. However, through dedicated efforts, the firm successfully defended the client's interests. The client had several similar cases in the same region, and this case provided a basis for handling them, thus reducing the client's litigation risk in other similar cases.

Some of the firm’s recent clients include CSSC Real Estate, Shanghai Construction Group and Shanghai Dezhong Construction Group.

Clyde & Co is recognised for its work in international arbitration. Traditionally known for its sector expertise in shipping, insurance and transportation, the team is developing strengths in the oil and gas and construction sectors. The firm is the largest user of the London Court of International Arbitration. Key figures include Simon McConnell, Patrick Perry and Matthew Lam.

In one commercial and transactions sample, the firm acted for a Hong Kong school in defending a substantial claim following the unfortunate death of a school pupil on the premises. The firm provided advisory services to the school during the public inquest, which involved the examination of multiple witnesses' testimonies. The firm is subsequently handling the litigation.

The rest of the clients the firm has acted for during the research period remain confidential.

In May 2023, the firm lost aviation partner Peter Coles to Holman Fenwick Willan.

Client feedback

“The preparation of documentation by Clyde and Co for hearings and trials is not only swift but complete, accurate and well-produced, which can make the difference between winning and losing.” – Banking and financial services

"Commercial approach, responsiveness, cost efficiency, and time efficiency." – Bankruptcy

"The handling is efficient and highly responsive from instruction to the closing of the matter. Clear advice and practical guidance are provided in various stages of the matter. Flexible fee arrangements are available." – Government and regulatory

“The services provided are timely and practical.” – Shipping

“Clyde & Co always gives our company timely responses and professional advice.” – Shipping

"Quick response and expertise in the area. Flexible fee structure." – Trade and customs

Pryderi Diebschlag

“Hard-working, knowledgeable and a problem solver.”

Matthew Lam

“Attention to detail. Good and practical advice.”

“Very knowledgeable and has enforceable experience, which is rare for a shipping litigator.”

“Responsive when approached. Easygoing attitude. Flexible when facing client's needs.”

“He is deliberate in his legal opinion.”

Nicholas Lum

“They provided very practical legal opinions from our company’s perspective and are able to understand the compliance requirements of listed state-owned enterprises.”

Simon McConnell

“Simon is an excellent judge of character, manager, communicator and litigator who is tactful but resolute, responsible but inventive, very client-friendly but also first rate at managing expectations and is always on top of his brief from day one to end of case.”

Michael Ng

"Michael always ensures that he understands my questions as well as my objectives before providing advice. He consistently goes beyond, thinking at least one step ahead for us."

Full-service law firm CMS has a growing international arbitration practice in Hong Kong and is active in commercial, construction and post-M&A disputes. The firm is substantially active in intellectual property in Beijing and Shanghai. The Hong Kong team is also sought out by clients for its significant investment and maritime disputes experience.

Based in Beijing and Shanghai, Nick Beckett and Ulrike Glueck are key figures in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Nicolas Wiegand, based in Hong Kong, is a key contact in its international arbitration practice. Andrew Horton and Steven Wise are key contacts for shipping. Jonathan Chu is a key contact for IP.

In an ongoing commercial and transactions case, the firm is representing the owner of Pacific Bulk Group in a series of shareholder disputes involving Chu Kong and his related parties. These disputes have been the subject of highly contested litigation in Hong Kong for the past four to five years. To date, more than 40 court actions have been initiated between the two parties across various jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Singapore, the British Virgin Islands, the UK and Panama. The firm is actively involved in this complex and extensive legal battle.

The rest of the clients the firm has acted for during the research period remain confidential.

Adrian Elms joined the firm as a partner from DLA Piper in July 2023.

Client feedback

“Clear and concise advice on the merits, coupled with unambiguous recommendations.” – Shipping

“Their ability to effectively balance legal expertise with a genuine concern for their clients' well-being is truly commendable.” – Bankruptcy

“They devised a well-rounded strategy that encompassed various aspects and provided us with a clear understanding of the potential outcomes of different scenarios during our risk assessment. The comprehensive approach allowed us to make informed decisions and choose the most advantageous path for our benefit. The firm's senior associate skilfully executed the plan and consistently kept us updated on the progress. Her professional and timely advice has been ensuring the smooth implementation of the strategy.” – Intellectual property

Adrian Elms

“I have been instructed by and working with Adrian Elms (previously of DLA Piper) in a satellite litigation involving over 30 actions commenced in Hong Kong and other actions in overseas jurisdictions. Adrian is knowledgeable in the laws of company, insolvency and shareholders' disputes, and highly experienced in commercial litigation. Coupled with his robust style and strong common sense, his advice to lay clients is often practical and his assistance to myself as a counsel is helpful and efficient.”

“He has a fantastic balance of knowledge, tenacity and commercial good sense.”

“Adrian is an extremely competent lawyer and organiser. He has a first-rate grasp of strategy and tactics and works very hard for his clients, with whom he interacts highly effectively. He has a pleasant and engaging personality.”

“His attention to detail and exceptional level of expertise and insight in navigating any complex legal issues are truly remarkable.”

Andrew Horton

"Effective communication and a willingness to assist."

Steven Wise

“Extremely good at problem solving.”

Headquartered in Shanghai, Co-effort Law Firm holds a fine reputation in the intellectual property space. It is especially known for its expertise in the areas of copyright infringement and trade secrets issues. The firm is frequently sought after by clients in the media and entertainment, technology and online gaming sectors.

Key practitioners include Minjian You and Gang Fu. Both of them are active in copyright infringement and unfair competition disputes with particular expertise in the technology and online gaming sector.

Commerce & Finance Law Offices is active in key areas of dispute resolution, especially commercial litigation. The dispute resolution team comprises nearly 100 lawyers with 20 partners. Hongji Li heads the dispute resolution team and focuses on complex commercial litigation and international arbitration. Other key names in the team include Jialu Wang and Qiang Cui.

In an ongoing case highlight, the firm is representing Chinese automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC Group) in an anti-subsidy investigation initiated by the European Commission concerning imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The firm is representing JAC Group and cooperating with the EU to ensure a smooth investigation process.

The firm is also representing YF Technology Corporation (Thailand) in response to a US investigation regarding Thailand's alleged circumvention of anti-dumping orders on China on collated staples. The firm has been actively assisting the client throughout the entire process of the review conducted by the US Department of Commerce. This includes preparing and submitting various questionnaires, providing comments on surrogate countries and price data, responding to verification requests, and compiling case summaries and relevant materials. So far, the anti-circumvention inquiry proceedings for YF Technology Corporation have been progressing smoothly and in an organised manner.

Key clients include Chongqing Changan Automobile Company, Chongqing Zongshen General Power Machine Company, YF Technology Corporation (Thailand) and Zhejiang Sanmei Chemical.

The firm welcomed three litigators from Global Law Offices as partners in October 2023, namely Zhao Li, Dingding Li and Jian Dong. Ting Yang, Qiang Cui and Wu Wen were promoted internally as partners in the same year.

Client feedback

“Commerce & Finance Law Offices possesses exceptional experience in handling commercial disputes and consistently presents us with outstanding proposals. Furthermore, the disputes arising from our investments that were represented by Commerce & Finance Law Offices have yielded successful outcomes.” – Commercial and transactions

Qiang Cui

“Mr. Cui is highly professional, dedicated and intelligent. He consistently finds the simplest, most direct, and fastest solutions to complex legal issues, helping clients save valuable time.”

Dacheng Law Offices is widely recognised for its work in commercial disputes, particularly in the banking and finance space. The firm’s industry strength lies in financial services, technology and communications, energy, aviation and life sciences. Huazhi Yuan and Zhibin Zheng are noted for their work in construction and insolvency disputes. 

In commercial and transactions, the firm acted as legal counsel for Fujian Fuhua Industry & Trade Co in a lawsuit against China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The lawsuit centred around a breach of a financial trading contract. Led by partner Jianwei Bi, the firm's team effectively challenged the initial judgment and subsequently appealed the court's decision, achieving a successful outcome.

On the construction front, the team is acting for Shanxi Fengrong Real Estate Development Co in a construction contract dispute against China Railway Sixth Bureau.

Key clients include Beijing Yucheng Jianda Concrete Company, China National Arts & Crafts Group Corporation, China Poly Group, Guizhou Hongcai Investment Group and Guizhou Rongcheng Investment and Development Company.

Client feedback

“They possess good industry knowledge and extensive experience in their field, enabling them to provide effective advice in a timely manner.” – Construction

Kevin Cheng

“Provide practical and effective advice in a timely manner.”

DaHui Lawyers’ dispute resolution team is particularly known for its work in commercial litigation and arbitration, especially cross-border disputes. The firm represents large foreign corporations and domestic entities before important arbitration centres like Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, International Chamber of Commerce and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Industry leaders in the fields of aviation, energy, tech, manufacturing, IT, automobiles and finance frequently engage the firm for counsel.

Arthur Ma is noted as a key figure within the firm’s dispute resolution practice and has a particular focus on commercial litigation and international arbitration. Xing Wan is another key lawyer to note.

The firm is currently representing China Securities, a renowned bond underwriter, in an ongoing commercial dispute. The case involves defending against claims of false statements in private targeted debt financing instruments within the interbank bond market, brought forward by Jiangxi Bank. Recently, the firm achieved favourable judgments at both the trial and appeal stages. This groundbreaking case not only fully protected the client's interests but also established a significant reference for future trials involving false statements in bond cases.

The firm’s impressive roster of clients includes SAIF Advisors, Wuhan Credit Investment Group Joint Stock Corporation and Transtech International.

In April 2023, the firm hired Jue Li as a partner from Fangda Partners.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is one of the strongest corporate law firms in the region, so it comes as no surprise that its strength in dispute resolution is in the financial services sector. The firm is active representing global investment banks, accountancy firms, brokers, insurance companies, as well as trading exchanges before regulators including the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, Securities and Futures Commission, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice and Treasury Department. The team also offers renowned and recognised capability for the handling of white-collar crime and international arbitration.

Key names in the firm’s commercial, finance and corporate disputes team include Martin Rogers, Karen Chan, Patrick Sinclair and James Wadham. Rogers, Chan and Sinclair also have particular expertise in white-collar crime and regulatory matters.

In the realm of commercial disputes, the firm is currently representing the Market Surveillance and Monitoring Department of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) in disciplinary proceedings. These proceedings are taking place before the Disciplinary Committee of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK) and involve allegations against an exchange participant regarding the claimed stamp duty exemptions for purported hedging activities related to its market making activities. This case is expected to provide significant clarification on the scope of the options market making rules and the hedging exemption. It is noteworthy as it marks the first disciplinary case brought by the SEHK in a long time concerning options market making. The case involves a substantial amount of money, exceeding HK$2 billion ($255 million).

The firm’s recent client roster includes DouYu, Lizhi, Luckin Coffee, Sunlands Technology Group, Tencent Music Entertainment Group and X Financial.

Client feedback

“Timely feedback, professional opinions, and comprehensive documentation.” – Class actions

Jonathan Chang

“Provided professional legal advice in the case, effectively managing risks, and achieving satisfactory results."

Lisa Martin

“Extremely good in drafting and providing immediate workable solutions to our legal questions.”

DeHeng Law Offices’ dispute resolution practice is known for its expertise in construction and labour and employment. The firm’s construction team often acts for clients in disputes related to infrastructure projects, construction of public utilities projects, land development, real estate construction and financing. Its labour and employment practice, on the other hand, has a track record of advising on disputes arising from cross-regional lay-offs of large state-owned enterprises and foreign-related labour disputes of international enterprises.

Key figures of the practice include construction and real estate partners Ganghong Sun and Xiongwei Li, and labour and employment specialist Wenwei Su, whose practice covers risk control of management, employee resettlement, and labour disputes.

In commercial disputes, the firm’s team led by Junqi Wang is representing the original shareholder of a company in respect of the equity repurchase dispute of the target company with a value of more than Rmb10 billion (US$1.4 billion). The case delves into the application of the doctrine of clausula rebus sic stantibus within the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, as well as the boundaries of the principle of strict adherence to contracts. The case has reverberated throughout the capital market and industry, drawing extensive attention and sparking widespread discussions across various sectors of society.

In the construction space, the firm is currently representing a private investment group in the construction sector involved in a contentious dispute concerning the transfer of a prominent real estate project in Beijing. This case involves various complex legal issues, including the determination of entities when multiple agreements pertain to the same matter, the fulfilment of payment conditions for project transfers made years ago, the performance of contractual payments, the implications of debt offsetting arrangements between private enterprises on the statute of limitations for litigation, and the interplay between arbitration cases and litigation cases.

Foda Holdings Group, TAL Education Group, Xi'an Dingfeng Hotel Management and Xi'an Jinglong Industrial Development are some of the firm’s key clients.

Dentons’ Hong Kong team works closely with its China team on a variety of litigation matters, with a particular forte in cross-border disputes around the Greater Bay Area. The firm’s industry strength lies in financial services, technology and communications, energy, aviation and life sciences. In Hong Kong, the firm is active in the international arbitration space. As a result of active involvement in the Belt and Road (BRI) initiative, the firm handles an increasing number of disputes arising out of BRI projects and investments.

Huazhi Yuan and Zhibin Zheng are noted for their work in construction and insolvency disputes. In the Hong Kong office, key figures include Richard Keady and Allan Leung who specialise in commercial disputes and international arbitration.

In an ongoing commercial and transactions matter, the firm is representing the Hong Kong Competition Commission in its enforcement proceedings against two undertakings and three individuals involved in significant anti-competitive conduct. These proceedings stem from a bid-rigging agreement among multiple companies and individuals in relation to numerous procurement tenders. This high-profile enforcement case represents the largest action taken by the Commission thus far. Notably, one of the undertakings involved is a publicly listed company in Hong Kong, and the alleged contravention carries an estimated value of around HK$2 billion ($255 million).

Key clients include Berpu Technology, Changchun High & New Technology Industries Development Parent Company, Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining, Kim Dotcom and Megaupload and the Law Society of Hong Kong.

Client feedback

“As one of the largest international law firms including in the Asia-Pacific region, Dentons is always able to provide legal advice on many cross-border matters.” – Bankruptcy

"Dentons is highly attentive to the key issues facing liquidators and provides concise and commercial advice. The team is very personable and a pleasure to work with." – Bankruptcy

"Dentons is technically strong and a pleasure to work with. They presented a clear action plan for addressing the issues we had identified." – Bankruptcy

“A very well integrated practice, able to rapidly draw on resources from the wider organisation.” – Bankruptcy

“Dentons did very well in assisting us in handling this matter. The case was well managed, we were well guided and provided with practical advice.” – Commercial arbitration

“The efficiency, creativity, professionalism and also the ability to reach other firms globally.” – Commercial and transactions

“Extremely thorough preparation of cases.” – Commercial and transactions

“The organising team has strong expertise and capabilities, with extensive experience and understanding of the types of cases involved. They possess excellent skills in personnel organisation and coordination and provide prompt responses to client inquiries. They maintain good communication with regulatory authorities and all parties involved.” – Government and regulatory

“Maintaining relationship with clients and selecting the right counsel to advise in or appear in litigation.” – International arbitration

“Bright, smart people with excellent service delivery. Proactive and approachable.” – White-collar crime

David Kwok

"I have known David for many years, even before his tenure at Dentons. Given his dual qualification as a certified public accountant and his prior employment with the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council, David possesses extensive knowledge and practical experience in insolvency and auditors-related issues, which is a rare find in the industry."

“David Kwok of Dentons Hong Kong excels in providing comprehensive legal support, particularly in complex matters such as fraud and tracing claims by liquidators. Their expertise in navigating intricate legal challenges and providing strategic guidance is commendable. They are adept at offering thorough and well-researched advice, ensuring comprehensive support for us in facing legal situations.”

"David exhibits a commendable ability to navigate complex legal matters, especially in the field of insolvency. His adeptness in representing us and his proactive approach highlight his versatility and dedication to legal innovation."

Robert Rhoda

“Robert is the partner in charge. He is always accessible and is ready and willing to provide timely advice and assistance. He is well versed and has substantial experience in arbitration.”

Keith Brandt

“Excellent communicator.”

“With nearly four decades in the market, Keith has unparallelled experience in disputes enabling him to provide shrewd strategic advice that supplements his outstanding legal knowledge.”

Nigel Chan

“Very client-friendly and diligent. Easy to work with and good attention to detail.”

Norman Hui

"He has a strong ability to arrange, coordinate, and communicate. He possesses excellent expertise and skills, understanding the local financial and regulatory environment. He can accurately understand clients' business demands. He demonstrates strong time and case management abilities and maintains excellent client tracking. Moreover, he has good relationship maintenance abilities with clients in the Greater China region."

Richard Keady

“Extremely hands-on with the cases he manages and always keeps a very positive outlook. His instructions to counsel are always meticulously well prepared. His legal knowledge is outstanding.”

“Efficient, creative, professional and commercially driven.”

“Richard Keady is a very resourceful lawyer who is always able to identify the key points in a case and explain these clearly to clients.”

“Richard is very experienced in the Hong Kong market. A cool head in contentious matters, Richard has seen it all before.”

“Richard sees the issues clearly and has a knack for finding the right solutions. He understands the constraints that liquidators face and how to navigate the issues on cross-border work.”

“Very hands-on for partner level, facilitates well with client and external counsel.”

“Richard Keady demonstrates excellent client engagement and brings a wealth of experience from various contexts to the evolving field of disputes practice in Hong Kong. His advice reflects thoughtfulness, consideration, and genuine commercial insight and pragmatism.”

Mandy Xu

"She is very optimistic and helpful, with strong communication skills. She is responsible and able to respond to client inquiries and provide constructive responses anytime, anywhere. She has a deep understanding of client needs and possesses extensive professional and industry knowledge."

Richard Keady and Nigel Chan

"Dentons, particularly Richard Keady and Nigel Chan, are highly client-friendly and easy to work with. They provide practical advice and serve as a seamless middleman/gateway between lay-clients and counsel."

Dorsey Whitney is often sought for its multi-jurisdictional contentious offerings, particularly in the commercial and transactions space. The firm is active in litigation and arbitration proceedings involving corporate acquisitions, shareholder disputes, contentious insolvencies and a wide variety of commercial matters related to investments and transactions in the PRC. The firm’s litigation group has profound industry knowledge in the areas of banking and financial services, biotechnology, manufacturing and TMT.

Partner Sirui (Ray) Liu heads the firm’s office in Beijing. He concentrates on international and commercial litigations and arbitrations, primarily those involving cross-border and extraterritorial disputes. Yiqin (Karen) Fan is a partner to note in the Shanghai office. Other key figures include Janet Wong, Lilian Shi and Katherine Cheung.

On the IP front, the firm is representing TikTok and ByteDance in a wide range of IP dispute resolution matters and litigation cases across multiple jurisdictions, including the US and the UK. A notable highlight includes their representation in their first-ever case to proceed through a jury trial. This significant case involves a major trademark infringement dispute taking place at the US District Court Southern District of California. Following two years of legal battle and a week-long trial in the Central District of California, the jury ruled in favour of the firm.

Some of the firm’s IP clients are Arvinas Operations, Miura Golf, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Two Sigma Investments.

Client feedback

“In recent years, the institute has adopted a series of innovative mechanisms, such as hiring senior lawyers with experience in the legal department of multinational enterprises, flexible and adaptable fee mechanisms that are closer to the Chinese market, and fully collaborating with its rich local lawyer networks in North America, Europe and other regions to provide customers with comprehensive dispute resolution solutions. Especially in terms of coordinating and managing overseas lawyers, both the institution's own overseas office and local lawyers it collaborates with have demonstrated excellent management skills and rich collaboration experience. In terms of work quality, service response speed, legal service fees, and risk assessment, all aspects have proven the institution's outstanding experience in large-scale and highly anticipated cross-border projects involving foreign affairs. The institute is also a pioneer in the emerging field of legal technology, developing and adopting several technological tools, such as the use of automated office software to identify and unify undefined legal terms, the use of encrypted customer collaboration platforms to promote transparent and timely communication and task management between customers and the institute's legal team, and the use of AI artificial intelligence software – LegalMind file/contract review service. It can assist in accelerating the discovery/disclosure of evidence in judicial and arbitration proceedings, as well as facilitating the review of contract/agreement terms as part of due diligence. The LegalMind document/contract review service provided by the institute not only improves work efficiency but also reduces our legal service costs.” – Banking and financial services

“Professional, accurate, meticulous, humble, friendly, diligent and proactive, able to efficiently maintain good communication with customers, and full of enthusiasm for work.” – Commercial and transactions

“Dedication, expertise, professionalism” – Intellectual property

“He is good at drafting negotiation strategies, analysing how to defend and settlement.” – Intellectual property

“Dorsey has been an exceptional help in handling various complicated and high-stakes litigation cases, including disputes that involve different jurisdictions. Over the past year, they have provided invaluable advice and guidance in dealing with potential business concerns during the challenging times of the Covid pandemic, along with the uncertainties in business and politics. Dorsey's proficiency in international law and expertise in cross-border issues played a significant role in preparing us with well-informed strategic plans, resulting in favourable outcomes. Their team provided customised planning and strategic advice, which led to the best possible results.” – International arbitration

Sirui (Ray) Liu

“I have had the pleasure of working with several attorneys from the Dorsey team, including Ray Liu and Lanier Saperstein, whom I'm particularly close to. I must say, Dorsey attorneys are exceptional litigators who possess a deep understanding of the law and business. Ray is a highly respected and sought-after lawyer in both the US and Chinese legal industries, particularly in cross-border disputes. He is known for his remarkable ability to provide customised plans and strategic advice that help his clients achieve their objectives, which has earned him praise and trust from high-profile international clients. Ray has successfully represented clients in various legal matters, including US litigation, international arbitrations, criminal and government investigations, overseas compliance matters, cross-border transactions, and negotiation matters. He is especially respected for his work representing Chinese companies and their executives in US commercial litigation, where he has helped them achieve the best outcome of the cases, including collecting damages and legal fees from the plaintiff firm. Additionally, Ray has represented major financial institutions in high-profile anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing cases and managed one of the largest cross-border pre-trial projects in China to date. Ray's exceptional legal skills are complemented by his outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, making him an asset to any team or client he works with. He is a dedicated litigator who always strives to provide high-quality legal services to his clients. Based on his experience and expertise in cross-border litigation, I highly recommend Ray Liu to anyone seeking legal representation in this area.”

“Responsive, solution-oriented mindset, easy to communicate with, knowledgeable.”

“Due to the unexpected risks and uncertainties often encountered in cross-border litigation, clients urgently need professional and mature legal advice and risk mitigation measures. The firm’s China dispute resolution team led by Lawyer Sirui Liu has the industry's top legal professional capabilities, rich experience in foreign litigation, a flexible and stable work style, and timely and efficient customer service capabilities, which minimise the risks and difficulties we face. The team has years of extensive practical experience and can assist enterprises in making important strategic predictions, decisions, and ultimately resolving disputes. Starting from the fundamental interests and demands of customers, the institute closely collaborates with teams from China, the United States, and Europe to customise commercial and strategic solutions for Chinese customers.”

“Mr. Sirui Liu is a top senior expert in the field of foreign-related civil and commercial legal business and has provided us with important legal advisory services on a cross-border project. Mr. Liu, with his profound professional knowledge and rich practical experience, has provided us with comprehensive, accurate, and detailed legal advice as well as the most practical and effective plan reference for our transaction decisions. Mr. Liu is humble, friendly, diligent and proactive, able to efficiently maintain good communication with clients. He is full of enthusiasm for his work and always demonstrates his outstanding legal literacy and shining personality charm with a passionate attitude. In addition, Mr. Liu actively participates in various important social activities, providing suggestions for national major strategic policies and legal construction work such as deepening opening up to the outside world and assisting Chinese enterprises in going global during the 14th Five Year Plan period, and has won numerous awards. Mr. Liu is a trustworthy partner who can always benefit greatly from his rich work experience, steady attitude towards handling affairs, and humble personal cultivation.”

“He is good at co-ordination, analysis of customer needs and the team responds promptly.”

East & Concord Partners offers a comprehensive dispute resolution practice, with particular strength in arbitration. It is active in commercial disputes, notably those arising in the energy, construction and infrastructure, finance and technology and telecommunications sectors. Its team is regularly sought after by both international and domestic enterprises.

Managing partner Qi Zhou is prominent in the arbitration scene, often acting as a senior arbitrator at the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission. Chaoyi Ji heads the dispute resolution practice and is active in both litigation and arbitration.

The firm acted as counsel for China National Building Materials & Equipment Import & Export Corporation in a $110 million international arbitration against Joint Stock Commercial Industrial and Investment Bank in the International Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong. The firm’s team led by partner Ji successfully represented the client in all legal proceedings.

Some of the firm’s notable clients are General Electric Company, Harbin Electric Company, Nationsync Electrical and Machinery Equipment Corporation, and Shanghai Juqian Rongxin Enterprise Management Partnership.

Client feedback

“East & Concord Partners provides very professional services in a timely manner.” – Bankruptcy

“In the process of providing services, East & Concord Partners has done a good job in promptly alerting us to legal risks and providing recommendations for solutions. Additionally, they have professionally safeguarded our interests during the litigation process.” – Bankruptcy

Lynn Li

“Lynn is very proactive and professional.”

“Lynn Li provided very professional services, alerted us to risks, and offered professional solutions, making a significant contribution to the smooth operation of our business.”

Eiger in association with Shanghai Runyi Law Firm is particularly strong at complex labour disputes. The firm often handles senior management and compliance issues, as well as other internal fraud and business fraud-related litigation. It is also experienced in handling international shareholder disputes, mostly representing foreign investors into Asia.

Two key partners to note are Tian Xu and David Jin. Xu’s practice focuses on corporate and M&A, employment and tax, whereas Jin is an experienced commercial attorney with a strong background in disputes and legal matters concerning foreign investment, M&A, corporate governance, and intellectual property.

Top-tier firm Fangda Partners continues to be a frontrunner, singled out for its strong track record and robust presence across the market. The firm focuses on handling high-profile, high-stakes and complex litigation with particular expertise in multi-jurisdictional disputes including international arbitration. The firm also enjoys pre-eminence in the IP, regulatory and insolvency space.

Key figures in the dispute resolution team include Pu (Alexandra) Yang, Helen Shi, Nuo Ji and Kate Yin who specialise in IP, international arbitration, insolvency and government and regulatory matters respectively. Benjamin Miao, Daniel Huang and Peter Yuen are other key practitioners.

On the intellectual property front, the firm represented NavInfo, a market-leading Chinese navigation software and map company, on its successful copyright infringement claim against three Baidu companies found to be using “substantially similar software” without permission. The Beijing Intellectual Property Court awarded NavInfo Rmb64.5 million($8.9 million) in damages, the highest damages award for copyright infringement cases in China to date. In addition to awarding damages, the court granted an injunction enjoining the Baidu companies from infringement and ordered the defendants to issue a public apology.

The firm counts esteemed companies as litigation clients including Alibaba UC Technology, ByteDance, Intel and Ralph Lauren.

The firm’s dispute resolution practice has promoted Sijia Li and Sylvia Zhang to partners in June 2023. Feng Wang joined from TianTong Law Firm as partner later in the same year.

Client feedback

“They provide quick replies and are able to give accurate and good advice on complicated topics. Additionally, they proactively engage lawyers in other areas to ensure the soundness of the solutions.” – Labour and employment

Heidi Hang

She delivers work with a quick turnaround time and provides advice that is business-friendly.

Benjamin Miao

“He is highly expert and possess a strategically sound approach.”

“He provides expert, sound advice and demonstrates legal skilfulness. Additionally, he is always available and responsive.”

Bo Zhou

“He is very responsive and offers effective solutions to complex issues.”

Gen Law Firm generated immediate buzz upon its formation a few years ago when seasoned IP lawyer Jing He left AnJie Law Firm along with his team and set up this new firm. With offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, the firm’s IP team is lauded for its profound knowledge in complex IP litigation and transactional matters. It often litigates matters in the semiconductor, wireless, biopharmaceutical sectors, as well as difficult bad faith trademarks and cross-border trade secret issues.

Beijing-based managing partner Jing He has more than 20 years' experience in handling IP litigation, antitrust, policy advocacy and compliance matters. Another partner based in the firm’s office in Beijing is Kefeng (Steve) Zhao, whose practice covers disputes involving trademark, copyright, unfair competition and data protection, IP-related commercial arbitration and litigation, compliance investigation and governmental relation affairs. Jinwen (Kevin) Han and Feng (Jerry) Xia are other key figures of the firm.

The firm provided assistance to Bobst, a prominent global supplier of substrate processing and converting equipment, in an IP lawsuit. The case involved a patent administrative enforcement action against a Chinese competitor named DGM, who had unlawfully copied Bobst's patented design of Speedwave. Notably, this case stands out as one of the rare instances where foreign patent owners have successfully pursued administrative enforcement of their patent rights in China, subsequently leading to civil action and an administrative lawsuit.

Happy Elements, Panpan Door Company, Sichuan Emeishan Zhuyeqing Tea Company and Sina Weibo are some of the firm’s key IP clients.

Client feedback

“Gen Law Firm responds in a timely manner. The paperwork and handling of the case exhibits high professionality.” – Commercial arbitration

“Fast, pragmatic and creative in providing legal solutions.” – Intellectual property

“This firm consistently provides strategic advice that encompasses both business and legal perspectives.” – Intellectual property

Jing (Melissa) Feng

“Hardworking, client-oriented, responsiveness and diligent.”

Jing He

“He is a very good communicator and helpful on managing costs.”

Jerry Xia

“He is creative, pragmatic and passionate, with exceptional communication skills. Additionally, he possesses the ability to effectively solve complex legal issues related to intellectual property.”

“He is an experienced IP attorney who not only has a solid legal knowledge but also understands how to facilitate the work of an in-house counsel.”

Famous for its leading white-collar practice, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher draws on significant on-the-ground experience acting on high-profile internal and government investigations across the Asia-Pacific region. It focuses on work involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, anti-money laundering, securities and trade control laws.

The firm boasts renowned litigators in the market including Kelly Austin, Elaine Chen and Brian Gilchrist. Austin is prominent in the white-collar and compliance space while Gilchrist and Chen are highly respected for their commercial disputes expertise. The firm expanded significantly in the commercial litigation sphere with the arrival of Gilchrist, Chen and their team from Clifford Chance. It advises on cutting-edge litigation on a full range of complex contentious matters including banking, insurance, contentious probate and tax.

The firm successfully defended American multinational energy corporation Chevron in a $1.797 billion civil lawsuit in Indonesia. The lawsuit, brought by an Indonesian non-governmental organisation, alleged environmental violations related to oil remediation. Led by Austin, the firm worked closely with local Indonesian counsel and co-counsel at King & Spalding. After extensive fact development, witness testimonies, and merits briefing, the trial court ruled in favour of Chevron, denying the plaintiff's claims and ordering them to pay the litigation costs.

All details of the clients the firm has advised on remain confidential.

Client feedback

Global Law Office’s dispute resolution team comprises 50 partners with nearly 100 associates with solid skills and rich experience in a broad range of practices including antitrust, finance, compliance, insolvency, construction and intellectual property. It is also well-respected in the field of international arbitration, able to instruct in large-scale matters before the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, London Court of International Arbitration and the International Chamber of Commerce.

Xing Xiusong and Gao Yifeng are well regarded for their international arbitration capability. Gao is also active in construction and product liability disputes. Other lawyers to note include Jingye Jiang, Zhao Li and Jiuguang Zhao.

In commercial and transactions, the firm is acting on behalf of China National Light Industrial Products Import & Export Group in litigation involving disputes over sales contracts, storage contracts and port cargo custody contracts. The series of cases are trialled in various levels of courts in many regions, including intermediate courts, high courts, and supreme courts.

On the construction front, the firm is currently representing Beijing Maglev Transportation Development in the construction of the S1 Line, a significant project in Beijing. The firm has participated in drafting and reviewing documents, offering legal opinions, and resolving potential disputes associated with the project. The transaction involved in this project is of substantial magnitude. However, due to changes in government planning, the actual construction period has exceeded the initially planned duration, leading to disputes involving significant amounts of money. As an infrastructure project, the S1 Line bears great importance for the travel of Beijing citizens and has a significant societal impact. Furthermore, the technical specifications within the industry for this project are highly complex.

The rest of the clients the firm advised in the past 12 months remains confidential.

In 2023, the firm welcomed 10 new partners joining the team, including Hong Jiang and Yiduo Gong who joined from TianTong Law Firm, Aohan Wang and Lijun Huang who joined from King & Wood Mallesons, and Yong Jia and Ping Yao from Zhong Lun Law Firm. Other recent lateral hires are Yongheng (Wendy) Wu, Yi (Lucy) Luo, Zhen Huang and Sufang Liao. In the same year, the firm lost partners Zhiqiang (Jack) Law and Jian Dong who departed to Hui Zhong Law Firm and Commerce & Finance Law Offices, respectively.

Client feedback

Yifeng Gao

“He is always very responsive and strategic in his advice. We respect his views and believe he is one of the top dispute resolution lawyers in China.”

“They are a top name in the field of dispute resolution work, with Yifeng Gao being recognised as a doyen in the market.”

Lei Niu

“Listens well to our concerns and gives suggestions.”

The dispute resolution team at Beijing Grandway Law Offices has extensive experience in commercial litigation and arbitration. It regularly acts for multinational corporations, blue chip companies and financial institutions in matters relating to commercial contracts, securities compliance, investment and financing, and product liability. Gang Xie is a key partner at the firm.

Among the commercial and transaction cases, the firm is advising Beijing Join Chain Medicine on a Rmb5.6 million ($0.8 million) litigation case against Guangdong Zhongrun Pharmaceutical over a sale agency contract.

The rest of the clients the firm has acted for during the research period remain confidential.

Guantao Law Firm’s litigation and arbitration department has in-depth experience in investment, equity and IP as well as commercial and financial fraud disputes. It also has deep knowledge in administrative litigation and review. The firm is particularly active in real estate and construction-related disputes.

Leiming Sheng and Shaosong Sun jointly lead its disputes team with expertise in commercial and construction disputes as well as antitrust and arbitration. Wei Jiang is also singled out for his work in the construction space.

In commercial and transactions, the firm is currently representing China Huarong Asset Management Beijing Branch in 11 litigation and enforcement cases involving disputes over recourse of non-performing financial claims. These cases encompass disputes related to non-performing financial claims, loan contracts, and enforcement. Each case involves disputed amounts exceeding Rmb200 million ($27.6 million), with the highest disputed amount nearing Rmb600 million. The firm has actively engaged in reconciliation and communication with the defendants on behalf of the client. In four cases, the firm successfully obtained consent judgments through court mediation procedures and subsequently initiated enforcement procedures based on these judgments. In two cases, the firm assisted Huarong Beijing Branch in obtaining notarisations and applied for enforcement based on notarisations issued by notary offices. In the remaining cases, the firm represented Huarong Beijing Branch in attending the hearings, actively communicated with the judges, and is currently awaiting the court's issuance of judgments.

Key clients include China Huarong Asset Management, CITIC Securities, Fujian Outlet Discount City, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals and Western Trust.

In March 2023, the firm welcomed a total of eight new partners: Lei He, Zhaolong Yin, Qixing Cao, Jiangping Hui, Jun Liu, Ning Xu, Chuan Wu and Lian Liu.

Founded in Beijing in 2018, Hai Run Law Firm has been formed by the merger of Beijing Hairun Law Firm and Beijing Tianrui Law Firm. Its disputes practice is active in domestic litigation including civil, commercial and criminal cases with a particular forte in securities, investment funds as well as IP issues. Key figures in the firm include Ming Yao, Jinlong Zhou and Zhenzu Zhang.

One of the cases saw the firm advise China Nuclear Investment on a more than $156 million case of financial loan contract dispute against China Nuclear (Pingtan) Science and Technology Park Investment Partnership Enterprise, Beijing Shunhua Real Estate Development and Bank of Beijing.

The firm also advised Huainan People’s Government on a contract dispute against San’an Optoelectronic, Fujian San’an Group, Suncore Photovoltaic Technology Co, Xiamen Suncore Energy and Qinghai Suncore Energy.

The firm hired Huanwei Zhang, Longyuan Jiang and Mei Fang from Anli Partners as partners, all specialised in asset management.

China Minsheng Bank, Hwabao Trust and Jiangsu Nantong Erjian Group are some of the firm’s key clients.

Haiwen & Partners is one of the earliest domestic law firms engaged in foreign and overseas dispute resolution and arbitration in China. The firm’s dispute resolution team provides legal services for state-owned groups, listed companies, private enterprises at home and abroad, as well as transnational corporations, unicorns and investment institutions. Partners Fan He and Edward Liu are key figures.

In a notable case, the firm achieved a successful outcome by obtaining an order to enforce an arbitral award issued by the Shanghai Arbitration Commission arbitral tribunal as a Hong Kong judgment, with a total value exceeding Rmb185 million ($25 million). This case is particularly significant due to its high-value claim and its cross-jurisdictional nature. Under the leadership of Edward Liu, the firm's team effectively countered the award debtor's efforts to dissipate their assets and successfully refuted unfounded allegations concerning the validity of the arbitral award.

The firm maintains client confidentiality for the remaining cases it has advised on.

Client feedback

“Their dedication to understanding our legal needs and providing tailored solutions.” – Labour and employment

Qiong Wu

“Good leadership. Excellent communication skills. Being agile and responsive.”

Han Kun Law Offices' dispute resolution practice is renowned for its exceptional quality of work and is frequently sought after for counsel on a range of matters, including commercial disputes, intellectual property issues, antitrust cases, and labour and employment concerns. The firm has garnered particular acclaim for its expertise in handling intellectual property disputes within the telecommunications, healthcare and chemical industries.

Eric Liu, partner and member of the dispute resolution team, is lauded for his work in the commercial and transactions field. IP specialist Yan Wang is also a recognised name. Other key names include Denning Jin, Andy Liao and Yaxing Zhang.

In a significant commercial and transactions matter, the firm acted as legal counsel for a major trust company in a financial litigation case against a prominent entrepreneur and his company. This complex and challenging case involved substantial financial transactions and evidence. The firm successfully represented the client and achieved victories in both the initial and subsequent trials. As a result of these successful outcomes, the client was able to recover potential losses exceeding Rmb1.7 billion ($235 million).

In the field of intellectual property, the firm's IP team represented a California-based technology firm zSpace in various trademark invalidation filings, as well as a refusal review and related administrative litigation, which ultimately led to retrial litigation. The team achieved a favourable outcome with a retrial judgment issued by the Beijing High People's Court. The judgment revoked the previous judgments and decisions and instructed the China National Intellectual Property Administration to re-issue a decision regarding the core mark in class 9.

Client confidentiality is strictly upheld by the firm for all remaining cases it has provided advice on.

The firm’s IP team has promoted Xiaoming Deng, Chunyao Lin and Long Liu to partners in January 2023.

In 2022, the firm expanded its presence by opening offices in Haikou and Wuhan in April and July, respectively. In November of the same year, its Hong Kong office merged with its associated law firm in Hong Kong, following approval by The Law Society of Hong Kong. The merged entity is now officially licensed and authorised to provide independent legal services in Hong Kong.

Client feedback

“The firm exhibits a genuine understanding of the Chinese market and boasts lawyers with exceptional expertise in international arbitration.” – Commercial arbitration

“They are professional, rigorous, and responsible.” – Competition/antitrust

“They provided very practical and feasible legal advice to our queries.” – International arbitration

“Han Kun Law Offices has a very good litigation team. They have done well in litigation.” – Product liability and recall

Xianglin Chen

“Xianglin possesses extensive knowledge and demonstrates a quick understanding of the real issues that need to be addressed.”

“Responsive and offers strategic direction to running complex international arbitrations.”

Lifeng Lu

“Responsive, helpful and experienced.”

Xiu Pei

“She is very professional and can provide effective solutions.”

Yaxing Zhang

“Mr. Zhang is a reliable and ethical professional in the field of dispute resolution. His approach of providing feasible advice and innovative solutions indicates a practical and solution-oriented mindset. The fact that he doesn't exaggerate his abilities and avoids making promises he can't fulfill speaks to his integrity and commitment to maintaining realistic expectations. In the legal profession, especially in dispute resolution, having an experienced and down-to-earth lawyer like Mr. Zhang can be invaluable. Clients often appreciate professionals who are transparent, honest, and capable of delivering practical solutions to complex problems. This approach not only builds trust but also contributes to successful outcomes in legal matters.”

“In the realm of dispute resolution, he is professional, rigorous, and conscientious. He quickly understands customer needs, utilises his professional technical skills to solve problems, and assists customers in achieving satisfactory results.”

“He is resilient and hardworking in advancing the case forward.”

Enjoying a first-class reputation in the market, Herbert Smith Freehills maintains a vast range of domestic and international disputes capability covering the full spectrum of contentious advice across Asia-Pacific. The firm stands out in commercial disputes, international arbitration and white-collar crime among other areas. It also has the largest dedicated arbitration team in Greater China with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Apart from legal expertise, the firm is also recognised for its strategic and commercial approach to handling cases.

Dominic Geiser and Gareth Thomas are key names for commercial litigation. May Tai and Justin D'Agostino are particularly famous in the international arbitration space, while Kyle Wombolt is the dominant player in white-collar crime. Other notable lawyers include financial services regulatory specialist Hannah Cassidy and banking litigation specialists Jojo Fan and Rachael Shek.

On the commercial and transactions front, the firm is acting for both UBS and UBS Europe in defending proceedings commenced by the liquidators of China Metal Recycling in the court of first instance in respect of liabilities arising out of its sponsorship work for the IPO of China Metal Recycling. In another case sample, the firm is defending Bank of China International and BOCI Securities against mis-selling claims brought by their private bank client who is a high-net-worth Chinese individual based in the Guangdong province. This matter is one of the few mis-selling cases in the jurisdiction that have been brought in respect of the sale and purchase of investment products after the 2008 global financial crisis and touches on a complex set of facts that span over a period of six years. The claim well exceeds HK$100 million ($12.8 million).

Notable clients include Bank Julius Baer & Co, BNP Paribas, Chance Talent and Oasis Management Company.

Client feedback

HHP Attorneys-At-Law is recognised for its work in financial disputes. The team has represented clients in disputes relating to trust and wealth management, securities, mergers and acquisitions, shareholders’ rights and corporate governance. Industry expertise ranges across the real estate, machinery manufacturing and automobile sectors.

Senior partners Jingdong Xu and Yao Rao are key names in general commercial disputes.

In an ongoing case highlight, the firm is representing a prominent new energy vehicle startup facing substantial claims from investors. This is due to the triggering of buyback rights, involving nearly Rmb1 billion ($138 million) in three arbitration cases, one of which is an international arbitration. The case revolves around the company's failure to meet listing and production goals, which led to the activation of buyback rights and subsequent claims from investors.

The rest of the clients the firm has acted for during the research period remain confidential.

Client feedback

“HHP (HHP Attorneys-At-Law) stands out for various reasons, contributing to a highly effective and collaborative partnership. They possess profound legal knowledge and extensive experience in dispute resolution, which allows them to provide quick responses, especially in intricate cases, demonstrating their commitment to timely and efficient legal solutions. The firm consistently delivers high-quality analysis opinions, showcasing a deep understanding of industrial products and manufacturing and a track record of achieving effective results, highlighting their commitment to excellence. HHP's specialisation in the industrial products and manufacturing industry is a significant advantage, supported by their rich experience and keen understanding of the latest judicial practices, positioning them as industry experts. For different cases, HHP adopts a collaborative approach, bringing together litigation experts and experienced lawyers with specific field knowledge, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded strategy for addressing various legal challenges. Their transparent billing system ensures that clients receive clear and reasonable expectations regarding costs, contributing to the firm's high cost-effectiveness. HHP's consistent record of winning cases reflects their prowess in navigating diverse legal scenarios and achieving favourable outcomes for clients. As a member firm of Meritas, HHP has established effective collaborations with numerous overseas law firms, enabling efficient resolution of cross-border disputes and streamlined judicial procedures across jurisdictions, showcasing their global capabilities and network. In summary, HHP Attorneys-At-Law's strengths lie in their legal acumen, industry-specific expertise, collaborative approach, cost-effectiveness, and global reach, making them a valuable and reliable legal partner.” – Commercial and transactions

Yao Rao

“Yao Rao possesses remarkable attributes that contribute to his excellence as a legal professional. His diligence and responsibility, combined with a strong sense of integrity and reliability, set him apart. Notably, Yao Rao excels in communication, fostering clear and effective dialogue. His adept case management skills showcase a commitment to providing exceptional legal services, characterised by a proactive and thorough approach to handling cases. Overall, Yao Rao's positive attributes include his dedication, communication prowess, and comprehensive case management abilities.”

HongFangLaw’s practice is exclusively dedicated to intellectual property. The firm is especially active in litigation for clients in the automotive, communications, construction, energy, pharmaceuticals and software industries. Xu Zhang is the main contact in the firm.

Case highlights include acting on behalf of British multinational alcoholic beverage company Diageo in filing an objection and an application for trademark invalidation against Guangzhou Gangpai Garment; advising South Korean beauty and cosmetics chaebol Amorepacific Corporation on a trademark infringement dispute against Cosmeceuticals (Guangdong); and advising another South Korean cosmetics brand, Innisfree Corporation, on trademark infringement litigation against Shanghai Pingfan Glasses and Jiangsu Pingfan Glasses.

Some of its most important clients include 3M, Bandai Namco, Hennessy, Hisense Group and Treasury Wine Estates.

Client feedback

“They always offer a tailor-made solution for each situation.” – Intellectual property

Xu Zhang

“Zhang Xu, a partner at HongFangLaw, is our most frequent contact. His experience and insights in IP practice in the energy industry have been very helpful for us when it has come to formulating an IP protection strategy in China.”

Hui Ye Law Firm is consistently referenced among market peers in the capacity of cross-border commercial disputes, an area in which the firm has a particular niche. The firm often handles equity disputes, investment and various commercial dispute cases for multinational groups and state-owned enterprises at all levels of arbitration institutions, both at home and abroad. Dong Wu, Rocky Ding and Steven Zhou are senior partners of the firm.

Among the commercial and transactions case highlights, the firm represented Shanghai Heshang Asset Management, Jinyuan Shunan Fund Management and Chang'an Fund Management in a lawsuit regarding securities misrepresentation arising from the issuance of the '14 Fuguiniao' bonds and subsequent periodic reports. These ongoing cases hold significant importance, as there are limited civil judgments in the bond market regarding securities misrepresentation liability. The outcomes of these cases are expected to provide guidance for future disputes in the bond market involving securities misrepresentation.

The rest of the clients remain confidential.

Founded in 1997, Hylands Law Firm is particularly known for IP disputes across the media and communications, entertainment, sports and machinery sectors. The firm is also active in the areas of commercial and insolvency disputes. Key partners include Yu Xu and Yiru Sun for commercial disputes and Michael Liu for intellectual property.

On the commercial and transactions front, the firm is advising a PRC-listed company in the photovoltaic equipment industry in a breach of contract case arising from a transfer of control agreement with a total value of nearly $13.6 million. This case represents a typical example of the ongoing battles for control within listed companies, a matter that has garnered significant attention in the Chinese capital market.

During the research period, the firm represented Tahone Investment Management (Kunshan) on an Rmb1 billion ($138 million) corporate bond transaction dispute against Shaoxing Zhongfu Holdings and Jinggong Group. The firm also acted for Shanghai Pangzeng Investment Management Center in a contract dispute case against Guangzhou Ruifeng Group.

The firm maintains strict confidentiality regarding the remaining clients it has provided advice to within the past 12 months.

In October 2023, the firm welcomed Li Huang, formerly of Zhong Lun Law Firm, as a partner.

Client feedback

“Bankruptcy liquidation and reorganisation is one of the best business areas of Beijing Hylands Law Firm. The firm has undertaken more than 170 bankruptcy liquidation and reorganisation cases and forced liquidation cases since its inclusion in the bankruptcy representative roster, and has been awarded as an excellent manager for five consecutive years. The institute has a professional bankruptcy team as support, with all-round and multi-level professional knowledge and skills to better promoting the optimisation of the business environment in Wenzhou.” – Bankruptcy

Xiao Han

“Lawyer Han actively cooperates with our court and handles cases conscientiously. Our court highly recognises her work ability and work level. Under her leadership, the bankruptcy team of Hylands Law Firm has also obtained outstanding work performance and extremely high external reviews.”

Jincheng Tongda & Neal (JT&N) offers legal services to both domestic and international clients across various practice areas, such as commercial, intellectual property, antitrust, construction, and real estate. Notably, JT&N has established itself as a leading firm in cross-border dispute resolution, being one of the pioneers in providing legal services for foreign-related dispute resolution in China. The firm boasts a robust cross-border dispute resolution team, with senior partners Guozhong Shao and Decheng Li playing pivotal roles in its success.

In a notable commercial and transactions case, the firm represents Kangde Xin Composite Material Group Company in a contract dispute against Kangde Investment Group and Bank of Beijing. This case holds significance as it is the first first-instance case accepted by the High People's Court of Beijing Municipality following the adjustment of level-based jurisdiction standards. It is likely the only first-instance case accepted by the court since the adjustment to the level-based jurisdiction.

In intellectual property, the firm represented the Zhejiang Tiantie company on a patent invalidation of high-speed railway technology case. This case involved the patent invalidation of a key technology for China's high-speed rail. Attorney Yang Zhenzhong successfully represented Zhejiang Tiantie in the complex litigation, clarifying the examination criteria for utility model patent creativity and the role of commercial success. The firm won in both trial instances, safeguarding market shares, economic benefits, and China's high-speed rail technology. The success achieved in this case not only protected China's important high-speed rail technology but also enhanced its international competitiveness in the field.

Bilibili, Cantol, Shanghai Xuanting Entertainment Information Technology, Xiaomi Communications and Yuncheng JT Chemical Technology are some of the clients that instructed that firm in the past 12 months.

Client feedback

“The firm strives to find practical and effective solutions for their clients, addressing their principal concerns and resolving problems in a timely manner.” – Government and regulatory

Chungang Dong

"Always strives to find the best solution and is highly efficient."

Yanmei Long

"Professional and efficient, with a strong integration of law and business."

Jingtian & Gongcheng’s well-established dispute resolution team houses a sizeable team of experienced counsels and litigators. It is highly regarded for its expertise in handling corporate, regulatory, securities, intellectual property and insolvency disputes. State-owned enterprises, financial institutions and foreign corporations often instruct the firm for complex international arbitration matters.

Chungang Dong is a notable contact for commercial and arbitration work. Other key names include IP specialist Ye Zhao and government and regulatory practitioner Siyuan Liu.

In a notable general commercial dispute, the firm achieved success by representing China High-Speed Railway Technology in initiating arbitration proceedings against Henan Province Luozhou Border Highway at the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission. The amount involved in this case is substantial, reaching up to Rmb1.6 billion ($221 million).

In the area of government and regulatory matters, the firm successfully achieved the dismissal for Zhong De Securities in a securities fraud litigation stemming from significant disclosure violations committed by Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp Beijing. The firm also represented Zhong De Securities in administrative investigation procedures related to the case. The financial fraud conducted by Leshi spanned a period of 10 consecutive years, making the case exceptionally complex and profound compared to similar cases. The disputed amount involved in this case is the highest among all securities litigations. Moreover, this case holds great significance as it marks the first case accepted by the Beijing Financial Court under the representative litigation procedure, as well as the first representative litigation case in China that issued two rounds of notices for investor registration. The case involves various intricate and cutting-edge legal issues, including the boundaries of a sponsor's due diligence liability in non-public offerings and the allocation of liability among different intermediaries. The firm's successful landmark dismissal for the client sets an important precedent and is expected to provide valuable insights for future cases involving the allocation of liabilities among different intermediaries in securities litigation.

The firm’s litigation clients include Beijing Shixin Holding, CECEP (Tianjin) Financial Leasing, Harvest Capital, Home World Asset Management, Honfang Culture, Tebon Securities and Xiangcai Securities.

In 2023, the firm welcomed several new partners: Pengcheng Sun, Xianfeng Zhang, Tian Sun, Yanping Nie, Ganlin Lin, Yi Xu, Lei Guo and Bei Wang.

Based in Shanghai, Joint-Win Partners has comprehensive coverage in the commercial disputes field. The firm is active in matters involving capital markets, corporate, government and IP. It has rich experience in dealing with government agencies with a strong track record in handling various administrative lawsuits.

One of the key figures at the firm is Yueguang Zhu, a veteran commercial disputes lawyer with a particular focus on finance, administrative and IP law. Ling Ling and Zhenming Guan are other senior lawyers to note.

A key highlight of the firm's work includes representing Shanghai Meixun Industrial in a contract dispute against Suzhou Meinado Cosmetics. This case was recognised as one of the top 100 outstanding legal documents by the Supreme People's Court and serves as a reference case for the Shanghai Higher People's Court.

Some of the firm’s key clients include Golden Malus Asset Management, Shenzhen Zihui Xintong Commercial Factoring, Shanghai Huishitong Investment and Suzhou MedicalSystem Technology.

In the past 12 months, the firm’s dispute resolution department has witnessed significant growth with the addition of more than 43 new lawyers. This includes the recruitment of eight senior lawyers specialising in commercial and transactions.

JunHe is highly regarded for its work in commercial, construction and intellectual property disputes. The dispute resolution team houses nearly 90 lawyers including more than 20 partners. With extensive experience before courts at various levels and renowned arbitration centres, its litigators provide clients with an in-depth understanding of the legal system and judicial practice in China and overseas. The majority of the team members are dual qualified as well as multilingual in Chinese, English, French and Japanese, offering high-quality international dispute resolution services.

Prominent figures include commercial dispute specialist Yang Liu, construction experts Yu Qin and Elvis Zhou as well as labour and employment practitioner Hongjuan Bai.

A noteworthy highlight in commercial disputes involves the firm representing Xiaomi Corporation in an internet tort liability dispute against an individual. The firm successfully obtained an injunction from the Beijing Internet Court and achieved a complete victory in the first instance on behalf of the client.

The firm has maintained confidentiality for the remaining clients it advised.

During the research period, Philip Kwok and Yifan (Evan) Xian joined the firm as partners from Winston & Strawn and East & Concord Partners, respectively.

Client feedback

“JunHe provides professional and practical opinions and solutions to client.” – Commercial and transactions

“Prepared very detailed paper and summary.” – Commercial arbitration

“They have great experience in the subject-matter and provide practical advice to drive the matter forward. They are also diligent in their legal research, leaving no stone unturned when preparing a case study report.” – Product liability and recall

Daniel He

“Hardworking and capable of handling clients' requests at any time."

Lingyun (Jacky) He

"Proficient in commercial transactions."

Qing Li

“Very helpful and able to quickly grasp my needs."

Delong Zou

“Delong is a very experienced litigator, with an approachable attitude. He is good at spotting the key issues at dispute, and he can deliver convincing arguments to the court.”

Founded in 1995, Beijing-based JunZeJun Law Offices provides a comprehensive and diverse array of litigation services that includes commercial litigation, securities, maritime law and construction, with a particular forte in the IP arena. The firm’s IP practice covers patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and domain names in industries involving telecommunications, semiconductors, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, media and other traditional industries.

Senior partners Danny Ye and Nan Ding lead the firm’s ever-growing IP team.

In IP disputes, the firm’s IP team, led by Danny Ye, represented Guangzhou 37 Mutual Entertainment Technology and Shanghai Guanhang Network Technology in defending a copyright infringement and unfair competition litigation brought by Wemade Entertainment and Chuanqi Ip in relation to the game “Heroes of the Kings”. This case provides a framework for games copying and rational referencing. The case was one of the 10 leading IP cases of 2021, according to the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI).

During the research period, IP lawyers who have joined the firm as partners include Liangyong Liu, Fei Li, Shengli Wang, Yi Cheng, Yi Li, Lianfeng Zhang, Pan Xiao and Helou Huang. The firm has also promoted 16 partners. In May 2022, it set up a new office in Nanchang to enhance legal resources integration and brand influence in central east China.

Notable IP clients include Dyson Technology, Guangzhou Duoyi Network, Guangzhou Ewan Network Technology and Shanghai Ewan Information Technology Group.

Client feedback

“They provided meticulous work and excellent results. The firm helped the company recover a lot of losses.” – Commercial and transactions

“With excellent legal expertise and rich work experience in the non-performing asset disposal business, the firm puts forward unique solutions for large-scale, difficult-to-dispose and complex-transaction projects and actively safeguards our interests. They never shrink back in the face of problems, but achieve the expected goal through unremitting efforts.” – Commercial and transactions

“Professional, serious and efficient.” – Construction

“The service is meticulous and attentive with a detailed work report issued for our company at each stage. They provide timely feedback and have strong professional ability. The team led by Lianfeng Zhang is not only familiar with laws and regulations, but also understands the specific application mode in practice. The case is carried out according to the lawyer’s original idea and the preliminary results have been satisfying so far.” – Construction

“You don’t have to worry about cases that are entrusted to JunZeJun. They are very good.” – Construction

Yi Chang

“Highly professional and detail-oriented. We feel secure letting her handle even the toughest cases.”

Hongmei Cheng

“When representing us, he sorted through every detail of the work and offered professional legal recommendations. He also took part in business negotiations, safeguarding our interests and achieving satisfactory results.”

“He represented us in the Hanzhong City Construction Investment & Development dispute. He provided outstanding and well-prepared representation.”

“He represented our company in litigation, preservation, and execution of our existing risk. He handled the cases with dedication, professionalism, and high efficiency.”

Na Lv

“Handles assigned work meticulously and completes it on time to a high quality.”

Zhe Song

“Professional, earnest and efficient.”

Lianfeng Zhang

“Dedicated and professional.”

“Lawyer Zhang is sincere and dependable. Even before representing us, he had already combed through many facts and a lot of evidence relating to the case. He puts complicated cases into a clearer structure that made it easier for us to determine our litigation plan. In representing our case, lawyer Zhang was hardworking and responsible, always answering our enquiries and keeping us updated at every stage so we knew how the case was going. I am very impressed by lawyer Zhang’s level of professionalism and would like to have him represent us in any future cases.”

“A lawyer with solid and comprehensive professional knowledge. Highly experienced, sincere, and responsible. Capable of not providing comprehensive legal service solutions and professional recommendations for our company from a business perspective.”

K&L Gates’ dispute resolution practice is active in commercial and transactions. The firm has experience handling debt restructuring, fraud, professional liability, and contentious employment matters, as well as construction, securities and investment company litigation. In addition, it has been handling an increasing number of technology and intellectual property related disputes.

Key people include Christopher Tung and Sacha Cheong, two Hong Kong-based partners. Tung is active in construction, environmental law, clean energy and carbon finance. Cheong specialises in commercial cases, white collar crime, employment and construction. Jay Chiu is another key contact.

In a commercial dispute, the firm is assisting China Silver in several funds-related litigation matters arising from swap transactions and redemption rights under subscription agreements. These matters are ongoing before the Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal in Hong Kong and have also given rise to parallel proceedings in the Cayman Islands as well as winding-up and bankruptcy proceedings in Hong Kong.

In the IP space, the firm is representing Luxshare Precision, one of the biggest and best-known connector companies in China, in patent litigation in response to a patent infringement claim brought by its competitor for the usage of certain electrical connectors and cages in downstream products sold in the US. The case was first filed in 2020 and the firm received a favourable final initial determination from the administrative law judge in March 2022.

In January 2022, the firm welcomed Susan Munro as counsel to the international arbitration team in Hong Kong.

Some of the firm’s new clients are FTI Consulting, Grant Thornton, Hong Kong International Aviation Leasing, Lexington, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Wuyi Bairong Electric Appliance and ZTE Corporation.

Client feedback

“When it comes to litigation with international elements, the Hong Kong office of K&L Gates can easily connect clients to lawyers of other jurisdictions to provide quick and sound advice on foreign law.” – Commercial and transactions

Sacha Cheong

“Litigation partner Sacha Cheong is very approachable. Clear road maps detailing the major steps in litigation are provided to clients at early stage. Advice is prompt and candid, and clients will not be advised to incur unnecessary costs.”

“As a partner, Sacha is very responsive to clients’ queries. He provides quick and sound advice to clients and makes sure that clients are informed at all stages of litigation. He is also knowledgeable in both court litigations and arbitrations in Hong Kong. Clients can feel very comfortable in entrusting litigation matters to Sacha.”

Chris Tung

“Very personable and hard working. Great with clients. Intelligent.”

Kangxin Partners is focused exclusively on intellectual property disputes including those related to IP rights, trade secrets, unfair competition, and technology transfer. The IP enforcement team has specialists in electronics, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and communications as well as computing technology. IP litigator, Samson Yu heads the firm.

Litigation-focused King & Capital Law Firm has made its debut in the Benchmark Asia-Pacific rankings this year. Specialising in criminal litigation, civil litigation, and commercial litigation, the firm showcases its dedication to staying up to date with legal developments through the establishment of an anti-monopoly department and keeping pace with revisions to the Anti-Monopoly Law. Furthermore, the firm actively pursues business opportunities in corporate compliance, adapting traditional case-handling models to emerging compliance methods to ensure sustained growth. Notable partners at the firm are Yali Liang, Yanhui Sun, Qilong Zhao, Tao Ma, Libin Zhang, and Yi Lin.

In a significant commercial and transactions case, the firm represents the vice president of Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corporation (LeTV) in filing a lawsuit with the Beijing Financial Court. This lawsuit follows punishment by the China Securities Regulatory Commission for falsifying financial statements over a period of 10 years. Importantly, this case marks the first instance of a general legal representative action in Beijing since the promulgation of the Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on Several Issues Concerning Representative Actions Arising from Securities Disputes by the Supreme People's Court.

Other clients the firm has advised include Bestlife Regenerative Medicine, China Electronic Commerce Association, Tangshan Dongrun Real Estate Development and XX Biotechnology.

One of the dominant players in the region, King & Wood Mallesons has a deep bench of experienced litigators in China and Hong Kong, offering clients broad coverage in Asia-Pacific and supported by a wide international network. The firm represents clients before all levels of the courts and various arbitration tribunals, including the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and the ICC. The Hong Kong office is especially known for its construction and international arbitration capability. The firm is also active in financial services regulatory work.

Key names in the commercial and international arbitration space include Yuwu Liu and Ariel Ye in China and Paul Starr and Barbara Chiu in Hong Kong. Beijing-based Zhongsheng Li and Jing Xu are notable in IP disputes and Kuncheng Zhao is known for insolvency. Edmund Wan in Hong Kong is a key name for construction. Chiu is also active in the regulatory and white-collar space, together with Rachel Yu.

In construction, the firm is representing New World Development Company in parallel proceedings of Hong Kong arbitration and domestic litigation by offering Chinese legal support and representing the client in litigation and enforcement processes.

In international arbitration, the firm is advising CEIBS Publishing Group on a United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) arbitration administered by HKIAC and parallel Hong Kong court proceedings, as well as potential PRC court proceedings against China Europe International Business School. In another ongoing matter, the team is acting for two US venture capital funds in a series of arbitration, litigation and other legal proceedings in a cross-border take-over dispute against a delisting company.

The firm’s clients include Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, Guoxing Global Land Consolidation and Development and Wuzhou Xingkai Construction.

Kirkland & Ellis has an exceptionally well-respected team for insolvency and white-collar crime work, with extensive expertise in fraud investigations, asset recovery and tracing, fund and shareholder disputes. With offices in Shanghai and Beijing, the firm has a substantial PRC-based disputes practice handling cross-border litigation issues involving China.

Neil McDonald and Kelly Naphtali are key figures for insolvency, while Cori Lable in Hong Kong and Tiana Zhang in Shanghai are highly regarded in the field of white-collar crime and investigations.

In insolvency, the firm is serving as international counsel for Babel Finance in a comprehensive restructuring endeavour. This involves addressing financial obligations, business operations, and the shareholding structure of the company. The proposed restructuring is intended to be executed through a scheme of arrangement in Singapore and presents unique and complex legal considerations pertaining to the restructuring of a cryptocurrency company. The firm has been actively assisting the client in the restructuring process, including contingency planning, and has taken the lead in negotiations with new investors, shareholders, and a diverse group of creditors.

Details of clients the firm has advised on during the research period remain confidential.

The firm’s insolvency practice lost partner Wenchen (Jacqueline) Tang to Sullivan & Cromwell in June 2023. Later in the same year, Grace Zhu and Anthony Wijaya were promoted internally to partners.

Client feedback

"Provides comprehensive solutions for complex situations in a manner that is easy to comprehend and understand the commercial benefits." – Bankruptcy

"Displays a great strategy that covers all aspects of the file." – Commercial and transactions

"The firm demonstrated exceptional competence and knowledge, successfully handling and managing this monumental case." – Commercial and transactions

Wei-Yang Lim

"Exhibits an incisive intellectual ability to swiftly identify the core of the problem, coupled with an unwavering work ethic, unparallelled integrity, and exceptional client management skills. Possesses the versatility to operate diplomatically with a gentle touch or assertively as the situation demands."

Neil McDonald

"Sharp, with a strong strategic mindset, commercially oriented, and possesses a deep understanding of the market."

Kelly Naphtali

"Kelly demonstrated exceptional competence in overseeing the case, effectively managing her team within the firm, coordinating with the counsel team (including myself), and maintaining effective communication with the client. The division of labour within K&E (Kirkland & Ellis) is excellent, with Kelly serving as the main partner on the case, providing a comprehensive and overarching perspective despite the vast and complex nature of the case."

Labour law specialist firm Lanbai Law Firm has more than a decade long history in corporate HR compliance and employment legal services in China. From risk defence to risk treatment, it covers every aspect of labour and employment law with solid experience on both the contentious and non-contentious sides. Bin Zhang and Minghui Qian are the practice’s main partners.

Founded in 2022, Beijing-based Lantai Partners is experienced in handling all manner of commercial disputes including bank loans and guarantee issues, contractual default, construction and product liability matters. The firm is regularly entrusted by governments, domestic and foreign companies, financial institutions and tech companies. It is especially noted for its capability in banking and financial disputes.

Guang Yang and Xiaomin Yao are key partners at the firm who are noted for their commercial disputes expertise. Partner Shaoqing Tian is active in construction disputes.

On the commercial and transactions front, the firm is currently representing an international wine estate in a contract dispute with a Beijing-based partner of a famous British garden brand. The case involves the authorisation of the brand and park operation projects in China. Collaboration with the British Embassy, British Tourist Authority, and British Department for International Trade was involved. Through mediation, both parties reached a unanimous agreement.

The rest of the clients the firm has advised on during the research period remain confidential.

Founded in 2002, Lawsons Law Office engages in various areas of dispute resolution, including financial, corporate, bankruptcy, labour and employment, family, and construction disputes. Notably, the firm possesses extensive expertise in financial legal disputes, which have been a longstanding core and advantageous focus for the firm. Lawsons Law Office has established itself as a trusted provider of comprehensive legal services to numerous domestic banks and non-bank financial institutions. Long-term clients include Bank of China and China Construction Bank. Xuanyun Guan and Jianwei Lei are founding partners.

In the commercial and transactions space, the firm is advising Hong Kong XYZ International Group in a share transfer contract dispute. This complex case goes beyond a simple share transfer dispute, involving intricate legal relationships and cooperative development. The outcome has significant implications for a Hong Kong enterprise's investment confidence and the progress of a crucial construction project in the Panyu district of China.

The rest of the litigation clients remain confidential.

Lewis Silkin has won commendations from peers and clients for its focus on dispute matters related to labour and employment, as well as intellectual property. Its Hong Kong office supports multinationals and offers support on a range of IP and commercial IP issues in both Hong Kong and across the Asia-Pacific region. A key name to note at the firm’s Hong Kong office is Jezamine Fewins, who is an experienced employment and IP litigator.

In an ongoing IP matter, the firm is representing public relations agency Purple Public Relations in respect of trademark infringement and a passing off claim which has been committed by Filtr Qingwa, which is operated by We Purple Group (formerly known as Qingwa Group). The issue arose when Filtr Qingwa decided to undergo a rebranding exercise and adopted the name 'Purple' for their public relations company. This name directly conflicts with the client's brand and seems to be a deliberate attempt to exploit the client's established goodwill and reputation in the global market.

Notable IP clients include Asia Standard, Double Lion Global, Netbit Asia and Venchi.

Client feedback

“High-quality legal services provided in a timely manner.” – Intellectual property

“They respond promptly and comprehensively.” – Intellectual property

“Lewis Silkin are subject-matter experts in the field of employment.” – Labour and employment

Jezamine Fewins

“Excellent to deal with. Jezamine is a great communicator with lots of experience and skill.”

“Understands our business and is able to find solutions to resolve our issues.”

“She specialises in intellectual property rights and possesses extensive experience in intellectual property rights.”

“Jezamine Fewins understands the nature of our business, the objectives we seek to achieve.”

Lifang & Partners is highly regarded for its expertise in intellectual property law, with a focus on the technology and telecommunications industry. Notably, this sector constitutes around one third of the firm's client base, particularly in patent-related cases. With extensive knowledge of patent filing and litigation, the firm is also recognised for its diverse experience in handling Standard Essential Patent matters. Guanbin Xie is a key contact for IP disputes.

One notable IP case sees the firm acting for Segway-Ninebot, a world-famous company offering alternative short-distance transportation solutions, in filing an administrative enforcement action against Aijiu Industrial and Trade Company, seeking to halt infringement through complaints lodged with the Beijing IP Office. This case holds exceptional importance within the self-balancing scooter industry in China and stands out as a rarity, as the patentee solely seeks the court's determination of infringement.

Some of the firm’s IP clients are Autodesk, Beijing Insights Value Technology, Dassault Systèmes, Ele.me and Guangdong Haotaitai Technology Group.

In 2023, Lifang & Partners welcomed Ruoyu Peng, Jing Wang, Shengyang Jiang, Zongxin Liu, and Jun Hu. Their arrival injects new vitality into the firm’s business expansion initiatives within the biomedicine, chemical engineering, medical devices, life science, and healthcare sectors.

Client feedback

Guanbin Xie

“He is an excellent AML (anti-money laundering) and IP litigator.”

Liu Shen & Associates is an early pioneer in foreign-related patent prosecution and litigation in China. Established in 1993, the firm has provided comprehensive legal services related to IP applications, litigation, and strategic analysis for numerous renowned domestic and international enterprises. With one of the largest dedicated IP litigation teams among Chinese law firms, Liu Shen offers a wide range of services, including patent and trademark litigation, patent invalidation, trademark administrative litigation, copyright infringement litigation, and trade secret litigation. The firm's competitive edge lies in its strong technical capabilities.

A crucial partner at the firm, Guanyang Yao specialises in delivering legal services pertaining to patent law. With nearly 15 years of experience in patent prosecution and litigation, Yao possesses a profound comprehension of China's patent legal system.

Among the IP disputes, the firm represented American athletic footwear and apparel corporation Nike in initiating patent enforcement actions against copycats in Canton fair, a trade fair held in Canton, Guangdong, China, and obtained favourable results by taking down infringing shoes of more than 40 infringers.

3M Science, Dyson, Fusion Materials, Pfizer and TPLink are some of the firm’s esteemed IP clients.

In September 2023, the firm hired Qian Yang and Yue Li from Han Kun Law Offices.

Shanghai-based law firm Llinks Law Offices is well regarded for its expertise in handling complex commercial and construction disputes. The firm is actively involved in a wide range of finance, investment, and general business-related disputes. Charles Qin and Peiming Yang are recommended for their proficiency in commercial disputes and international arbitration. Patrick Zheng also contributes significantly to the firm's notable cases. The specific details of all cases worked on during the research period are confidential.

Headquartered in Beijing with branch offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen, IP firm Lung Tin Intellectual Property Agent provides IP services including litigation, counselling and mediation in the areas of trademark, copyright, trade secrets and unfair competition. The firm’s industry sector strengths lies within the engineering, machinery, biochemistry and pharmaceuticals fields.

A key IP practitioner to note is partner Qinghong Xu, who is a patent attorney with explicit knowledge in the automotive, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and renewable energy sectors. Partners Jacob Zhang, Yan Huang and Deland Wu are also key figures.

The IP team is representing a Chinese partially state-owned technology company in an administrative litigation filed by Conversant Wireless Licensing (formerly Core Wireless). Another ongoing dispute has the firm representing Denmark-based Grundfos, the largest pump manufacturer in the world, in patent litigation and patent invalidation proceedings against Heifei Shinhoo Canned Motor Pump.

The firm welcomed Jun Wang to its bench from King & Wood Mallesons in February 2022. He specialises in patent application and prosecution.

Key clients include Lemi (Beijing) International Architectural Planning and Design, Markor International Household Products, Molex and Shanghai Sulzer Construction Machinery.

Client feedback

“Actively communicates business progress with us and provides professional legal advice.” – Intellectual property

“The professional and experienced patent infringement litigation team and the sound preparation of litigation documents have allowed us to win many lawsuits and obtain high compensation.” – Intellectual property

Yan Huang

“Attentive and very knowledgeable about Chinese design law.”

Siyue (Jacob) Zhang

“Handles every assignment with dedication, drawing on professional knowledge and experience to achieve goals.”

“Jacob is my go-to attorney in China. He is an excellent patent attorney. His technical knowledge is really good. He is very good at communicating and his advice is always appropriate to the client’s needs. He has an excellent team working with him as well.”

Lusheng Law Firm mines a unique niche exclusively dedicated to intellectual property. It is also a patent agency authorised by the China National Intellectual Property Administration. With headquarters in Beijing, the firm has also set up branches in Shanghai and Guangzhou to provide patent agency services to clients across China.

Managing partner August Zhang specialises in the areas of trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition and he often advises clients with the security and enforcement of their valuable IP assets in the region. Sharon Qiao, Beijing-based Landy Jiang and Shanghai-based Carol Wang are key figures.

Among the IP litigation, the firm successfully represented major sports footwear and apparel manufacturer New Balance Athletics in a series of trademark infringement and unfair competition disputes against Chinese brand New Barlun. Shanghai IP Court rendered the final judgments in 2022 for all three cases in the series and confirmed that New Balance’s ‘N’ trademark had become special decoration of well-known commodities before August 2004. New Balance was awarded total damages of Rmb35.8 million ($4.9 million). This is a legendary IP battle between New Barlun and New Balance considering New Barlun’s influence and position as the originator of parasite ‘N’ marked sporting shoes as well as the long infringement history. The courts restored the truthful fact that New Barlun was a malicious infringer under the cover of legitimate trademark owner.

Notable IP clients include Babyzen, Lululemon Athletica, Spin Master, Universal City Studios and Universal Pictures.

Client feedback

“The firm is responsive and professional with a strong global network.” – Intellectual property

Landy Jiang

“Customer-oriented, professional and timely responses.”

Mayer Brown is among the largest and longest-standing law practices in the market. The firm is frequently sought out for its work in general commercial, construction, insolvency and financial services regulatory disputes. The team is also developing a niche in emerging technology matters including electronic transactions and data privacy.

John Hickin is a partner to note for commercial and transactional litigation. Alan Linning is singled out for contentious regulatory work, while Gabriela Kennedy and Menachem Hasofer are recommended for IP and construction work respectively.

In commercial and transactions, the firm successfully represented a major developer in Hong Kong in its compulsory sale application of an industrial building in Quarry Bay with a reserve price of HK$5 billion ($638 million), the highest of its kind, in an auction to expand its hub in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island. This case represents the highest reserve price ever set among all compulsory sale orders issued under the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) Ordinance (Chapter 545) in Hong Kong. It is a highly contentious matter that has involved a substantial amount of expert evidence. The trial itself lasted for a duration of 25 days, encompassing all stages including the presentation of closing submissions.

Key clients include First Laser, Gig Lok Monastery and Junefield Gold Investments.

In January 2023, the firm promoted Raymond Yang and Jason Leung to partners.

Client feedback

"Delivers excellent value, maintains good communication, and offers commercially sound advice." – Banking and financial services

“Their presentation has raised the staff's awareness in complying with the relevant instruments.” – Construction

“Mayer Brown has a team of highly skilled, experienced and dedicated professionals who are always ready to provide top-notch legal advice to clients.” – Construction

“Good customer service with professional recommendations.” – Intellectual property

“Mayer Brown excels in case management. Their team is extremely capable and knowledgeable in all aspects of trademarks and IP issues, as well as arbitration.” – Intellectual property

“Practical advice, making themselves available when we needed them most.” – Labour and employment

“Great communications with us as clients, unassuming and making themselves available when we needed them most.” – Labour and employment

“Everything – they are a fountain of excellent knowledge.” – Labour and employment

“Very responsive, prompt and comprehensive advice.” – Real estate

Duncan Abate

“Always remembers the human side of a legal equation.”

Tom Fu

“Tom shows his professional knowledge on construction dispute in the case.”

Amita Haylock

“Amita is exceptionally knowledgeable in all aspects of intellectual property and trademark work. Amita excels in litigation and arbitration.”

Gabriela Kennedy

"Responsive and accessible, fostering good customer relationships, and providing professional legal advice."

Billy Lam

"Provides responsive and comprehensive advice."

Jason Leung

“He is professionally qualified in law and engineering. His dual qualifications enable him to quickly understand the issues in dispute and communicate effectively with the frontline colleagues.”

Mei Ling Lew

“Mei Ling is a very experienced and highly dedicated lawyer who is able to handle complex disputes arising from large-scale building construction projects. She has a detailed and practical approach, and she is always keen to deliver work of high quality.”

"Highly efficient, industrious, meticulous with an eye for detail, and possesses extensive knowledge."

Ben McCosker

"A good communicator who excels in coordinating teams and demonstrates strong technical expertise."

Jennifer Tam

“Jennifer is personable, approachable, young and energetic. She cares about our case and was able to help us risk-manage.”

“Jennifer listens to us and provides practical advice. She is unassuming and leads her team of junior lawyers well.”

Merits & Tree Law Offices’ dispute resolution practice is active in insolvency and intellectual property. Its assets and bankruptcy restructuring team has extensive experience in representing asset management companies, financial institutions and social investors in a large number of litigations and execution business related to non-performing assets disposal. Its IP practice  has a track record of handling dispute settlement in the TMT, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, medical devices, artificial intelligence, chemicals and materials fields.

Key partners include Zunsi Liu, Leiming Li, Sheng Jiang and Wenliang Zhang. IP experts Lihui Zhao, Wei Deng, Jing He and Karen Hu are also notable partners of the firm.

In commercial disputes, the firm handled a miner exploration rights dispute between two Inner Mongolia companies, and represented China Agriculture Industry Development Fund in a share repurchase disputes against varies parties.

In the IP space, the firm represented Beijing ZCOOL Network Technology in an unfair competition case against Huaban over infringement actions. The firm obtained a high compensation judgment in the first instance and successfully reached a settlement and obtained a high settlement payment in the second instance. The case marks the first unfair competition case obtained through big data in the picture area and has no precedent of judicial practice.

The five former Anli Partners lawyers, Zheng Li, Chenxi Qu, Jingxiang Zhou, Haiqing Wang and Xia Lan, joined Merits & Tree Law Offices in August 2022.

Merits & Tree Law Offices’ dispute resolution practice is active in insolvency and intellectual property. Its assets and bankruptcy restructuring team has extensive experience in representing asset management companies, financial institutions and social investors in a large number of litigations and execution business related to non-performing assets disposal. Its IP practice, on the other hand, has a track record of handling dispute settlement in the TMT, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, medical devices, artificial intelligence, chemicals and materials fields.

Key partners include Zunsi Liu, Leiming Li, Sheng Jiang and Wenliang Zhang. IP experts Lihui Zhao, Wei Deng, Jing He and Karen Hu are also notable partners of the firm.

In the IP space, the firm represented Shanghai Fleetguard Filter in trademark infringement and unfair competition disputes. This case revolves around the question of whether the product packaging includes the trademark of another entity. The verdict in this case holds significance in determining the continued acceptability of industry and common practices, carrying profound implications for the future development of the entire sector.

Gree Electric Appliances, MIGU Video, Syneron (Beijing) Medical Technology, Taikang Insurance Group and Zhongnanhong Culture Group are some of the firm’s notable IP clients.

In 2023, Merits & Tree Law Offices made significant additions to its team, strengthening both the insolvency and IP practices. Weilong Du, previously associated with Hengdu Law Firm, joined as a partner in the insolvency practice. Additionally, Yi Zhao and Jianxin Zhang joined from King & Wood Mallesons, further enhancing the firm's insolvency capabilities. In the IP practice, Xiaoxue Wu, formerly of Jingtian & Gongcheng, also joined the firm as a partner.

Morgan Lewis & Bockius is sought out for commercial litigation and arbitration work. Its Hong Kong disputes and litigation team regularly represents clients on multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes across Asia, and in connection with disputes arising globally for Asia-based clients. The firm’s clients include China-based firms from various industries including real estate, private equity, banking, energy, e-commerce, telecommunications, and pharmaceuticals.

Charles Mo is a notable figure on the commercial disputes side, while Lesli Ligorner advises on labour and employment and white-collar crime disputes. Shaobin Zhu is noted for his IP litigation expertise.

Case highlights submitted for the research remain confidential, but the firm acted in various cases involving complex contractual claims, trade secrets, debt recovery and investigations matters.

The firm’s IP practice promoted Andrew Antczak, Victor Ghidu, Kelly Plummer and Martin Henshall to partners in October 2023.

In a significant development, the firm gained approval to open a Shenzhen office in June 2023, expanding its IP services in China. The team focuses on IP litigation, drafting agreements, and leading transactions for technology and life sciences companies in the region. This move strengthens the firm's presence and commitment to serving clients in the dynamic field of intellectual property.

Client feedback

Lesli Ligorner

“Great to work with. Positive, friendly, available and personally engaging.”

Shaobin Zhu and Agatha Zuo

“The entire team led by lawyer Shaobin Zhu is highly professional, diligent and responsible. They possess proficiency in intellectual property and are dedicated to attending to details. Furthermore, they patiently address our inquiries and resolve issues. Lawyers Shaobin Zhu and Agatha Zuo from this firm provided us with exceptional IP services. Working with them has been a truly pleasant and remarkable experience. Lawyer Zhu exhibits a remarkable level of expertise in the field of intellectual property and excels at assisting us with comprehensive IP planning while mitigating potential risks. Additionally, lawyer Zhu adeptly safeguards our legitimate rights and interests to the fullest extent. Lawyer Zuo demonstrates great care and patience. They invest significant time and effort in drafting patent application documents, meticulously revising them multiple times based on our opinions and suggestions.”

Supported by a highly capable litigation and arbitration practice, Morrison & Foerster is acknowledged for its strength in cross-border disputes across the region. The firm provides corporate investigation and enforcement capabilities backed by a fully integrated regional practice across five offices in Asia. It operates across a broad range of sectors including energy, chemicals, construction, manufacturing, real estate, and technology and telecommunications.

Managing partner Timothy Blakely heads the firm’s Hong Kong litigation department. His practice focuses on government investigations, complex commercial litigation and international arbitration matters. Another key partner to note is Sarah Thomas.

The firm's IP team is currently engaged in a contentious trade secret theft arbitration in California on behalf of Snap-on and Mitchell 1. They are pursuing legal action against Autel Intelligent Technology, a China-based company, and its US subsidiary. The case revolves around the audacious theft of proprietary data from two long-standing American companies. Autel Intelligent Technology and its US subsidiary deployed sophisticated hacking methods to bypass the security and protection mechanisms put in place by Snap-on Tools and Mitchell 1. The defendants' actions allowed them unauthorised access to valuable trade secrets, leading to multiple claims, including misappropriation of trade secrets, violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and breaches of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and state anti-hacking statutes.

The rest of the cases submitted during the research period remain strictly confidential, but the firm kept busy working on matters related to government investigations, shareholders’ agreements, and a number of Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and International Chamber of Commerce arbitrations.

Client feedback

Recognised for its dispute resolution expertise, especially in the commercial and transaction space, Norton Rose Fulbright has an excellent track record of managing large and complex transactions, projects, and disputes in China and internationally. The firm also regularly advises clients on IP-related disputes, with a particular niche in the technology and life sciences sector.

Partners Camille Jojo and Alfred Wu are two reputable dispute resolution stars from the firm. Jojo handles a wide range of complex finance disputes, whereas Wu often advises clients on an extensive range of general commercial litigation and arbitration.

In commercial and transactions, the firm is acting for Paloma, a leading manufacturer of gas appliances based in Japan, in enforcing a Japan Commercial Arbitration Association award of more than HK$270 million ($34.5 million) against a subsidiary of Capxon International Electronic Company.

The firm is currently providing advisory services to a prominent Hong Kong construction company, acting as the unsecured creditors, amidst the looming possibility of Hong Kong Airlines' collapse. Initially, a winding-up petition was filed against Hong Kong Airlines; however, it was subsequently dismissed by consent after the approval of the airline's scheme of arrangement in Hong Kong and its parallel restructuring plan in the UK. As per the scheme and plan, the firm's client, along with other scheme creditors, is expected to receive distributions in due course. Throughout the scheme of arrangement process, the firm has been assisting the client with restructuring and insolvency matters. Notably, the High Court has granted an order in favour of the firm's client through the Injunction Summons, which entails the ringfencing of retention monies until the Originating Summons is determined. This case holds significant importance due to its implications for the potential collapse of one of Hong Kong's largest airlines.

The rest of the clients the firm advised on remain strictly confidential.

The firm promoted Daniel Ng to partner in January 2022.

Client feedback

"The partners are highly responsive, adhere to fee estimates/caps, and closely monitor fees." – Commercial and transactions

“Extremely good at giving sound advice to clients and preparing instructions to counsel.” – Commercial and transactions

“Gives very sound and practical advice to clients and prepares instructions to counsel very thoroughly. Always tries to get the best possible result for clients.” – Shipping

Kevin Hong

“Very responsive, always happy to help with our requests.”

Camille Jojo

“He always finds the best solution for his client's problems. He is very tenacious in litigation and comes up with well-thought-out solutions.”

“Camille Jojo is dedicated to giving his clients the best possible service and he achieves this (inter alia) by preparing instructions to counsel very comprehensively.”

O'Melveny & Myers is recognised for its international litigation and arbitration practice. The firm works on high-profile M&A, joint ventures, insurance, financial services and IP disputes. Managing partner Denis Brock is recognised for his work in the commercial and arbitration space. Kieran Humphrey is another lawyer to note.

The firm played a pivotal role in an international arbitration case where it represented a US telecommunications company that had counterclaims against mainland Chinese-controlled entities. This arbitration, conducted under the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, centred around the breaches of a shareholder's agreement, encompassing violations of both federal and state laws in the US. Notably, the arbitration proceedings were initiated following a stay of a related US district court action involving the mainland Chinese entities. Through its diligent efforts, the firm successfully secured a favourable outcome as the tribunal dismissed the opposing party's counterclaims.

The rest of the clients the firm has acted for during the research period remain confidential.

Client feedback

"Offers prompt and practical advice, supported by industry knowledge. Provides strategic and tactical guidance, effectively communicating options and their associated consequences.” – Construction

"Demonstrates a remarkable level of expertise and possesses the ability to transform complex legal problems into practical and actionable advice." – Insurance

Denis Brock

"Displays a high level of expertise and serves as an excellent advocate. His higher rights of audience provide him with a distinct and often valuable perspective when assessing litigation solutions. He consistently prioritises the best outcomes for the client."

Kieran Humphrey

"Exhibits excellent client communication skills. Possesses great strategic and tactical acumen, enabling the identification of options that might otherwise be overlooked. Displays excellent legal knowledge across a wide range of areas and industries."

"Always responsive and maintains a pleasant demeanour in all interactions."

“Kieran Humphrey, in particular, is an outstanding lawyer and a key contact for achieving successful resolutions in contentious matters."

Established in 2004, outstanding employment law boutique River Delta Law Firm is the go-to law firm for international and domestic corporations. The firm handles both contentious and non-contentious issues involving all range of labour law and HR-related matters. The firm is a member of Innangard Global, an international labour and employment law firm network, and is also a member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. Jingbo Lu and Xiaorong (Cathy) Qu are key individuals in this field.

In one triumphant case, a team led by partner Qu successfully navigated a challenging labour dispute for Shanghai Leo Pharma Consulting, which involved an employee's sexual harassment incident. After a five-year legal battle, they secured a favourable court ruling for the client by obtaining testimonies, evidence, and defining legal parameters for sexual harassment.

Other notable clients include AsiaInfo Technologies (China), Cainiao Smart Logistics Holding, Ruijie Networks, Videojet Technologies (Shanghai) and Shenzhen Airland Home Furnishing Products.

Ropes & Gray is best known in Hong Kong and China for its white-collar expertise handling international investigations, anti-corruption matters and regulatory compliance. The firm is the choice for clients operating in some of the most highly regulated sectors in the region including life sciences, private equity, financial services, real estate, technology and consumer goods. It has been expanding its areas of expertise, including insolvency.

Partners Andrew Dale, Geoffrey Atkins and David Zhang are recognised in the white-collar crime sphere.

Details of all cases the firm advised on during the research period remain confidential.

Client feedback

RPC is renowned for its extensive experience in dispute resolution, especially in its insurance forte. With a team of market-leading partners, the firm handles a diverse range of high-value and complex disputes, including commercial, corporate, professional negligence, banking and finance, insurance, technology, cyber and crypto fraud, and regulatory matters.

Under the leadership of Charles Allen, the firm’s commercial disputes team – consisting of Jonathan Crompton, Jacky Darsono, and Yi-Shun Teoh – operates seamlessly across international jurisdictions and caters to clients from diverse industry sectors. They offer expert advice and representation on a multitude of contentious matters, including contractual disputes, tortious claims, corporate conflicts, trust disputes, breach of confidence cases, and internal investigations.

In commercial and transactions, the firm has been providing legal counsel and representation to HEX Trust in their pursuit of payment from a former customer for custodial and platform services. This involved extensive pre-litigation communications and winding-up proceedings before the English court. The proceedings faced complications due to the impact of Covid-19 and related measures implemented by the English judiciary. The firm achieved a favourable outcome for the client, securing a judgment ordering the winding-up of the debtor company.

Other notable clients include BDO, Hammer Capital, MJDS Holdings and Moore.

In May 2023, the firm promoted Yi-Shun Teoh to partner. Teoh collaborates closely with the Singapore team to explore opportunities for serving Hong Kong clients interested in Malaysia and facilitating outbound referrals.

Client feedback

“There is too much to go into here but it was a very simple funding agreement which has turned incredibly complex. From the start to date, I have felt my interests at all times have been paramount.” – International arbitration

Jonathan Crompton

“Always on top of the issues and never shirks difficult conversations.”

Established in 2002, SD & Partners is headquartered in Shenzhen with offices in Beijing and Qianhai. The firm is active in the areas of civil and commercial disputes as well as international arbitration. Its specialty lies in disputes relating to construction and engineering, real estate and banking and finance.

Key partners at the firm include Yongjing Wang, Wei Li and Xingming Kou. They are all adept in financial and corporate matters as well as construction and real estate disputes.

Among the commercial disputes, the firm successfully represented a client in a two-year arbitration case involving a dispute over the transfer of property shares worth Rmb3.71 billion ($513 million). The case revealed major facts concealed by the opposing parties, leading to a fundamental breach of contract. The firm recovered nearly Rmb2 billion in losses for the client, setting an important precedent for urban renewal transactions and emphasising the principle of good faith in future dealings within the Shenzhen real estate market.

Key clients include China Guangfa Bank, CITIC Trust and Xinhaiyi Technology Group.

Founded in 2010, Shanghai-based firm JianLingChengDa’s dispute resolution specialty lies in the areas of construction, projects and infrastructure. It is the go-to firm for disputes arising from real estate and construction. A key partner to note is Jigao Zhou, who has a track record of handling more than 600 cases in the fields of construction, real estate, investment and financing. Min Wang and Lingjun Wang are also key partners.

In one construction case highlight, the firm successfully represented construction enterprise China 20 Metallurgical Group in defending an economic compensation lawsuit on the grounds of quality issues in a project. The case, tried and ruled by the Supreme People's Court, upheld the firm's argument and rejected the opposing party's request for compensation. The claim was based on alleged quality issues in the project, namely, deviations from the plan, failure to adhere to drawings, and pipeline leakage.

China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corp, China Nuclear Industry Fifth Construction, Nantong Construction Engineering Group and Shanghai Baoye Group are some of the firm’s construction clients.

Client feedback

“Shanghai JianLingChengDa Law Firm's lawyers have rich experience in the field of construction engineering and real estate. They are expanding in the fields of corporate governance, enforcement, bankruptcy, and disposal of non-performing assets. The team is integrated and managed so that it can mobilise multiple teams to provide cross-disciplinary professional legal services.” – Construction

“As a law firm specialising in dispute resolution in the field of construction, JianLingChengDa Law Firm is quite familiar with common issues in the field of construction, such as cost issues, duration issues, etc. The law firm has strong professional ability, which often enables the lawyers to achieve good representation in the cases.” – Construction

“Shanghai JianLingChengDa Law Firm excels in various areas, including non-litigation, litigation, and arbitration. Firstly, their work is characterised by meticulous attention to detail. For instance, they communicate with us in written form to ensure that no information is overlooked. Secondly, their professionalism is evident as they possess the ability to address all legal issues that arise in the field of construction engineering. They also have relevant experience in handling similar cases. Thirdly, their efficiency is commendable. They promptly handle tasks and consistently keep us informed about the progress of our case. They actively seek feedback from us, ensuring effective communication throughout the process.” – Construction

“JianLingChengDa Law Firm has represented us in many litigation cases, which involve many difficult legal issues where the facts are very complex. With their professional spirit and business ability, they have helped us achieve good litigation results.” – Construction

“They are agile thinkers, capable of breaking through the influence of existing prejudices when facing complex and novel cases, proposing some unexpected ideas. Their work attitude is also very serious and responsible, with a profound understanding and organisation of the facts of the cases.” – Construction

“The firm excels in three key aspects. Firstly, they demonstrate a strong professional ability, ensuring high-quality legal services. Secondly, their fees are highly cost-effective, providing excellent value for clients. Lastly, their service efficiency is remarkable, ensuring that matters are handled promptly and effectively.” – Construction

“Their team is highly diversified and vibrant, and their communication with our business personnel is very efficient. In addition, they possess strong professional capabilities in the field of construction engineering, having helped our company to reverse various unfavourable situations.” – Construction

Lingjun Wang

“Attorney Wang is personally involved and meticulous in managing our litigation projects. The legal team under his management is rigorous and of high work quality. Whether it's communication and coordination, drafting litigation plans, or court trials and enforcement preservation, they have all left a deep impression.”

“Attorney Wang possesses exceptional professional capabilities. In an extremely complex dispute involving a construction contractor with tens of millions in disputed amounts, Wang skilfully sorted out the facts, identified aspects favourable to our company, and precisely applied the law, thereby avoiding a significant payment liability for our company.”

Min Wang

“Min Wang, a senior partner at JianLingChengDa Law Firm, possesses 16 years of experience in the field of construction engineering. With a profound theoretical background, she excels in handling difficult and complex cases. Moreover, Wang exhibits a high level of affinity, promptly addressing our service needs and providing meticulous and patient legal services for our company.”

“Min Wang is highly approachable and possesses the ability to consider business issues from our perspective. Her strong professional ability and imagination enable her to propose creative dispute resolutions for challenging and complex cases. We are grateful for Min Wang's dedicated efforts and are eager to maintain a long and friendly relationship with her and her team.”

“Min Wang consistently demonstrates a high level of professionalism in representing cases, consistently achieving positive outcomes.”

“Wang Min possesses a unique combination of qualities that contribute to her exceptional legal practice. With a strong sense of affinity, she establishes a strong rapport with clients. Additionally, her impressive professional ability ensures the provision of high-quality legal services. Furthermore, she delivers efficient and prompt service, emphasising a commitment to client satisfaction.”

“Lawyer Wang is a very professional lawyer with rich experience in handling cases. She is diligent and responsible in her work and has also provided us with many effective suggestions in business. She has the ability to establish good communication channels with clients during the case-handling process and promote the case to move in a direction that benefits clients.”

Led by former prosecutors from the Department of Justice and attorneys with expertise in Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement, Shearman & Sterling's Asia litigation and investigations practice provides invaluable counsel to clients on a wide range of matters including anticorruption compliance reviews, investigations and enforcement actions. The firm’s expertise includes Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance, internal investigations, governmental enforcement actions, data protection, complex cross-border commercial litigations, and economic sanctions.

Dual US- and PRC-qualified attorney Jieni Ji is a key member of the firm’s China team. She specialises in compliance, corporate investigations, and cross-border litigations, assisting Fortune 500 companies in establishing compliance programmes and conducting investigations across Asia's major jurisdictions.

Details of all cases the firm advised on during the research period remain confidential.

Client feedback

Shihui Partners’ dispute resolution team is active in commercial and transactions. It often represents clients in commercial dispute resolution cases in courts at all levels, including the Supreme Court and local high courts. It also advises clients on dispute matters related to equity investments and commercial transactions. Key partners of the practice include Mingze Jiang, Jiayu Zhang, Yulong Lai, Jiaying Wang and Mingjiang Weng.

In commercial and transactions, the firm is currently representing DHL Logistics, the leading operator of DHL Group in mainland China's supply chain sector, in a dispute pertaining to bonded warehousing goods within the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. The case is being heard at the Shanghai Arbitration Commission and involves well-known domestic and international enterprises. The owner of the goods is a renowned US-based semiconductor production equipment and high-tech service company. This complex case encompasses various legal issues, including logistics, warehousing, customs, and international chip trade. The amount involved in the dispute is nearly Rmb600 million ($83 billion).

In addition to this case, the team also represented DHL in handling foreign logistics contract disputes between DHL and world-famous wind power suppliers at the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, involving many places in the US and Europe. The case involves the tripartite relationship between government departments and well-known foreign enterprises, as well as the competition and cooperation between Danish arbitration procedures and domestic arbitration procedures. The team successfully persuaded the arbitration tribunal to support DHL in recovering logistics funds.

Shihui Partners also provided advisory services to Daoxila, K2VC and Kids R Kids in resolving disputes over the past 12 months.

In 2023, the firm hired Yihan Zang, Jingwei Guo, Youning Guo, and Jeff Liu as partners, further enhancing the firm's litigation capabilities.

Sidley Austin regularly represents clients in cross-border disputes and regulatory and enforcement actions. With a growing international arbitration practice, the firm is frequently called upon to advise on complex arbitration matters, both in commercial and investor-state arbitrations. The firm is adept in handling major multijurisdictional investigations and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act matters across the region, particularly sought after by clients in the energy, PE funds, fintech and financial services sectors.

Yuet Ming Tham is recognised for her white-collar crime work while Friven Yeoh is reputable in the commercial litigation and international arbitration space.

In commercial and transactions, the firm is currently representing a Hong Kong-listed company and its affiliates in a high-stakes Hong Kong High Court action. The case involves a breach of a distribution agreement for cross-border sales of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and seeks damages exceeding $30 million. Notably, this litigation has been ongoing for nearly a decade, making it a highly significant and intricate matter. The complexity arises not only from the intricate contractual and tortious claims that necessitate meticulous analysis but also owing to the niche nature of the PCB industry, which limits available case precedents in Hong Kong.

In February 2023, Stephanie Chan joined the firm as a partner from Reed Smith Richards Butler along with two associates: Louisa Wong and Samantha Chan. Chan and her team excel in commercial litigation and arbitration, handling intricate disputes in diverse sectors such as financial services, real estate and manufacturing. They provide expert counsel to major Hong Kong and Chinese companies, resolving commercial disputes across multiple jurisdictions, with a specialisation in cross-border debt recovery, contractual disputes, shareholder conflicts, and insolvency and restructuring matters.

Client feedback

“They have an excellent arbitration team that now boasts substantial strength in depth.” – Commercial arbitration

“They were extremely on top of the papers and were able to offer immense support to the counsel team before and during the arbitration hearing. They were commercial and forward-thinking, and able to create strategies. They also have commendable client management skills.” – Commercial arbitration

“Very astute and dedicated team. Technically excellent with a broad range of expertise available.” – Commercial arbitration

"In relation to the above court case, it is very complex. Since the case commenced, there have been many rounds of legal proceedings and court applications involving various difficult legal and factual issues. Stephanie and her team have been on hand to assist us since the inception of the case. Even though the team has relocated to another law firm on two different occasions, our company’s management has insisted on transferring the case to Stephanie’s new firm because we have complete faith and trust in her to properly manage our case. In particular, the team has been very successful in assisting our company to secure favourable outcomes in the vast majority of the court applications taken out in the case. This includes a jurisdictional challenge and a strike out application on the plaintiff’s claims against our co-defending associated companies, which limited our group’s exposure.

The team has extensive experience and knowledge in commercial litigation and court proceedings, and they consistently provide us with highly strategic advice that greatly enhances our company’s legal position in the case. Although the case is still ongoing, based on the favourable outcomes that Stephanie’s team has delivered thus far, we are very confident that the team is more than capable and equipped to handle any complex and sophisticated legal matters.

Stephanie’s team has both senior and junior lawyers who can conduct legal work independently and at a high quality. We understand that tasks are assigned based on the team members' knowledge, experience and work capacity, as well as the urgency of the tasks, in order to be cost-effective and timely. At the same time, Stephanie remains very hands-on and closely supervises her team.

Although court deadlines are sometimes very tight, and we understand the team is always very busy, they are very well prepared for meetings and hearings. We can tell that they always put a lot of thought into the various issues when they provide us with their in-depth legal and factual analysis, which we find to be very useful for our understanding of the case and our consideration of the next steps.

Stephanie’s team is very responsive. Even if we contact them outside of office hours, we can always reach them, and they are willing to accommodate our schedules. We trust them to manage our case diligently, and we feel that our concerns are always respected and addressed by Stephanie and her team. While the team works to deliver the best results for us, they still take the time to understand our thoughts and concerns. We are very grateful for their understanding." – Commercial and transactions

“Close attentiveness to detail and first-class legal support in terms of research and due diligence.” – Commercial and transactions

“Excellent command of law, approachable, with smart commercial sense.” – International arbitration

“Skilled team of arbitration professionals with strength in depth.” – International arbitration

“Sidney was meticulous in terms of collation and preparation of evidence. The team members were familiar with the case and were able to provide counsel with unfailing support. In terms of advising the client, they were sensible and practical and provided the client with good strategic advice at each stage of the arbitration.” – International arbitration

“Deep understanding of the law and Asia business culture, and very responsive to client's requests.” – White-collar crime

Desmond Ang

“He has an excellent understanding of the law, is highly approachable, and possesses a keen sense of smart commercial judgement.”

“Technically sound and always available. Gives good all-round commercial advice. Good value for money.”

“He demonstrates strong analytical and tactical skills, excels as a team manager, and is an effective communicator.”

“Desmond is a great litigation lawyer. He provides valuable legal advice to the clients who are under significant pressure, and always finds solutions for the clients and addresses clients' demands. He is very solid and cautious in providing advice and has been a trusted and reliable litigation lawyer to his clients.”

“Responsive and user-friendly.”

“Desmond has substantial experience in restructuring, litigation and arbitration. He is very hands-on and efficient in dealing with contentious and urgent matters including representing corporate clients in objecting to or striking out a winding-up petition during the implementation of a restructuring.”

“Very thoughtful and responsive. Able to articulate complex legal concept in simple terms.”

“Desmond was on top of the details of the case and was extremely strategic and possessed the ability for forward thinking. His responses were quick and thoughtful.”

“He gave solid legal analysis and practical legal advice.”

Samantha Chan

“Samantha is very strong in her language skills, and we can trust her to handle work in both English and Chinese. She is able to express her ideas and advice clearly and in a way that is easy to understand. She is also very responsive and accessible. We can always reach her when we have queries, which gives us the confidence that our work is being well-managed and handled by the team. Samantha Chan is also a very active member in Stephanie’s team on our case. She is a very responsible lawyer and she has a good understanding of our case. We are always very impressed with her strong language skills, which she uses to deliver legal advice and high-quality work in both English and Chinese. She is able to explain to us legal concepts and court documents in a manner that is easy to grasp, which is helpful to laymen who have no understanding of the law. It is always a pleasure to work with Samantha."

“Samantha is very diligent and always ready to respond to our concerns. She is also very gifted linguistically, which is no doubt a very helpful skill for a lawyer. She is able to deliver high-quality work in both English and Chinese and she speaks fluent Mandarin. Having a competent junior in the team helps to ensure that our matters can be conducted efficiently and cost-effectively.”

Stephanie Chan

“Stephanie is a very competent litigator with a lot of experience in commercial disputes and familiarity with court applications. We have developed an amicable working relationship with her over the years. Despite being the team leader and a partner of the firm, she remains very hands-on and closely supervises her team members. Whilst she is committed to deliver the best results for our case, she also takes the time to communicate with us to understand our business needs and concerns. We can always rely on her professional advice, and we are very grateful for her assistance on our cases all these years. We will commonly reach out to Stephanie first for any of our new legal issues as we trust that she will steer us in the right direction.”

“Stephanie is an exceptional lawyer with extensive experience in regulatory matters and litigation. Her dedication, expertise and thoroughness have greatly benefited us. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the best outcomes for our cases. She always demonstrates her strategic thinking and determination to achieve a favourable resolution for us. Stephanie's in-depth knowledge and practical guidance have been invaluable in helping us navigate complex regulatory issues. Working with her has been a privilege, and we highly recommend her for any legal assistance. Stephanie consistently offers us invaluable and perceptive guidance that caters to our legal and commercial needs. I am very impressed by her profound grasp of legal principles, regulatory dynamics, and her astute business acumen. Furthermore, her unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional work to clients showcases her commitment to excellence. Stephanie's team's exceptional responsiveness, efficiency and competence are a testament to her exceptional leadership. Stephanie’s ability to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and effectively communicate in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, coupled with 14 years of experience successfully handling complex regulatory and contentious matters, positions her as the ideal choice for managing our legal disputes.”

“Stephanie stands out as one of the best litigators we have collaborated with in Asia. Stephanie is widely recognised as a leading individual in litigation matters.”

“With her exceptional business expertise, she is capable of offering insightful, tailored and situation-specific guidance, along with practical and focused solutions. These valuable contributions greatly enhance our endeavours to promote our company's strategic goals and address our management's priorities.”

“Stephanie's impressive technical expertise and her ability to navigate cross-border commercial disputes across multiple jurisdictions have consistently delivered favourable outcomes for us. We greatly value her profound knowledge, strategic advice, and exceptional responsiveness. Additionally, Stephanie's exceptional ability to craft optimal solutions distinguishes her as an outstanding lawyer in the field of dispute resolution.”

“Stephanie is without doubt one of the best disputes lawyers in Hong Kong and it is our privilege to have worked with her. Stephanie is a sharp, industrious and experienced lawyer, she is exceptionally well placed and experienced to assist us to resolve our contentious matters. We have greatly benefited from her extensive expertise and insightful guidance, which allowed us to strategically navigate our case and achieve the best result.”

Tai-Heng Cheng

"Tai-Heng Cheng is the consummate lawyer. He is highly intelligent and formidable, truly world class. He puts his heart into every assignment and is a very effective advocate who reads the tribunal well. Having him in your corner in any complex dispute is a great advantage."

Adrian Tang

“We work with Adrian regularly. He is a rare breed of a multi-disciplinary lawyer who can speak and understand the language of not just the law but also finance and accounting. His skillset is very valuable as he is able to communicate on the same wavelength as our deal team and be able to readily grasp the considerations and concerns arising in one of our matters. He is also able to sense-check our financial calculations and draw our attention to any identified inconsistencies and errors. We rely on Adrian for his solid technical expertise and knowledge, and he is notably capable of quickly understanding our complex transaction structures and documents, and pinpointing the salient provisions for consideration so that a strategic plan can be formulated. Adrian is always ready and willing to provide us with insightful advice from both legal and business standpoints. It is most helpful to have Adrian assisting us on our matters and we look forward to continuing working with him on different matters.”

“Adrian is a resourceful and highly competent lawyer. His exceptional ability to identify key legal issues, combined with his background in finance, brings significant value to the team by helping to navigate new problems and develop innovative solutions. Notably, he provides excellent guidance to junior lawyers, ensuring that all deadlines and requests are met. Working with Adrian is a pleasure, and we greatly appreciate his methodical approach to managing our cases.”

“My main interaction with the Sidley team is through Adrian Tang, the senior associate in Stephanie Chan’s team. I find him to be a very accessible and diligent lawyer, who can be trusted to dutifully manage a regulatory inquiry on behalf of our company. He always stands ready to provide us with sound advice on both substantive and procedural matters related to the inquiry, and I trust in his professionalism and expertise in the field. He is able to explain complex concepts and procedures to us in an easy-to-understand manner and deliver his oral and written advice in English and Mandarin. I particularly note that his strength lies in his ability to readily identify key legal and commercial issues, which strongly reflects his dual background in law and finance. Coupled with his succinct and persuasive writing style, it helps him to deliver excellent written submissions to advance our company’s position.”

“I greatly appreciate the fact that Adrian is highly responsive and flexible in answering queries and making himself available on short notice to attend calls and meetings to render advice to us. This significantly helped our management team to better anticipate the next steps and make commercial decisions to properly manage potential risks. Adrian’s guidance throughout the regulatory process was particularly helpful as our company did not have any experience in handling a regulatory inquiry and there were clearly various strategic considerations that may not have been taken into account without the Sidley team’s timely and thoughtful advice.”

Louisa Wong

“Louisa is an exceptionally gifted linguist and we are very impressed with Louisa’s ability to communicate and interchange languages with ease. She is trilingual and is capable of delivering concise legal advice in both English and Chinese. Her written work is always very detailed and well-structured. She is also able to explain complex legal concepts in simple layman’s terms to facilitate our understanding. She is mindful of our time constraints and is always ready to provide verbal legal advice in our chosen language when called upon. Louisa is notably very well-prepared in her presentation, which inspires great confidence in her work. We look forward to working with Louisa again.”

“Apart from Stephanie, we also closely work with Louisa Wong. She is a very diligent and responsible lawyer who always attends meetings and hearings very well-prepared. To facilitate our understanding of the case, she would often take the time and effort to prepare summary materials in advance which sets out the matter in an easy-to-understand manner. She would then walk through the details with us to ensure that we fully appreciate the implications. Louisa has been exceptionally helpful in assisting us to complete court documents such as affirmations. We look forward to continuing to work with her going forward.”

“Louisa is a very keen and diligent lawyer who always comes prepared to our discussions and meetings. She takes the time to understand the facts of our cases and helps to draw out the key issues to be considered and discussed. She is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and English and is always able to deliver well-structured and clear legal advice. Louisa is exceptionally helpful in all respects, and we enjoy working closely with her.”

Yan Zhang

"Lawyer Zhang Yan, as the head of the Sidley Austin legal team in Hong Kong collaborating with our company, has shown meticulous attention to detail in handling the matters entrusted to our company. She is capable of thoroughly studying relevant materials, demonstrating clear thinking in formulating solutions for disputes, employing rigorous logic, and effectively managing negotiation dynamics. Through orderly progress, she has successfully facilitated the resolution of the disputes."

“Her unique background enables her to provide valuable advice on cross-border issues to client. She is smart and pleasant and always adopts a sensible approach in resolving issues in a case.”

Friven Yeoh

“He has built a strong team and comes across as competent and pleasant. He is a skilled advocate and able to lead from the front.”

“He is a skilled advocate, who engages well with the arbitral tribunal and listens carefully.”

Friven Yeoh and Nathaniel Lai

“Their analysis and advice on Hong Kong law was outstanding. The team comprised of Friven Yeoh (partner) and Nathaniel Lai (counsel), both of whom are extremely talented lawyers and handles cases efficiently.”

Adrian Tang, Louisa Wong and Samantha Chan

“Stephanie and her team, which includes Adrian Tang, Louisa Wong and Samantha Chan, are top-notch lawyers in the industry and are extremely capable of handling large-scale, cross-border and sophisticated matters. The team is particularly well placed to assist financial institutions in resolving litigation and regulatory matters and delivering highly positive results for their clients. Their deep financial knowledge enables them to communicate with us effectively regarding the complicated underlying transactions and to fully understand our business needs. We can always trust them to render insightful and tailored advice. Stephanie’s team is very responsive and committed. They are always available to address our queries promptly and are willing to accommodate our schedules. We can also feel that our concerns are always respected and addressed by Stephanie and her team. Stephanie and her team members are all fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. They are also able to deliver both written and verbal legal advice succinctly. Where we have any future cases which require technical language capabilities, Stephanie’s team would be the first that we turn to when seeking legal assistance. Stephanie’s team provides us with a lot of clarity on fees. They would supply us with detailed narratives for the work they performed and a clear breakdown of their fees, which we found very helpful for our cost management. Stephanie would also assign different team members to complete different workstreams, in order to conduct our cases in the most efficient and cost-effective way. She understands our budgetary concerns and her team therefore commonly implement measures to deliver excellent work while still staying within the agreed fee estimates. We are also impressed with the diversity in Stephanie’s team. Not only are both genders well represented in the team, but they also have different education backgrounds and a broad range of experience in different fields including law, finance and accounting. The team members notably contribute to the team in different and complementary ways and they work very well together to deliver excellent outcomes for us.”

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom provides clients with expert advice on a range of high-value and complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters. The team in Asia is particularly renowned for acting in complex global litigation and arbitration cases involving different systems of national law as well as private and public international law. Key clients span industries such as manufacturing, technology and telecommunications, financial services and healthcare. The firm also has a strong anti-corruption and white-collar crime practice.

The firm’s attorneys are qualified in several jurisdictions and can handle both litigation and cross-border investigation matters. Key names in the litigation and arbitration department include Bradley Klein and Rory McAlpine. Steve Kwok is singled out for his regulatory compliance and white-collar crime expertise.

In commercial and transactions, the firm is currently advising 58.com, the operator of China's largest online marketplace for classifieds, in a significant shareholder dissenting appraisal action under section 238 of the Cayman Companies Act. This case, to be heard in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, represents the highest-value section 238 matter ever brought before the Cayman courts. Given the prominence of 58.com and the magnitude of the action, it is anticipated to attract substantial global media attention. The firm assumes a unique role as supervising counsel for the company, providing strategic guidance and facilitating the collection of evidence.

The firm counts esteemed companies as litigation clients, including: 360 DigiTech, COFCO, Didi Global, Jianpu Technology, Kanzhun, Pintec Technology Holdings, RLX Technology and ZTO Express.

Client feedback

“They are smart and responsive. Their comprehensive strategic analysis of a dispute sets them apart from the competition.” – Commercial arbitration

“The Skadden team contributed with its knowledge of foreign law and insights due to its extensive experience in commercial disputes.” – Commercial arbitration

“They have a competent arbitration team led by a charismatic partner.” – Commercial arbitration

“They were organised, proactive and sensible and their team included a skilled advocate.” – International arbitration

“The Skadden team do a superb job at running and managing litigation of the most complex kind.” – Trusts and estates

“The firm takes a pragmatic, results-oriented approach. They focus on safeguarding their clients' interests and ensuring their regulatory obligations are met. I find their lawyers are professional and ethical.” – White-collar crime

Rory McAlpine

“Rory is fully up to speed with the latest cases across all the major arbitration jurisdictions. He has a first-class legal mind as well as an incomparable strategic outlook. I cannot recommend him highly enough. He is a pleasure to work with.”

“Rory is a formidable cross-examiner, very good on his feet, and is a first-class arbitration lawyer at the top of the game.”

“Rory is a lawyer with a deep technical knowledge and experience in international litigation. Furthermore, he is extremely polite and friendly with peers and clients.”

“He is a skilled advocate who communicates clearly and succinctly and demonstrates excellent listening skills.”

“He is an excellent advocate, who thinks quickly on his feet and uses humour effectively.”

“Rory is highly detail-oriented and exhibits great attention to detail. When reviewing documents pertaining to other jurisdictions, such as Brazil, he offers clever and thoughtful comments and poses insightful questions. Moreover, Rory displays sharp awareness in identifying and anticipating potential impacts and risks from the perspective of Hong Kong law, while also presenting effective solutions.”

“He demonstrates strategic management of disputes and exceptional team leadership skills. Even under pressure, he remains calm and composed. Moreover, his extensive knowledge and experience in handling complex, cross-border disputes is highly valuable.”

“Someone with incredible attention to detail and who can ably run large teams undertaking complex litigation.”

“Skadden's team, led by Rory McAlpine, is extremely detail oriented. Their analysis and reviews are always complete, deep, and put in a straightforward way.”

“Skadden Hong Kong has an overall first-rate arbitration team led by a leading IA partner, Rory McAlpine. They are particularly good in high-value, complex international arbitration work.”

Steve Kwok

“Steve has a perfect combination of his strong US law background and deep understanding of the market in mainland China and Hong Kong, so he is always able to deliver work others may not be able to.”

“The Skadden team, led by Steve Kwok, is consistently impressive due to their strong technical skills, responsiveness to questions and comments, and their ability to effectively coordinate among different stakeholders to drive progress.”

“He is bilingual and bi-cultural, and he is very convincing to Chinese clients in litigation matters.”

“He is an exceptional problem-solver with a results-driven mindset. His comprehensive understanding of issues allows him to structure approaches that are not only effective but also easily comprehensible and communicable to both clients and regulators.”

Headquartered in Hangzhou, T&C Law Firm is the largest and among the leading law firms in Zhejiang province. With about 400 attorneys and specialists, the firm’s practice spans all fields of law across a variety of industries. Dispute resolution is the firm’s core practice and it is active in domestic disputes, international arbitration and foreign-related commercial litigation.

Linyong Fu is a key partner at the firm who is rooted in international arbitration and litigation with rich experience in cross-border investment, compliance, administrative investigation and litigation.

The firm successfully represented Italian shoe manufacturing company Geox in a case involving non-compliance with arbitral awards by a Chinese distributor. The case highlighted challenges in international arbitration with PRC parties and the use of corporate structures for debt evasion. The firm represented the client in enforcement and parallel proceedings, addressing issues of corporate personality and enforceability of international arbitral awards.

The rest of the clients the firm has advised on during the research period remain confidential.

T&C Law Firm is one of the founding members of the Sino-Global Legal Alliance (SGLA). SGLA is the first legal alliance in China, consisting of Hogan Lovells and a select group of PRC firms across key regions in China.

Client feedback

Yun Luo

“He provides quick feedback and takes immediate action even for sudden and urgent requirements. He makes every effort to search for all necessary and useful information and networks. Additionally, he is always willing to modify the document, even at the last minute, once a requirement is agreed upon by both parties.”

Founded in May 2000, Tahota Law Firm set up its office in Beijing in 2003 and has become one of the fastest-growing law firms in the region. The firm has more than 40 partners and about 100 practising lawyers and consultants, some of which serve as arbitrators in various local and professional arbitration institutions and have rich experience in handling litigation and arbitration matters.

Key names in the commercial and transactions space include lead partner Shoutai Cheng, senior partners Jianming Gan, Jun Liu and Lv Zhang.

In commercial disputes, the firm represented a subsidiary of a leading chemicals enterprise in China under the direct supervision of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) in a series of contract disputes with an affiliated company of an energy company in Henan Province. This case is worth more than Rmb1 billion ($145 million). In another case, the firm represented a wholly-owned real estate development company under China South City Holdings in a dispute with a subsidiary of Metro Holdings Group concerning damages to the interests of the company and shareholders.

Xuping Xiang, Jiaqing Zhang and Lei Zhang have joined firm as senior partners in the past 12 months. The firm has also made 11 promotions during the same period.

The rest of the clients the firm has advised on during the research period remain confidential.

Tian Yuan Law Firm regularly acts on a wide range of commercial and financial disputes representing major listed companies and state-owned enterprises. The firm is commended for its experience in handling disputes relating to corporate, commercial, IP and employment matters. The firm is also active in both domestic and international arbitration work.

Lihua Wang, who focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration, leads the firm’s dispute resolution team. Other notable partners include Zhuo Chen for commercial disputes and Yan Sun for intellectual property.

In commercial and transactions, the firm successfully represented Baolande Software in addressing government investigations stemming from discrepancies between the annual report net profit and the express reports and forecasts. Additionally, the firm defended Baolande Software in the Shanghai Financial Court against investor lawsuits related to false securities statements. This exemplary case examines whether significant differences between performance forecasts and final annual report data constitute false statements. The judgment, which comprehensively discusses false securities statements, rejects all investors' claims, affirming the court's protection of listed companies' rights. It sets a model for future cases involving predictive information and compliance with release standards.

Notable clients include CITIC Industrial Fund, Hefei Medical and Industrial Pharmaceutical, Hengtai Securities and Taizhou Jintou Power Investment.

Client feedback

“TianYuan's lawyers are very dedicated to my case, they show their expertise and deep understanding in the specific field of competition/antitrust.” – Competition/antitrust

Wendy Zhou

“She is very diligent and enthusiastic in the daily work. Most importantly, she can grasp the key points of the case, supported by her sound knowledge and practice of antitrust/competition.”

Committed to building the most trusted and specialised dispute resolution law firm, TianTong Law Firm houses a deep bench of practitioners with considerable expertise in civil and commercial dispute matters. The firm has a strong winning track record before the Supreme Court with more than 30 cases being selected by core publications as guidelines for civil and commercial trials. The firm is also strengthening its insolvency and international arbitration capabilities.

Founding partner Yaoquan Chen is a key figure who focuses on commercial and transactional disputes.

A commercial and transactions case sample sees the firm acting for Shenzhen Fortune Times Industry Group in a series of cases involving disputes over a contract on the collaborative development of a real estate project between the client, Shenzhen Hailongwang Real Estate Development and Shenzhen Silver Lake Conference Center (Hotel). This case underwent a rigorous legal process, including five court hearings, six judgments, nine legal procedures, and several reversals. The firm successfully achieved the ultimate victory for the client.

China Merchants Wealth Asset Management, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Millplan Holdings and Ping An Trust are key clients.

Under the leadership of James Jiang, a renowned figure in China's compliance and investigation field, Topcom China Law Offices has carved out a distinctive niche specialising exclusively in government and regulatory matters. The firm is highly sought after for its unparalleled expertise in key areas including compliance governance, import and export trade compliance, anti-bribery and anti-corruption measures, government investigations and litigation, white-collar and commercial crimes, as well as cross-border data transfer.

As the managing partner based in Shanghai, Jiang directs his practice towards government affairs and compliance, corporate affairs, and litigation. He has adeptly represented clients in prominent regulatory compliance matters and government investigations.

All cases submitted by the firm are confidential.

Jiang joined the firm in February 2023 from Yuanda China Law Offices. Alongside Jiang, partners Joyce Xie and Feng Cheng also made the transition to the firm, further strengthening its compliance capabilities.

Vivien Chan & Co, backed by more than 30 years of experience, has established a robust reputation in general disputes and intellectual property matters. The firm is frequently sought after by both multinational corporations' in-house counsel and high-net-worth individuals. Senior partner Vivien Chan leads the practice, while partner Owen Tse serves as a primary contact for arbitration and construction cases. In the realm of IP disputes, Anna Mae Koo is a highly regarded practitioner.

In the commercial and transactions arena, the firm acted for an educational testing and assessment organisation in a dispute with an ex-distributor in relation to a country master distribution agreement for China.

The rest of the clients the firm advised on in the past 12 months are confidential.

Client feedback

“Very good communicators.” – Intellectual property

Wang Jing & GH Law Firm is a boutique law firm based in the Greater Bay Area. The firm offers professional legal services across various areas, including commercial litigation, real estate, digital economy, and family wealth protection. Recognised for its high-quality reputation, the firm has received numerous accolades and maintains strong expertise in commercial dispute resolution, handling complex and high-end cases with proficiency.

Shan Huang, Jianhui Hui, Xiaolei Wang, Yingzi Cai and Jiaxin Wan are among the key partners of the firm.

In a significant commercial dispute, the firm played a crucial role in assisting one of China's top ten real estate companies, as well as a globally recognised Fortune 500 company, in successfully obtaining the lifting of preservation measures on the execution case proceeds. This case marked a pioneering milestone in Guangzhou, as the district court lifted the original preservation measures through the concept of “preserving unrealized claims” without requiring counter guarantees or replacement collateral, thereby maximising the interests of private enterprises.

All client information remains confidential.

Client feedback

“Professional, patient, creative and hardworking.” – Construction

Highly reputed for trademark disputes, Wanhuida Intellectual Property is one of the strongest firms in IP disputes. The team boasts nearly 100 lawyers specialised in IP litigation and enforcement with an emphasis on anti-counterfeiting work. Led by IP specialist Gang Bai, the team is active in sectors including consumer goods, e-commerce, luxury goods, machinery and pharmaceuticals as well as travel and leisure. Hui Huang is another key contact.

The firm successfully defended HIPI Pharma Tech and Hefei Enruite Pharmaceutical in a high-stakes anti-monopoly appeal case. The China Supreme People's Court overturned an unfavourable initial court decision, which demanded the client pay damages of Rmb90 million ($12 million). The SPC's decision addressed key legal issues surrounding API monopolies and patent protection, establishing a stable jurisprudence. The case is listed among China’s Ten Exemplary Anti-monopoly and Unfair Competition Cases of 2023.

The firm’s significant IP clients include Hefei Enruite Pharmaceutical, Huaihai Holding Group (Huaihai), L’Oreal, Ningbo Dechang Electric Machinery Manufacturing and Yangzhou Zhonghui Pharmaceutical.

The firm has enjoyed a highly successful year, with the inclusion of nine prestigious cases in various reports. These include being selected for the SPC's 50 exemplary IP cases of the year, SPC's Annual Report on Intellectual Property Cases, Ten Exemplary Anti-monopoly and Unfair Competition Cases, and Top 10 Trademark Cases of Beijing High Court, as well as being recognised among the top 10 IP cases by courts in Jiangsu, Qingdao, Ningbo, Hangzhou, and other regions. This recognition further demonstrates the firm's expertise and exceptional performance in the field of intellectual property.

Client feedback

"The explanation of cases is very good and detailed, demonstrating excellent knowledge and expertise in Chinese law." – Intellectual property

Shuhua Zhang

“Lawyer Zhang has excellent knowledge, expertise, and a deep understanding of the challenges in anti-counterfeiting enforcement."

Watson & Band, one of China’s oldest intellectual property service providers, offers agency and consulting services concerning trademarks, patents and copyrights, as well as enforcement and litigation services and commercial IP-related legal services. Its industry specialty lies in the fields of chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, electronics, telecommunications, metallic materials and semiconductors.

Managing partner Jean Yang is based in the firm’s office in Shanghai. She specialises in trademark and copyright applications and litigation concerning anti-counterfeiting. Liming Zhang, Jianguo Huang, Cathy Wu, Joe Liu and Xiaobo He are other key partners.

In one IP dispute, the firm advised circular materials technology company Umicore in a patent invalidation case involving a ternary cathode material used in lithium-ion batteries. Another case sees the firm acting for Chengdu IXING Biotechnology in a graphical user interface (GUI) design patent infringement lawsuit.

China Post Technology, Hangzhou Deep Vision Technology, KEFUKAI Process Equipment (Shanghai) and TDK China are some of the firm’s clients.

Withers’ family and matrimonial practice positions itself as a formidable player in the market with the largest dedicated team in Hong Kong. The team includes specialist accredited Hong Kong lawyers, trained collaborative lawyers and English family law specialists. It has profound experience acting for high-net-worth individuals with international trusts and complex corporate assets. The firm also expanded its general litigation and international arbitration practice by hiring experienced partners and teams. Its newly established team covers a wide range of disputes across the construction, commodities, energy, financial services, healthcare and technology industries.

Partner Jocelyn Tsao heads the firm’s family and matrimonial practice. Samantha Gershon and Billy Ko are other key figures in the team. Partners Joseph Chu, Michael Chik and Sherlin Tung helm the firm’s international arbitration practice.

In a significant case, Tsao and her team represented a lesbian couple in the Hong Kong High Court, seeking parental status for both partners in their child's birth through reciprocal IVF. The court ruled in their favour, recognising the biological parent as a ‘parent at common law’ and confirming that children of same-sex couples face discrimination under current legislation. This groundbreaking decision marks the first time the court has acknowledged the non-gestational mother's parental rights in a child born through reciprocal IVF, signalling a win for the LGBTQ+ community and potentially influencing future parental declarations and orders in same-sex relationships. The judge highlighted the need to adapt family law to the evolving ways in which people form families.

Client feedback

"Meticulous and thorough preparation, attentive service and creative solutions." – Class actions

“Well-thought-out and professional advice. Responsive.” – Commercial arbitration

“They provide the best quality advice, litigation and integrated support for transactions and estate planning.” – Family and matrimonial

“Give solid advice to their clients.” – Family and matrimonial

“Top-notch legal advice to clients, and top-notch support to barristers.” – Family and matrimonial

“Withers was highly responsive and displayed a comprehensive and detail-oriented approach.” – Family and matrimonial

“They give excellent advice and can handle difficult, long-term and complex matters. They have an excellent international outlook and reach that allows them to do what other firms in this space cannot.” – Trusts and estates

Michael Chik

“Very thoughtful and responsive.”

Joseph Chu

“Attentive, meticulous attention to detail, and adept at providing creative solutions.”

Samantha Gershon

“Possessing diverse experience, and unafraid to provide clients with advice they may not want to hear.”

Billy Ko

“On-point, prompt, thorough, and focused on delivering results.”

Jocelyn Tsao

“She is brilliant, composed under pressure, and possesses the experience to handle any crisis. She prioritises the client's wellbeing above all else and excels in managing both children and finances, which is a rare combination.”

“Highly reliable. Expert in her field. Always responsive. Supportive and cheerful.”

“Excellent client care and strategic advice. She is able to calm emotional situations down and take decisive action.”

Sherlin Tung

"Sherlin Tung is in charge of the entire process of our international arbitration case. She understands our needs and provides timely professional advice. We communicate effectively, and our cooperation is expected to be long-lasting."

Yingke Law Firm is renowned for its expertise in construction engineering and real estate disputes. The firm's construction and engineering department boasts extensive experience in resolving construction contract disputes and handling PPP projects, offering refined legal solutions.

Based at the firm's Guangzhou office, partner Yuming Du has garnered numerous accolades from the Guangzhou Lawyers Association and the law firm for his dedicated service in the field of construction and real estate legal matters. Other notable partners at the firm include Luhai Lin and Yiming Li. Lin excels in formulating laws and regulations, judicial interpretations, and operating guidelines in the construction and real estate sectors, while both Lin and Li actively handle contentious construction cases.

The firm provided advisory services to Jingzhao Building Engineering in a complex series of 16 litigation and arbitration cases. These cases involved Tianjin Baodi Construction Engineering and MCC Hi-Tech Engineering, spanning multiple regions. The firm's approach emphasised efficient collaboration, risk management, and the implementation of innovative cost-saving strategies.

In another notable case, the firm is representing China Power Construction Engineering Consulting in a lawsuit against Shanxi International Energy Yuguang Coal and Power. The lawsuit is based on the failure of Shanxi International Energy Yuguang to fulfil the final settlement obligations for 32 subcontracting agreements. The unpaid project fees amount to approximately Rmb400 million ($55 million). The attorney assigned to the case is strategically focused on collecting evidence, optimising the litigation strategy, and tackling any execution challenges that may arise. The primary objective is to secure the rights of the client and ensure the proper resolution of the dispute.

Key clients include China Coal Construction Engineering Group, China Power Construction Engineering Consulting, Ningde Yili Jinwei Investment, Jiaozuo Shengyuan Land Consolidation and Qinhuangdao Ocean Real Estate Development.

Chinese dispute powerhouse Zhong Lun Law Firm dominates the litigation space with its solid experience in handling a wide range of domestic and overseas litigation and arbitration matters. The firm’s litigation bench is stocked top-to-bottom with talent ranging from senior statesmen to up-and-comers, all of whom elicit praise from peers and appreciation from clients. Its practitioners have expertise spanning a range of industries including banking and financial services, energy, real estate and manufacturing. Prominently active in significant cross-border dispute cases, the firm is also known to have appeared in the largest number of cases before the Supreme People’s Court of China. It also provides a top-tier international arbitration service seated across the globe.

Prominent figures include commercial disputes star Lijun Cao, insolvency lawyer Shengfeng Xu, regulatory expert Gary Gao, international arbitration specialist Huawei Sun, employment focused Carol Zhu and construction lawyer Yueping Zhou. Other notable lawyers include Changyu Fu, Baosheng Zhang and Wei Bao.

In the commercial space, the firm is representing North Industries Group Red Arrow in response to a series of misrepresentation lawsuits. This case involves a detailed examination of the concepts of “materiality and transaction causation” and “refined determination of loss causation”. Notably, it is the first case in which the court determined the compensation ratio by considering the loss appraisal result of a third party and various factors specific to each case.

In the construction arena, the firm represented China Energy Engineering Group Yunnan Electric Power Design Institute in the asset disposal of Menghai Photovoltaic Power Station. This case involved a ground-mounted photovoltaic power station with specific energy industry attributes. The execution of the project encompassed various issues such as electricity tariffs, operating rights, and other unique considerations. The case covered a wide range of legal aspects, exhaustively utilising all means stipulated by the law, and even touching upon bankruptcy procedures. As a significant case for China Energy Construction Group, it garnered considerable attention from the Yunnan Higher People's Court and various levels of government.

In government and regulatory, the firm acted for a hydropower construction company, along with its domestic and overseas subsidiaries and branches, in establishing a comprehensive compliance management structure aligned with its business and operational practices. This was done in accordance with the Integrity and Compliance Guidelines of the World Bank Group. The firm assisted the company in formulating 11 compliance policies covering various areas, including anti-commercial bribery, bidding, business partner management, labour and employment, and financial management. Additionally, the firm provided targeted compliance training to employees at different levels and positions within the organisation through 20 training sessions. To ensure the strict implementation of compliance requirements, the firm assisted the company in integrating all core compliance management processes into their office automation system, effectively achieving a ‘hard control’ over compliance management.

The firm’s recent client roster includes Beijing Shougang International Engineering and Technology, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, National Energy Shaanxi Hydropower, Shenzhen Huaxun Fangzhou Investment and Zhejiang Unifull Industrial Fibre.

Client feedback

“Our restructuring case is complicated, and the firm, including the partners and other lawyers, are all very professional. The team is well organised, and all team members are familiar with the bankruptcy process. Their feedback to stakeholders is professional and swift.” – Bankruptcy

"Zhong Lun's legal services are well-rounded, solid and creative. The firm consistently prioritises clients' interests and is highly trustworthy." – Commercial and transactions

"They demonstrated efficiency, preparedness, helpfulness, and successfully achieved the desired outcome for us." – Commercial and transactions

"They offer sound and thoughtful advice." – Commercial arbitration

“Meticulous and organised in obtaining and compiling the relevant facts, documents and materials.” – Commercial arbitration

Wilson Huo

“He is extremely easy to work with and makes sure the issues being handled are well explained.”

Nafisa Nihmat

"She possesses a deep understanding of clients' needs and provides professional and creative advice. Her execution is also very strong, and the deliverables she provides are always impressive."

Huawei Sun

“Huawei is very experienced and is easy to deal with.”

"Her commercial sense is commendable, coupled with excellent legal knowledge. She demonstrates sensibility, practicality and responsibility."

Xiangming Yi

"He is proactive and highly motivated, consistently considering the client's perspective. He provides well-rounded, solid, and creative legal services to us."

Carol Zhu

"Always responds quickly with solutions, exhibiting a high level of professionalism, maturity, and excellent communication skills."

Zhong Yin Law Firm has extensive experience in bankruptcy reorganisation and liquidation. It is particularly skilled at handling dissolution and liquidation, bankruptcy liquidation, reorganisation, reconciliation, enterprise restructuring, debt restructuring and resettlement of employees of state-owned enterprises and relevant legal business.

Partner Xinjian Yuan is the director of the firm’s bankruptcy department. Other key partners include Zhenyu Liu, Zetao Wu and Penghe Yan.

Insolvency highlights include acting as the bankruptcy manager of the merger and bankruptcy reorganisation cases of Hongye Chemical Industry Group and 28 other enterprises; acting on the bankruptcy liquidation case of Beijing Tianrui Xiaguang Technology Development; and advising Tangshan Fuqiang Real Estate Development on its bankruptcy reorganisation case.

China Minsheng Bank (Tianjin branch), Shandong Baisheng Biotechnology, Shandong Yucheng Huaxin Investment, Shenji Group Kunming Machine Tool and Zhonghang Shixin Energy Saving Technology (Beijing) are some of firm’s key clients.

Client feedback

“Professional and experienced in labour disputes. The lawyers provide timely feedback, and they also propose feasible solutions according to the individual characteristics of our unit.” – Government and regulatory

Yu Wang

“Because of a very limited time from the successful bid to project sign-off, lawyer Wang worked overtime and repeatedly revised the contract and provided legal advice. He has provided professional and strong legal support throughout the project sign-off, which has played a major role in the smooth implementation of project construction compliance.”

“Lawyer Wang is serious, responsible, professional and meticulous in his work. He looks for evidence in the details that is beneficial to the client, and preserves the client’s legal rights and interests. All the documents related to my work are standardised, clearly marked, and the work is very efficient.”

“Provided legal support for the general contracting of our company’s projects. After completing this legal service, Lawyer Wang followed up on the progress of the project and provided legal assistance when needed.”

Baoquan Yang

“Yang has a good understanding of our firm because we have worked with him for so long, which makes for smooth communication. He is able to provide targeted and effective solutions as soon as we put forward our needs. In addition, he has exceptional professional expertise, especially in personnel and labour disputes. He has solid professional knowledge and a wealth of practical experience. Therefore, he can easily handle consultations or lawsuits raised by our firm and offer more targeted solutions. He is successful in the vast majority of litigations.”