China

With international arbitration as a core strength, Allen & Overy’s dispute resolution team is also known for its work in commercial litigation in corporate and finance matters, particularly those involving derivatives. The firm’s geographical reach, as well as its strong Greater China practice, enables the team to take on multi-jurisdictional disputes under institutional rules including the LCIA, ICC, HKIAC and ICSID.

Commercial litigation partners Matt Bower and Fai Hung Cheung are highly respected in this space. Matthew Hodgson specialises in international arbitration, particularly active in investment treaty, energy and infrastructure disputes.

AnJie 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 the court and at various international arbitration institutions including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC).

Key partners of the team include renowned international arbitration lawyer Arthur Dong, antitrust and insurance expert Hao Zhan and employment specialist Zhenghe Liu.

On the commercial and transactions front, the firm represented five co-insurers in an insurance subrogation litigation case before the Supreme People’s Court. This is the biggest fire accident claim in the history of Asia.

In a labour and employment dispute sample, the firm advised Stanley Black & Decker Precision Manufacturing on its layoff project in Shenzhen of over 1,000 employees due to its dissolution. In another notable case, the firm represented Siemens Numerical Control (Nanjing) in a labour dispute arising from termination due to violation of disciplines.

In the IP space, the firm represented pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca AB in a series of patent invalidation administrative lawsuits and secured a big win for the client. The firm also acted for global healthcare company Novo Nordisk in a patent invalidation administrative lawsuit before the Beijing High People's Court.

Employment law expert Kaitian Luo left firm in January 2021. On the IP side, partners Jing He, Steve (Kefeng) Zhao, Zou Wen and Kevin (Jinwen) Han departed to Gen Law Firm.

The firm’s major clients include Alibaba, DHL, Edan Instruments, PICC, Ping An Property & Casualty Insurance and Universal Parks & Resorts.

Client feedback

“The firm has solid capability to tailor its advice to relevant client sectors and is particularly strong in the sectors of TMT and financial institutions.” – Commercial and transactions

“Strong expertise in contract law, insurance law and aviation law.” – Insurance

“Delivers quality work with wise legal insights and clear advice.”– Intellectual property

“Professional advice on how to deal with the situation with the competitor firm.” – Labour and employment

Arthur Dong

“Arthur is a fantastic lawyer who takes time to understand the needs of his clients.”

Jun Shen

“Professional. He understands his areas. Responsive and empathic.”

Ying Song

“An excellent professional with a good attitude.”

Jia Wan

“Precise analysis of the core issues of the case, careful and professional analysis of legal relations and risk clause, accurate professional advice, smooth communication in the negotiation process, and satisfactory results of both parties.”

Li Wu

“Good understanding of the problems. Knowledgeable about the laws and regulations.”

Bing Yan

“He can always provide creative resolution to difficult problems.”

Labour and employment boutique Baohua Law Firm has etched itself a formidable niche in the Shanghai legal landscape with its concentration in 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.

Client feedback

“The firm provides very professional guidance. It advises us effectively in case analysis, litigation preparation and senior management briefing.” – Labour and employment

Runqing (John) Dong

“Very experienced and innovative in case handling.”

With a well-established IP practice, Bird & Bird is active in a wide spectrum of dispute resolution work across financial services, life sciences, technology, and consumer goods and services. Notable members in the dispute resolution team include Allison Wong and Matthew Laight.

Bridgeon Law Firm focuses on intellectual property and is active in litigation and prosecution relating to patent, trademark as well as copyright matters. Specialisations include telecommunications, software, USB key and smart card payment systems, and electronic connector devices.

Youping Ma and Guoquan Yang are the main partners for IP litigation at the firm.

Recent IP dispute highlights include representing Goertek, a leading high-tech firm, in defending four patent infringement claims filed by a competitor; representing FTSafe and winning a patent litigation case raised by rival firm InfoSec; and representing Mobike, a fully station-less bicycle-sharing system, in two ongoing patent invalidation cases.

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 as well as unfair competition matters. Its practitioners are well-versed in the pharmaceuticals, chemicals and high-tech industries.

Trademark litigator Gang Hu is a key name at the firm and was the lead partner on several cases during the research period.

The firm kept busy representing tech giant Apple in an administrative litigation against a decision of an invalidation procedure and successfully securing the patent for the client. The firm also acted for Yunchongba in defending a patent infringement claim and successfully revoked Guangzhou High People’s Court’s first-instance judgement.

Some of the firm’s clients include Canon, ExxonMobil, Pilot and Puma.

Headquartered in Beijing, Chang Tsi & Partners has a strong reputation in intellectual property and litigation. Key figures within the dispute resolution department include managing partner Simon Tsi who focuses on IP and disputes and founding partner Spring Chang, who regularly represents major electronics, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, fashion and jewellery companies.

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 Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam and Roger Kingdon Craig in an administrative dispute before the IP Tribunal of the Supreme People's Court of China and received a favourable second instance judgment that reversed the re-examination decision of the CNIPA as well as the first instance judgment.

In another case, the firm represented Darwin Technology International and won a patent contributory infringement lawsuit at Beijing High Court.

Key clients of the firm include Ericsson, General Motors, PanOptis and Siemens.

Client feedback

“The firm does an excellent job in the intellectual property matters we work with them on.” – Intellectual property

“Responsive with very profound legal and technical knowledge.” – Intellectual property

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. Gilbert Kwok is a highly respected construction dispute expert. Other key figures include Simon McConnell and Patrick Perry.

In one commercial and transactions sample, the firm is acting for a Big Four accountancy firm in defending a HK$2.5 billion claim, which is one of the largest pieces of litigation currently in the Hong Kong courts.

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

The firm hired partner Rosie Ng, who joined from HFW. Shanghai-based IP litigator Elliot Papageorgiou left firm and joined Gowling WLG in early 2022.

Clyde & Co had recently celebrated 40 years since it first established an office in Hong Kong, the firm's first office outside London.

Client feedback

“They provide excellent, timely advice, with measured views and clear options.” – Commercial and transactions

Christopher Short

“Gives excellent, clear advice, offering pragmatic solutions.”

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 international arbitration, work highlights include the firm representing a Taipei-listed biopharmaceutical corporation in a dispute arising from a license agreement with an Austrian pharmaceutical company; represented a German technology corporation in an ICC arbitration seated in Hong Kong against a Chinese customer; and advising an international construction group in an United Nations Commission On International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) arbitration seated in The Hague against an Eastern European road authority regarding a road rehabilitation project.

In intellectual property, the firm acted for Baidu Online Network Technology in passing-off and trademark infringement actions concerning its mark ‘Baidu’ in Hong Kong. The firm also represented Xiaomi in defending a Hong Kong opposition application against a well-known US technology company.

In shipping, the firm is acting on behalf of a Korean terminal operator and its insurers in respect of a claim against a vessel that allied with the terminal facilities causing $100 million in damages.

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

Client feedback

“Consistency in scope of advice as with their various other offices, especially in the UK.” – Intellectual property

“They can coordinate very well actions involving multiple jurisdictions.” – Intellectual property

“The firm has shown us a deep knowledge of the applicable law and the local market and regulation, and a significant experience in relevant cases. The required answers and solutions were swiftly provided, along with our replies to any questions concerning applicable law, regulatory, judicial and factual practice. The team has also duly followed-up on any developments on the cases handled.” – Intellectual property

Nick Beckett

“He is a life sciences and IP expert.”

“He has a vast high-quality international network, thus helps well in any jurisdiction.”

“Beckett responded quickly to our request for assistance and outlined in a clear manner all the possible actions that could be taken, along with their advantages and disadvantages, allowing us to provide a comprehensive advice to our client. The solutions and follow-up actions recommended were business and solution oriented, aiming to effectively protect the client's intellectual property rights. He has also provided information on actions that should be taken after the initial legal actions filed with the competent authorities, aiming at and achieving a successful overall outcome, safeguarding the client's legitimate interests. In general, he has a thorough and efficient approach against the matter at hand, and he always provides quick and effective feedback to any queries.”

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 one case highlight, the firm represented two subsidiaries of China Vanke, Vanke Real Estate and Jiye Real Estate, in real estate litigation over the land use right of a plot of land in Qingdao.

Another case highlight saw the firm representing an individual in a shareholder dispute. This case marks the first dispute after the new regulation on reduction in shareholding issued by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).

Key clients include China Construction Bank, Teddy Mobile Technology and Xinhua Internet E-Commerce.

Client feedback

“The firm is very familiar with civil, commercial litigation and arbitration, and is able to analyse and utilise all available information. In particular, from the perspective of the client, the firm maximises the company's commercial interests to complete the legal objectives.” – Commercial and transactions

Qing Cui

“Cui's passion for legal affairs, responsible attitude, and pragmatic style of always pursuing the best results are the reasons why we are always willing to choose him.”

“Cui is very professional, efficient and energetic.”

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 HKIAC, ICC and SIAC. 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.

In the commercial and transaction space, the firm represented a renowned bond underwriter in China and won a first-instance case regarding claims of false statements of non-public directional debt financing instruments by non-financial enterprises in the interbank bond market, the first case of its kind in China. Another case shows the firm representing a Fortune 500 enterprise in a dispute related to its investment in a new energy enterprise.

In the international arbitration space, the firm represented a world-leading western chemical and pharmaceutical company in a Singapore-seated international arbitration for the resolution of a dispute arising from a joint venture agreement.

In early 2021, the firm promoted Mark Young to partner. He specialises in commercial and transactions, and international arbitration.

The firm’s impressive roster of clients includes ByteDance, Huarong Overseas SAIF Partners and Xinxing Pipes.

Debevoise & Plimpton is the law firm of choice when it comes to regulatory disputes. With offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo, the firm advises both regional and multinational companies in complex disputes arising out of their Asian operations, particularly involving the financial sector. Its lawyers are frequently engaged by clients for commercial litigation, white-collar investigations, regulatory disputes and international arbitration.

Specialising in commercial and regulatory disputes, Mark Johnson leads the practice. Gareth Hughes is a key contact for commercial matters.

East & Concord Partners offers a comprehensive dispute resolution practice, with particular strength in arbitration. It is active in commercial disputes, notably arising from 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 China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC). Chaoyi Ji heads the dispute resolution practice and is active in both litigation and arbitration.

Case highlights include advising Nationsync Electrical and Machinery Equip on a Mareva injunction case and a Rmb370 million international arbitration in CIETAC against China National Machine Tool Sales and Technical Service Corporation; advising Tishman Speyer China Fund, a subsidiary of Tishman Speyer and a world-famous real estate developer, operator and Fund management company, on a Rmb150 million international arbitration in CIETAC; and advising Madam Zhang Lan, Grand Lan Holdings Group (BVI), Qiao Jang Lan Development on a $142 million arbitration judicial review case against CVC Capital.

Notable clients include Guanghui Petroleum Storage and Transportation (Zhoushan), Hangzhou Bank, Shenzhen Guanghui Petroleum Group and Zhejiang Hanggang Financial Leasing.

Client feedback

“Responsive. The firm is able to provide professional and practical advice. It understands our needs.” – Commercial and transactions

Chaoyi Ji

“Diligent, smart and pragmatic.”

Top-tier firm Fangda Partners continues its reign as 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 Alexandra Pu 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.

The firm kept busy with a string of commercial disputes including representing Rolls-Royce, a world-leading manufacturer of aviation products, before the Beijing Chaoyang District Court in product liability cases with a total dispute amount of around Rmb430 million; acting for Jinhong Fashion Group in a series of high-value and cross-border disputes arising from a trans-border acquisition of assets and business of a famous Korean fashion brand; and representing Shanghai Jinxin Investment Advisory and Everbright Jinhui Investment Management (Shanghai) to bring a lawsuit against Baofeng Group and its actual controller before the PRC Supreme Court.

On the employment side, the firm represented Aulton New Energy Automobile Technology to initiate a breach of non-competition case against its former president. It also represented Microsoft to initiate a breach of non-competition case against one of its former senior technical employees. In another case, the firm represented Hempel in defending a wrongful termination case brought by one of its former senior sales representative.

In intellectual property, the firm is representing Apple in a series of proceedings against Zhizhen involving the ‘iRobot’ patent, including adopting aggressive defence strategies such as declaratory action and invalidation. One of the main case in the series involves the highest damages request so far in all IP fields in China. The firm also represented NavInfo, a market-leading Chinese navigation software and map company in a copyright infringement claim against three Baidu companies. The Beijing Intellectual Property Court awarded NavInfo Rmb64.5 million in damages, the highest damages award for copyright infringement cases in China to date.

In international arbitration, the firm acted for China Development Bank in a series of litigation arising from an independent bank guarantee dispute against a Russian borrower and its PRC related entities.

The firm’s dispute resolution practice has welcomed a number of new partners in June 2021, namely Guanbing Chen, Hanjie Chen, Patrick Xiao, Na Gao, Diane Peng and Howard Chan. Its IP department also added Muran Sun as partner. Melody Wang, who was previously a partner, left the firm for Allen & Overy.

China Life Asset Management, Cinda Investment, Cisco, Hypergryph, Industrial Bank, InterDigital Corporation and Sichuan Shengda Forestry Industry are the firm’s key clients.

Client feedback

“Helped us to obtain favourable result. Good communication skills with professional legal analysis of the case.” – International arbitration

“It is extremely practical, commercial and responsive. They are available to provide high-quality advice at any time. Also very personable.” – Labour and employment

“Highly reliable and very detail-oriented services.” – Real estate

“Lawyers from this firm are equipped with ample knowledge in regulatory and dispute resolution areas. The firm combines expertise in international practice and local knowledge. Their lawyers are responsive and are able to provide high-quality legal product.” – White-collar crime

“Professional and timely feedback with customised solutions.” – White-collar crime

Weiguo Yang

“Excellent communication skills. Professional analysis to the case from legal side. Practical advice.”

Kate Yin

“Very responsive with profound legal and industry knowledge.”

“Provides prompt legal suggestions and advices. Gives practical solutions.”

Bo Zhou

“Very commercial, practical, and responsive. Great to deal with. Personable and available in short notice.”

With more than 200 partners and over 400 lawyers in its litigation and arbitration team, Grandall Law Firm offers a wide range of dispute resolution services. The team’s major practice areas include banking and commercial disputes, construction, energy, government and technology. The firm is frequently sought after by state-owned enterprises, financial institutions and publicly listed companies.

Zhengyu Yang is one of the key partners recognised for work in commercial disputes. Jingzi Sun, Li Shen and Ningning Huang are other notable lawyers.

Guantao Law Firm’s litigation and arbitration department has in-depth experience in investment, equity, 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.

Work highlights include the firm acting for Xiamen Weiken Commercial Factoring and other related companies in a series of corporate lending litigations; representing China Huarong Asset Management in a dispute over claims validation brought by creditor in bankruptcy proceedings; representing Kaiyuan Securities in a dispute related to the trading of corporate bonds against Gangtai Group; and acting for a subsidiary of Shanghai Pharma Group in a contract dispute against a pharmaceutical e-commerce company in Zhejiang.

Wenjun Fang, Weizhong Wu, Hubo Peng and Ailin Cai joined the firm as partners.

Key clients include Hujiang Education & Technology (Shanghai) Corporation, Shanghai Kailong Investment Management and Sinar Mas Paper (China) Investment.

Han Kun Law Offices’ dispute resolution practice is known for its high-quality work and regularly advises clients in commercial, intellectual property, antitrust and labour and employment issues. The firm is particularly praised for its work in IP disputes in the telecommunications, healthcare and chemical sectors.

Eric Liu, partner and member of the dispute resolution team, is noted 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 the past 12 months, highlights include representing Bitmain Technologies in a series of disputes over corporate control of well-known chip company Bitmain Group; representing Pepsi (China) in defending an application filed by Burger King (Shanghai) Restaurant for setting aside a Shanghai International Arbitration Center (SHIAC) arbitral award before Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court; and representing the members of Guizhou Maotai Winery Group Technology Development, a domestic alcohol industry group company, in responding to a dispute involving its 19 shareholders.

In the IP space, the firm acted for Sanan, a leading LED manufacturer in China, in patent infringement cases. The case drew a great attention in the LED industry because it is the first case claiming high damage in this industry. In another IP dispute, the firm represented HP in four patent infringement cases against two local companies manufacturing and selling ink cartridges compatible with HP printers.

The firm’s IP team lured Jian Zhang to its bench from Liu Shen & Associates as partner.

Notable clients include Dsquared 2, SandvikSino-Maple (Jiangsu), Ubox and Wuliangye Great World (Beijing) Trading.

Client feedback

“While providing legal advice, they would give full consideration to a company's business requirements. Reminding us that there are always workable solutions to legal risks. Professional lawyers, professional services and strong sense of responsibility.” – Commercial and transactions

“The firm works closely with clients and dives deep into the details of the case. The lawyers provide practical advice with good communication skills.” – International arbitration

“Clear and fair fee structure in accordance with international standards. They give practical and cogent advice and really think about the issues from the client's perspective. They know the law.” – Government and regulatory

“Practical advice on PRC employment law and litigation issues.” – Labour and employment

“Down-to-earth advice suitable for local practice. Efficient feedback in a timely manner.” – Labour and employment

“Very responsive and adaptable at communicating across time zones and geos.” – Labour and employment

“Patient and meticulous working attitude. Ability to work professionally and efficiently. More comprehensive and long-term thoughts and provided more comprehensive, extended legal advisory services. They are not only our legal consultant, but also our trusted partner.” – Trade and customs

Will Huang

“He has good knowledge of the employment law landscape in China and can highlight the important issues very quickly. He is also solid and experienced litigation lawyer who has a great deal of experience with employment disputes.”

“Excellent responsiveness and practical problem-solving skills.”

Yaxing Zhang

“He always gives us workable advice and solutions in connection with commercial disputes. Strong sense of responsibility, timely feedback, and overall and strong risk management ability.”

“Experienced lawyer in multi-industries, outstanding communication skills and grounded advice which could help us solve problems.”

“Zhang is really experienced in litigation and arbitration. He is highly detailed oriented with excellent insights. Quick reaction enables him to offer the best representation in the hearing. We totally rely on his analysis for those important cases.”

“Provides sound and practical advice after having considered all angles from client's perspective, at very reasonable rates.”

“Efficient feedback in a timely manner. Down-to-earth advice. Fast responsiveness to queries. Balanced approach towards situations.”

“Communicates frequently and always provides feedback in time. Excellent manner and professional skills.”

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, whereas Kyle Wombolt is the dominant player in white-collar crime. Other notable lawyers include Simon Chapman and Kathryn Sanger. Partner Rachael Shek joined the firm in January 2022 from Clyde & Co.

During the research period, the firm successfully defended DBS Bank in a substantial High Court action brought by the liquidators of Galleria (Hong Kong), a multi-national furniture business. It is also acting for both UBS AG and UBS Europe SE 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.

Another case highlight saw the firm represent Bank Julius Baer & Co in its defence against mis-selling and misrepresentation allegations by a former client in respect of over 140 highly complex structured investment products. The case features complex regulatory issues as regards the conduct of private banking accounts, suitability of complex structured investment products and the assessment of the alleged losses.

In the international arbitration space, the firm continues to represent Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation (SIPC) and Addax—subsidiaries of the Sinopec Group—in the largest fraud claim ever filed with the SIAC valued in excess of $5.5 billion. This concerns the 2012 purchase by SIPC and Addax of a significant upstream business in the North Sea, which is now a multibillion-dollar liability. 

Notable clients include Axiata Group, Collins Aerospace, Credit Suisse, Star Petroleum Refining Public Company and Toll Group.

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 for BMW in trademark and patent infringement case against Zhejiang Baokang Wheel Manufacturing over the infringement of several vehicle wheel hubs; representing Treasure Wine Estates (Shanghai) Trading in trademark and patent invalidation against a design patent titled ‘Wine Bottle’; and representing 3M in a criminal case arising from the discovery of a batch of counterfeit 3M respirators being sold to Wuhan Hanyang Hospital.

Some of its most important clients include Bandai Namco Entertainment, Castrol, Innisfree, NXP and WD-40.

Client feedback

“Proactively communicates with law enforcement authorities and right holders in dealing with IP infringement cases.” – Intellectual property

“Understands the brand protection well from both the business and legal perspectives. Very efficient actions. Very impressive results.” – Intellectual property

Xu Zhang

“Strong influencing skills. Knowledgeable and experienced in IP.”

“Apart from his comprehensive legal knowledge, he also knows a lot about the energy industry, especially the downstream.”

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 for commercial disputes and Michael Liu for intellectual property.

During the research period, the firm represented Tahone Investment Management (Kunshan) on a Rmb1 billion 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.

Beijing Construction Engineering Group, Huzhou Ronghui Jiaheng Finance Leasing, Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration and Xinyi Investment Management Consulting (Tianjin) are key clients.

Client feedback

“Since Hylands Law Firm was included in the roster of bankruptcy administrators, our court has entrusted the firm to handle dozens of bankruptcy cases. The firm has a professional bankruptcy team as its support, with all-round and multi-level professional knowledge and skills, it smoothly promotes the court's work in the field of bankruptcy, and better promotes the optimization of the business environment in Wenzhou.” – Insolvency

Xiao Han

“Xiao 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.”

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.

Case highlights in the general commercial space include acting for state-owned shipping enterprise GNG Ocean Shipping in a series of domestic and foreign litigation and arbitration cases; acting for a large domestic real estate enterprise in equity disputes over company shares in Singapore and Cambodia; and representing Guangzhou South China Coal Trade Center in disputes arising from bills of lading against a shipowner.

In intellectual property, the firm represented OPPO Japan in a standard-essential patent licence dispute against Sharp and ScienBizip. This case sets a milestone for China as it clarifies for the first time that the Chinese court has jurisdiction over global licensing fees for standard-essential patents.

On the labour and employment front, the firm represented the Tianjin subsidiary of a well-known Japanese company in the automotive industry in a series of labour dispute cases against four employees.

During the research period, the firm welcomed a number of new partners: Mingxiu Wu, Jiefeng Lu, Xinqian Li, Yingying Li, Tiejian Nan, Jing Chen, Lingqin Wang, Tao Yang, Fei Chen, Chunfeng Xi, Guanghui Zhu, Kehua Zhang and Liwei Jiang.

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.

Representative cases include acting for Amazon and winning two administrative litigations regarding the infringement of essential patents in the communications field before the Beijing Intellectual Property Court; acting for Oceanwide Holdings in a case regarding liability disputes against ShenZhen Nanyou and other principle shareholders for damaging the interests of creditors of the company; and successfully representing a wholly-owned subsidiary of a state-owned listed company in contractual disputes in relation to the equity transfer of four franchised projects.

The firm’s IP team hired Jiedong (Donnie) Wang from Liu Shen & Associates.

Key clients include Meiji Shanghai, Mendes and Shangri-La Group.

Client feedback

“The firm’s performance throughout the legal proceedings of securing the defendant’s assets in China are impressive.” – International arbitration

Yongqiang Yu

“Good at communication and managing the legal team.”

One of the dominant players in the region, King & Wood Mallesons boasts a deep bench of experienced litigators in China and Hong Kong, offering clients broad coverage in Asia-Pacific supported by a wide international network. The firm represents clients before all levels of court and various arbitration tribunals, including CIETAC, HKIAC and ICC. It is predominantly active on cross-border dispute resolution matters, with a particular focus on disputes arising from the BRI Initiative. In addition, the firm especially stands out for corporate securities, international arbitration, financing and commercial contracts as well as construction-related disputes.

Key names in the commercial and international arbitration space include Yuwu Liu and Ariel Ye in China and Paul Starr 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. Regulatory expert Haitao Liu and employment lawyer Juquan Yin are other names to note in China.

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 and Richard Sharpe in Hong Kong and Tiana Zhang in Shanghai are highly regarded in the field of white-collar crime and investigations.

Insolvency cases include the firm advising Car Inc, one of the largest car rental companies in China, on its successful completion of consent solicitation for amendments to change of control related terms existing US and Rmb notes; and advising Committee of creditors of China Fishery Group in relation to defaults under the $300 million notes and $650 million club loan facility guaranteed by China Fishery Group and the subsequent chapter 11 proceedings commenced by China Fishery Group and its affiliates.

The firm is acting for Xiaomi, the world’s fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer, in defending patent infringement claims brought by Sisvel International SA and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in the UK for infringement of allegedly standard essential patents (SEPs) relating to 3G and LTE technologies. In another case sample, the firm is representing TCL Corp in defending a high-profile patent lawsuit brought by Philips, one of the world's large standard essential patent (SEP) holders and an experienced licensor.

The firm’s litigation practice welcomed David Harrington as partner in March 2021. Later in the year, restructuring and insolvency partner Daniel Margulies left firm.

Key clients include CWT International, Dewan Housing Finance Corporation, HNA Group (International) Company, IL&FS Transportation Networks and TCL Corp.

Client feedback

“Knowledgeable, friendly and responsive.” – Commercial and transactions

“The firm is tenacious, thorough, and creative when it comes to problem solving. It understands internal sensitivities within the business and ensures that it treats everyone with respect while still working hard to get to the heart of the allegations.” – White-collar crime

Neil McDonald

“Gravitas, with in-depth knowledge and gives practical advice.”

Tiana Zhang

“Takes control of the matter and ensures that no issue slips through the cracks. She will not rest until the matter is resolved.”

Led by star patent litigator Hongyi Jiang, LexField Law Offices is one of the strongest patent disputes firms in the market. The firm has established a solid reputation through handling cases that have a widespread impact in China and set new standards in IP law. The firm has deep expertise in the technology, pharmaceutical, chemical and manufacturing industries.

Shanghai-based law firm Llinks Law Offices is lauded for handling complex commercial and construction disputes. The firm is active on the full spectrum of finance, investment, and general business-related disputes. Charles Qin and Peiming Yang are recommended for both commercial disputes and international arbitration. Patrick Zheng is another lawyer active in many of the firm’s notable cases.

Key commercial and transactions cases include advising Everbright Securities Company on a dispute over breach of contracts in margin financing and securities lending transactions with several debtors; advising Advised Ping An Annuity Insurance on the revoking rights in bankruptcy disputes with the Administrator of Shandong Shengtong; and advising Penghua Asset Management on a corporate bond transaction dispute with Peking University Founder Group.

On the international arbitration side, the firm acted for Hyosung Corporation and Hyosung Spandex (Jiaxing) Company in an arbitration case before HKIAC concerning shares transfer.

China Securities, Glory Sun Credit, Orient Securities Asset Management and Zhongju Finance Lease are the firm’s notable clients.

In March 2021, the firm hired James Wang as partner from Shanghai United Law Firm. His practice covers dispute resolution and IP.

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.

Nicholas Hunsworth and John Hickin are key names in 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.

The firm has been representing two members of leading private property developer Eton Properties Group in defending a claim brought by Xiamen Xinjingdi Group in purported enforcement of an arbitral award made by CIETAC in Beijing.

The firm continues to represent various leading real estate developers in Hong Kong in compulsory sale application, one of which includes representing a leading Hong Kong real estate developer in its successful compulsory sale application with respect to the State Theatre Building located in North Point, Hong Kong’s largest compulsory sale application in term of redevelopment value at over HK$4.7 billion.

At the time of publication, partner Thomas So had left the firm.

Key clients include Gaw Capital, Huiyuan Juice, Malayan Banking, Swire Properties and The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Client feedback

“Restructuring and Insolvency team is well established and known in the region.” – Insolvency

“Mayer Brown is incredibly proactive and a very trustworthy and responsible firm who can easily handle any aspect of intellectual property application, registration, protection and defence. The firm is also extremely experienced with arbitration and litigation cases in Hong Kong.” – Intellectual property

Amita Haylock

“Haylock is extremely experienced, acutely intelligent and an exceptionally lovely personality. She works extremely hard and efficiently. To date, she has won every case that the foundation has entrusted to her.”

John Marsden

“Marsden has bundles of experience and regional know how which is vital in this type of work.”

“Tenacious and adept at looking through complex matters to identify the core issues.”

Morgan Lewis & Bockius is sought out for commercial litigation and arbitration work. 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.

One employment dispute shows the firm advising a global life sciences conglomerate on the strategy to defend more than 35 legal proceedings brought by a former senior executive for unpaid equity grants.

The remaining 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.

Client feedback

“Highly responsive and timely in a fast-moving matter. Gives practical and business-focused advice.” – Intellectual property

“They are top notch. The matters are confidential, but I get timely response and excellent work product.” – Technology and telecommunications

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.

In commercial and transactions, the firm advised SoftBank Group (SBG) on obtaining documentary and testimonial evidence in Hong Kong and China in aid of a litigation filed by WeWork in the Delaware Chancery Court. The litigation related to SBG’s investment in WeWork has attracted significant public attention because of WeWork’s global footprints, the unusual withdrawal of the anticipated IPO, and the allegations of wrongdoing against its founder.

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 HKIAC and ICC arbitration.

Timothy Blakely

“Have worked with Blakely on a highly complex litigation for 10 years. He is very responsive, reliable, and experienced. Clients can trust him with any work.”

O'Melveny & Myers is recognised for its international litigation and arbitration practice. The firm works on high-profile M&A, joint venture, 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.

International arbitration case highlights include representing a US telecommunications company with counterclaims against Mainland Chinese controlled entities in an HKIAC arbitration; representing an international pharmaceutical company in ICC arbitration against an Eastern European distributor; and representing a leading Asian biopharmaceutical company in an HKIAC arbitration case.

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

Client feedback

“Very strong on strategic advice, detailed analysis with regard to the commercial goals.” – Commercial and transactions

“Excellent strategic advice on complex matters, while still providing practical and cost-effective advice.” – Intellectual property

Denis Brock

“Excellent knowledge and ability to deploy it strategically. Very solutions based to get the best commercial outcomes.”

Kieran Humphrey

“He listens carefully and then provides answers are solutions which show a thorough understanding of the law, but which also take into account the relevant circumstances and what is possible. We always feel highly confident with his advice and feel he has understood what we are trying to achieve.”

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. Jingbo Lu and Xiaorong (Cathy) Qu are key individuals in this field.

In the past 12 months, the firm has been busy on a series of employment disputes involving contract termination, workplace injuries and compliance investigations.

In one case highlight, the firm acted for a Fortune 500 electronic company in a labour contract dispute arising from the termination of its employee. The firm won the case at the stages of arbitration, first instance, second instance and retrial instance.

Other notable clients include Columbia Sportswear, Nouryon Chemicals (Ningbo) and TrigoChina.

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.

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 the areas of expertise including insolvency.

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

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 multi-jurisdictional investigations and FCPA 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.

The details of all cases the firm worked on during the research period remain highly confidential, however, the firm has been acting for clients before HKIAC, CIETAC and ICC concerning joint venture, sales and purchase agreements, post-M&A and other various contractual issues. The firm was also active with criminal and internal investigations as well as implementing compliance programmes.

Client feedback

“It is very good in managing internal politics. the legal analysis itself, and being transparent in its pricing.” – Commercial and transactions

“It is reliable and provides practical realistic advice on all aspects of the subject areas, not just reciting principles or being too conservative in its advice.” – Labour and employment

“Provides pragmatic advice, and manages complex issues efficiently and cost effectively.” – White-collar crime

Yuet Ming Tham

“She is excellent at client service, ensuring the right person is working on my matter with the required knowledge and expertise. She is also transparent with the billing, and we get excellent outcomes.”

“She understands the local market and legal issues with legal expertise and provides practical solutions.”

“Everything. I use her exclusively in APAC.”

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom provides clients with expert advice on a range of high-value and complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters, including finance, securities and shareholder disputes. 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.

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.

Case highlights include advising Chinese classified advertisements website 58.com on a shareholder dissenting appraisal action; and representing a group of Bermuda trust companies established by a Taiwanese Conglomerate in a dispute arising from the handling of assets of a Taiwanese individual, the owner of The Formosa Plastics Group who died in 2008.

Client feedback

“The Hong Kong and China staff are very experienced, knowledgeable and responsive in assisting clients to understand the legal and regulatory issues around the situation they are facing, and respond effectively to regulators.” – Government and regulatory

Steve Kwok

“Kwok is very knowledgeable and adept at educating clients on the regulatory issues they are facing, and explaining the practical situation and nuances.”

“He has in-depth knowledge of US laws and regulations in white collar investigations.”

Tian Yuan Law Firm regularly acts on a wide range of commercial and financial disputes representing major listed companies and state-owned enterprises (SOEs). 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 and Mei Xu for commercial disputes and Yan Sun for intellectual property.

The litigation practice of Winston & Strawn advises clients on commercial disputes including joint venture disputes, shareholders’ disputes and investment treaty disputes. The firm is also active in patent litigation as well as regulatory defence. It has strength in key industries such as energy, financial services, telecommunications, and utilities.

Former US federal prosecutor, Steve Grimes, leads the Asia litigation practice. Other key names include Terence Wong and Gino Cheng who are regarded for their specialisms in international arbitration and IP respectively.

All cases the firm worked on during the research period remain highly confidential. It has been observed that the firm has been busy handling anti-corruption risk assessment, commercial bribery issues, compliance framework, fraud investigations and misconduct related matters. The firm also took on various international commercial arbitration work.

The firm hired Yachiao Chang from Yuanda China Law Offices as partner. Christy Leung was promoted to the partnership.

Premium full-service law firm Zhong Lun has a solid track record in handling a wide range of domestic and overseas litigation and arbitration matters. The team houses a highly reputable group of practitioners with 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. The firm also provides a top-tier international arbitration service seated across the globe.

Key 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 represented WUYIGE Certified Public Accountants in misrepresentation civil suits. This case is China’s first case of a civil compensation dispute over fraudulent issuance of company bonds and the first case applying representative litigation system in securities misrepresentation disputes. In another case, the firm represented Qingdao West Coast Development (Group) in a contract dispute against Beijing Huiju Technology Industry Development.

In construction, the firm represented Nanjing GCL-Gas Thermal Power in a construction contract dispute against a power construction company of China Energy Construction Group. The firm also acted for Zhejiang Kangyu Real Estate in a series of pre-sale contract disputes against an individual and 21 other owners.

In the government and regulatory space, the firm provided comprehensive compliance legal services for Gopher Asset Management, the top private equity funds management under Noah Holdings. This case is the first regulatory supervision case after the promulgation and implementation of the government’s regulations on strengthening the supervision of private investment funds.

In insolvency, the team is advising Nanjing Construction Industry Group, the largest private construction group in Nanjing, and its 24 affiliated companies in their substantive merger and insolvency reorganisation. This case is the first pre-insolvency reorganisation case of a large-scale private enterprise group and one of the largest substantive merger and insolvency reorganisation cases accepted by the Nanjing Intermediate People’s Court.

In international arbitration, the firm represented CPMC Investment Company, a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned food processing holding company COFCO, in two HKIAC arbitration cases against the joint venture in Guangdong province and two affiliates of JDB group in Hong Kong.

Notable clients include China Development Bank, Hubei Road & Bridge Group, Ping An Bank, Shenzhen Feima International Supply Chain, Vale Minerals China and Xinyin Wealth Management.

Client feedback

“Lawyers of the firm are kind, patient and professional. They always provide explicit suggestions which solve the problems sufficiently. Meanwhile, the customer experience of the firm is really good. Whenever our company is in need, we can always count on the lawyer to give timely feedback.” – Commercial and transactions

“This firm is dedicated, earnest and meticulous, and works fast and well.” – Commercial and transactions

“In this case, the firm made a detailed explanation of the limits and value of property preservation through various means of legal visualization, which left a deep impression on us and the court. The firm also actively mobilised its resources to sort out and complete the evidence materials and other work in this case, and implemented the preservation of the properties of all five defendants…Finally, in the enforcement process of this case, we believe that the firm still upholds its spirit of excellence, and has properly completed the enforcement of the property, including the stocks of listed companies and civil aircraft, under the very complicated situation of the properties, and through this it also reached a number of the firsts in Sichuan Province, setting an example for other law firms and companies and courts to enforce similar properties.” – Commercial and transactions

“This case involves complex and professional asset management disputes, covering almost all disputes that fund managers may face in asset management disputes. Zhong Lun Law Firm has established a professional team for financial disputes. In the process of representing us in this case, the firm has demonstrated outstanding professional ability, rich experience and teamwork spirit, and finally helped us obtain a winning judgment in first instance.” – Commercial and transactions

“They developed an excellent strategy, worked tirelessly on it, and delivered amazing results.” – Commercial and transactions

“Zhong Lun Law Firm represented two litigation cases related to partnership disputes. In both litigation cases, the firm assisted us in organising and submitting relevant evidence and lawsuit documents in the fastest and most efficient manner after receiving our presentation of the case. The firm also communicated with us in a timely manner on the basis of independent and rigorous litigation considerations. Because the partnership agreement involves both civil code and partnership law, the firm also conducted litigation visualization work during the preparation and trial of the lawsuit, so that the judge could understand the litigation ideas most intuitively. In particular, in the second case, we sued the court to set aside the arbitration decision, and the judge needed to understand the background of the case and the problems with the decision as quickly as possible, and we believe that the firm did a good job of doing this. In its due diligence service, the firm continues its excellent service quality and enthusiasm. It is able to accomplish all research in a complete, efficient and error-free manner.” – Commercial and transactions

“The case is a loan dispute, but the merits of the case are more difficult. The most valuable security measure in this case is the pledge of equity, but the pledges were made by three Caymanian companies, and the pledged shares were the shares of Hong Kong listed companies. Therefore, it involved more complicated legal application issues, especially the pledge contract explicitly agreed to apply Hong Kong law. By mobilising its internal resources, Zhong Lun Law Firm completed the study of the issues related to Cayman law and Hong Kong law and determined the litigation ideas in a very short period of time, and its business ability was excellent. It is hard for us to imagine that we can find such high-quality service in the Sichuan area.” – Commercial and transactions

“Zhong Lun Law Firm is always on our side when providing our company with legal services whether it is due diligence, financing, or permanent legal services, and always defends our company's interests and suggests all kinds of risks in the process of the project. The firm pays attention to details in the implementation process and offers a high quality of service. What other law firms do not have is the ability to understand our business objectives and strategies based on our years of working with them, and to tailor a complete package of services and litigation strategies. It has a very good structure in terms of seniority; no matter the level, they're very competent in terms of language skills and legal knowledge.” – Commercial and transactions

“The lawyers are very professional and have done a good job. They have safeguarded the interests of our company to the greatest extent.” – Commercial and transactions

“The service provided by the firm is very professional and has solved the problem for us very well.” – Construction

“Disputes concerning construction contracts are highly professional and tedious, involving a large number of engineering technology, engineering management and financial issues. The lawyers demonstrated their professionalism in legal and engineering management well.” – Construction

“This law firm has a professional team in the construction area, which can provide professional legal advice regarding our company's different situations and make us as winners in a set of legal disputes and litigations.” – Construction

“The lawyers of the firm are very professional. They have rich experience in securities regulatory cases. They are very responsible to this case. They sorted out the complicated facts and found an effective response plan. Through their perfect work, I am the only person against which the CSRC changed the finding and penalty in this case.” – Government and regulatory

“They do well in all the aspects of intellectual property rights and disputes resolution.” – Intellectual property

“The firm is very experienced in IP issues in China, and always can deliver good outcomes with high quality.” – Intellectual property

“Excellent knowledge base in specialist areas, as well as litigation skills.” – Intellectual property

“Zhong Lun Law Firm has always been able to complete the relevant defence and fulfil our needs as soon as possible when new circumstances arise in our complex and intricate case, and we are very satisfied with its performance in each procedure. Although the case is still in the execution stage, the firm has handled all the obstacles with high quality, and we believe that the case will be smooth in the future due to the firm’s efforts.” – International arbitration

“The law firm provided professional advice and different options for us to choose from the beginning of the engagement. The follow up service and action are very efficient and clear too.” – International arbitration

“Very client-driven and business-driven.” – International arbitration

“Extremely professional service. Always patient to my case. The result was satisfying.” – International arbitration

“The case involves whether the parties could claim overpayment of the project when they have already made cumulative monthly progress settlement in the engineering case. In this case, to clarify the current situation of the payment, Zhong Lun Law Firm confirmed the actual amount of construction work by sorting through the construction drawings and changing the visas of both parties in the engineering case. The case also involved complex engineering appraisal issues and arbitration proceeding issues, and all of these problems were well resolved by the firm, and it has effectively prevented the case from being unduly prolonged.” – International arbitration

“Rich experience, smooth communication, positive and responsible working attitude.” – International arbitration

“They are excellent in every task. Partners and lawyers plan and arrange in an orderly manner, actively promote the progress of the project, have a strong sense of responsibility and professional business level; the efficient cooperation and complementary advantages of the team members have laid a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of the project base. In addition, the firm’s internal offices work closely together to meet our legal service needs across China, as well as at home and abroad.” – Real estate

Xinfan Chen

“I am very satisfied with Chen’s services. He successfully helped me to cope with the owner's schedule claim in this case, and formulated a negotiation plan and represented me in the settlement negotiation with the owner, which ultimately helped me to create great benefits. In fact, he has also been providing legal services for our company, and his professional ability and reputation are obvious to all. We can say that as long as he helps us to intervene in disputes, there is a great possibility of success. We trust Zhong Lun Law Firm very much.”

Yonghong Wang

“Professional competencies.”

Fangrong Wu

“Highly professional with good communication skills.”

Kun Wu

“The lawyer has safeguarded the interests of our company to the greatest extent, with great professional skills and virtue.”

Yiheng Xu

“When providing legal services for this case, this attorney was always able to closely follow the progress of the court and the defendant's movement, provide timely feedback to our company, and propose timely response plans and legal analysis. During the proceedings, the attorney was well prepared for the trial and was able to take into account all the key points of the trial to convince the judge to accept our arguments.”

Mingcheng Yan

“He follows up our case in very detail.  Response time was quick and provide clear work and innovative solution to us.”

Baosheng Zhang

“In response to the complex and cutting-edge legal issues in this case, Attorney Zhang and his team conducted meticulous facts combing and in-depth legal research, formed effective defence ideas, and performed well in court trials. Attorney Zhang and his team have the ability to quickly grasp core issues, and have demonstrated superb professional skills, rich experience, efficient response capabilities and a high sense of responsibility. They helped us successfully obtain the winning judgment in first instance and resolved the crisis for the company.”

“Zhang is one of the best lawyer in securities regulatory area in China. He has rich experience and could grasp the core question. He is creative and put up some critical suggestions in response to this case. The satisfactory results of this case are inseparable from his law firm’s work.”

Shengjie Zhang

“Deep understanding of the law, accurate grasp of the market.”

“Well controlled in all the paces of the dispute resolutions and helped us succeed in all cases.”