For law firms, they are the backbone supporting business operations; for enterprises, they are a trusted guiding force. Jeffrey Huang reports
ACCESS THE A-LIST 2025-26: GROWTH DRIVERS
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usiness success is rarely a straight path. Economic fluctuations, policy shifts, fierce market competition and unforeseen industry changes can all shape, and sometimes upend, a company’s fate. In these moments, seasoned legal professionals with strong business acumen become indispensable advisers, helping leaderships navigate uncertainty and risk.
Recognising the vital role they play, China Business Law Journal presents the Growth Drivers award. These lawyers bring not only profound legal expertise and hands-on experience, but also specialised industry knowledge and a thorough understanding of corporate and commercial realities.
They stand out for their strategic thinking, communication skills, and dedication to client success. With proven track records in major transactions and complex disputes, they have earned the trust of their clients and the respect of the broader market.
As part of its ongoing research into China’s legal market, China Business Law Journal continues to identify the country’s most highly recommended private-practice lawyers. This year’s A-List awards feature outstanding individuals across three categories: the Visionaries, the Growth Drivers; and Rising Stars.
This article highlights the Growth Drivers. The full lineup of the Visionaries was published in China Business Law Journal Vol. 16, Issue 9, and is also available here and on social media platforms. The Rising Stars will be announced soon – stay tuned.
It is worth noting that the editorial and research teams have further refined the Growth Drivers awards, highlighting the most respected and frequently recommended elite talent across a range of practice areas and industries. This selection underscores the legal market’s growing emphasis on industry expertise and specialisation.
Methodology
To identify the most esteemed lawyers in the market, we invited corporate counsel and executives from Chinese and global businesses, partners from Chinese and international law firms, and legal experts across diverse industries to nominate their lawyers of choice.
This year’s robust response, with thousands of nominations, coincides with the increasingly competitive legal market, reflecting corporate clients’ ever-higher requirements for legal professionalism and industry specialisation.
In the principle of neutrality, as always, lawyers were not allowed to nominate themselves or colleagues practising at the same firm. The final selection is based on market nominations, candidate submissions and independent editorial research. Notably, the entire evaluation process is free of charge, from nomination to final selection.
In the following sections, we have selected comments and praise left by nominators across industries during China Business Law Journal’s research. While not all commendations can be included, these insights reflect the outstanding professional excellence and industry contributions of the award-winning lawyers.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all nominators who participated in the market research and offer our sincerest congratulations to the selected lawyers.
Deal making
Deals are the cornerstone of commercial society. From structuring frameworks and due diligence to negotiating terms and co-ordinating parties, Growth Drivers provide end-to-end support. Leveraging their professional expertise and commercial insight, they identify and mitigate legal risks while actively driving transactions to completion, helping companies navigate complex markets with confidence.
In recent years, Li Ruomu, a partner at Cooley’s Shanghai office, assisted Lin Ling, legal director of HongShan, on nearly 30 transactions. Whenever challenges arose, Li consistently delivered excellent legal advice and actionable market analysis under tight deadlines, enabling the team to negotiate efficiently and reach mutually acceptable agreements.
“Too many lawyers these days will just pass us to a different partner and let us repeat our problems and figure things out, but not Li Ruomu,” says Lin. “I am highly appreciative of her contribution to all of our projects, very much look forward to working with her again, and would definitely recommend her to anyone involved in complex transactions.”
In another recent high-stakes transaction, when assisting Trip.com Group’s acquisition of a UK-based international travel services company, Jenny Wang, a partner at Merits & Tree Law Offices’ Beijing office, served as lead legal counsel, providing end-to-end support throughout the transaction – from structuring and due diligence to negotiation and closing.
Lilith Chen, head of portfolio management at Trip.com, says: “[Wang] consistently demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and dedication, taking a hands-on approach to help us effectively identify and navigate complex legal risks. Working under an extremely tight timeline, she efficiently co-ordinated multiple overseas law firms to ensure the smooth completion of the transaction.”
Chen speaks highly of Wang’s extensive experience and outstanding capabilities in cross-border M&A, regarding her as a trusted partner.
Amid the 2025 heat of A-share technology companies listing in Hong Kong, Steven Hsu, a partner at Paul Hastings in the city, served as core legal adviser. With top-tier expertise and deep industry insight, he delivered high-quality legal services, earning recognition from a vice president (VP) of a top Chinese investment bank.
“What is particularly valuable is that [Hsu] combines legal expertise with insight into the tech industry,” says the VP. “He not only provides traditional listing services but also anticipates regulatory trends and designs long-term compliance mechanisms aligned with industry developments, demonstrating the compound advantage both in legal and industry.”
Dispute resolution
Dispute resolution serves as a litmus test for a lawyer’s legal acumen, practical wisdom, and professional commitment. Confronted with increasingly complex domestic and cross-border disputes, Growth Drivers argue compellingly in courtrooms and strategise skilfully in arbitration tribunals. Their consistently successful track records demonstrate both depth of expertise and adaptability, earning widespread trust and acclaim from both the market and clients.
Zeng Ni, head of legal and compliance at Ping An Healthcare Diagnostics Centre, recommends Leo Wang, senior partner at AllBright Law Offices in Shanghai. She refers to him as a dispute resolution lawyer with solid legal foundations and seasoned practice skills, capable of swiftly clarifying the basic facts and relevant legal relationships of a case based on its specific circumstances. “More importantly, he aligns litigation planning and strategy formulation with the commercial objectives of the enterprise,” Zeng says.
She also highlights Wang’s proficient courtroom techniques, agile and meticulous thinking, and strong adaptability in effectively safeguarding client interests and achieving commercial goals.
For more than a decade, the team led by Alex Huang, head of the Shenzhen office of Llinks Law Offices, has served as the core legal counsel for Shenzhen Eastern Development and its more than 20 affiliated companies. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, they represented the company and its affiliates in more than 100 litigation and arbitration cases with a total value exceeding RMB10 billion (USD1.41 billion), securing favourable outcomes in the majority.
Liu Hong, the company’s legal head, commends Huang’s team for their professionalism, dedication, diligence, attention to detail, and responsiveness. She says that they “stood firmly by the company through thick and thin, sharing both challenges and perseverance even after the enterprise encountered a debt crisis”, making them a reliable strategic partner.
Pardeep Khosa, a partner at Withers KhattarWong in Singapore, is recommended by Huang Jie, legal counsel at CIMC Group. Huang praises Pardeep for his “profound practical legal experience in both Singapore and Brazilian jurisdictions, providing professional legal theory analysis and practical operational advice across multiple fields, which greatly assists clients in protecting their rights and interests”.
Xu Yang, deputy legal director of TCL Technology, offers high praise for Desmond Ang, a partner at Sidley Austin in Hong Kong. “[Ang] has demonstrated outstanding professional performance, industry recognition, and a strong client reputation in the field of international arbitration and dispute resolution,” says Xu. “He excels at formulating pragmatic strategies that closely integrate dispute resolution with clients’ commercial objectives.”
Xu also highlights Ang’s roles as an arbitrator at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), among others, as well as his contributions as a speaker at seminars, actively promoting the development of arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region.
IP protection
Intellectual property protection is crucial for companies to succeed in market competition. Comprehensive professional strategies are required for fundamental matters such as patents and trademarks, while litigation demands the ability to safeguard rights to the fullest extent. Growth Drivers leverage their legal proficiency, cross-disciplinary knowledge, and extensive practical experience to accurately discern complex challenges in the IP field, providing solid and reliable legal safeguards.
Li Hongjiang, executive partner of Guantao Law Firm’s Beijing office, has served as a legal counsel for Tensar, a UK-based geosynthetic manufacturer, for more than 10 years. During this period, he represented the company in more than 10 IP enforcement cases, securing favourable outcomes in nearly all, including one that set a record for the highest compensation for a specific patented product.
His impressive track record earns recognition and support from Gong Xiaoqing, general manager of Tensar China, who praises Li for “demonstrating unique perspectives and innovative thinking in legal strategy formulation”, and notes that “he not only focuses on resolving legal issues but also actively participates in the company’s strategic planning, offering many forward-looking legal recommendations”.
For Beike, a residential service platform, brand compliance and intellectual property protection are among the most critical legal needs. Zhou Fei, senior legal director at Beike, highly commends Jack Liu, a partner at BZW Law Firm’s Beijing office, for his professional capabilities in IP protection.
She says that in handling trademark and trade name disputes involving associated brands such as “Lianjia” and “Easyhome”, Liu demonstrates strong systematic thinking. “He not only helped us address individual malicious squatting cases, but also established a nationwide dual-track governance mechanism covering both trademarks and trade names. This is valuable for a company like ours, which combines high online traffic with extensive offline reach,” Zhou notes.
Song Xikun, editor-in-chief of Shidai Wenxuan Publishing, speaks highly of Meph Gui, a partner at Global Law Office in Beijing, for his IP protection capabilities. Since Gui began representing the company, he has handled multiple copyright and unfair competition cases, consistently demonstrating solid legal expertise and mature litigation skills with clear case strategies, precise control over key aspects, and flexibility in balancing litigation and settlement to both effectively curb infringement and safeguard the company’s reputation and market position.
Song also praises Gui for his rigorous work ethic, efficient communication, timely responses, and actionable compliance and risk prevention advice from a client perspective, reflecting strong professional integrity and service awareness.
Zhang Peng, senior counsel at Zhong Lun Law Firm’s Beijing office, earns recognition from Jason Wu, vice president and China general manager of InterDigital, and Jia Rusong, director of patent invalidation and administrative litigation at Huawei, for his professional capabilities and experience in IP.
In handling major and difficult standard-essential patent (SEP) cases in telecommunications, Wu applauds Zhang, noting that he “simplifies complex issues, addresses client concerns with practical solutions, and delivers outcomes that exceed expectations”. Jia praises Zhang for his solid technical and legal skills, strong defence and logical abilities, and extensive experience in patent invalidation and litigation matters.
Industry leadership
Amid fierce market competition, Growth Drivers, grounded in solid legal expertise and impressive industry insight, have grown into respected leaders within specialised fields. Through forward-looking strategic planning and robust execution, they provide critical support for clients’ commercial decisions, earning widespread and enduring trust.
Wu Zhiheng, legal manager at CCB Financial Leasing, commends Simon Wong, a partner at Stephenson Harwood in Hong Kong, for his professional expertise in aviation and transportation. He says that Wong’s “profound legal knowledge, exceptional practice skills, and consistent client-centred service philosophy make him an industry leader and a role model for peers”, as well as a long-trusted legal adviser for international aircraft lessors and financing institutions in mainland China.
Zhu Min, a partner at Han Kun Law Offices in Shanghai, assisted Sunshine Pharmaceutical in reaching a global patent licensing transaction with Pfizer, with a total value exceeding USD6 billion. Yuan Ning, senior vice president of business development at Sunshine Pharmaceutical, praises Zhu’s performance in negotiations, saying that he “demonstrated excellent expertise and negotiation skills, meticulously breaking down issues, patiently explaining and persuading, balancing principle and flexibility, and effectively safeguarding the company’s interests”.
Yang Yuejin, a partner at Yingke Law Firm in Shanghai, has built expertise in maritime and shipping law, bolstered by his unique experience as a former oceangoing captain. His capabilities earn recognition and nomination from Chen Xiaoming, finance director of Fujian Andakang Shipping.
In a ship collision damage liability dispute, Yang leveraged his professional knowledge to keenly identify significant operational oversights by the opposing party and, under pressure, submitted a Statement of Objection – a move that proved pivotal in turning the case around. Chen praises him for “always adhering to facts and the law, combining pragmatism with humanistic care, and integrating technical details, legal logic and commercial objectives to provide truly warm and effective legal services”.
Li Lu, a senior partner at Xuxiaoping Law Firm’s 齿颈’补苍 office, impressed Jiang Liang, wealth planner at Taikang Life Insurance Shaanxi, with her professionalism and attention to detail in providing matrimonial, family, and wealth management services. Jiang notes that Li combines tools such as trusts, wills and insurance with legal strategies, making wealth succession more secure and actionable.
“For us wealth planners, her work broadens industry perspectives, enabling more families to achieve long-term planning under the dual safeguards of law and finance,” says Jiang. “Her professional capabilities and sense of responsibility not only help countless families gain legal protection, but also set a benchmark for the wealth management industry.”
Diverse practice areas
As competition in the legal market intensifies, lawyers who confine themselves to a single practice area may struggle to meet rapidly evolving client needs. In this context, many elite lawyers proactively expand their professional boundaries, pioneering new fields with forward-looking vision and practical dedication to achieve sustained growth. This year, a group of Growth Drivers has gained recognition across multiple practice areas, demonstrating their deep expertise and exceptional cross-practice service capabilities.
Wu Zhiguang, general counsel of China Coal Pingshuo Group, commends Zhao Yue, director of the Shuozhou office of Bairui Law Firm, for his professional abilities and extensive experience in both domestic dispute resolution and energy & natural resources.
He says: “Zhao has long served the energy sector, achieving remarkable results in resource integration and resource-related commercial dispute resolution. He also has unique accomplishments in government affairs, particularly in government investment, lawful administration, and the legal structuring of government-enterprise relationships.”
Flora Fang, partner at Rouse Beijing, represented a domestic enterprise in a UK trademark dispute case. Her innovative strategy in pushing for supplementary evidence helped the client secure a favourable ruling at the review stage, along with compensation. Her impressive performance earns recognition and recommendation from Sally Mo, IP manager at Wonderlab.
Mo praises Fang for “deep expertise in cross-border dispute resolution and intellectual property, with a focus on consumer goods & retail and healthcare/pharmaceutical industries, combining solid professionalism with commercial acumen”.
From the early days of US-based biotech firm SDK Therapeutics, Richard Chang, a partner at Gunderson Dettmer in Beijing, systematically structured the company’s framework to ensure full compliance with US legal requirements in incorporation, governance and securities regulations. He also led the design of the financing framework, helping the company successfully complete multiple funding rounds.
Stephane Berthier, CEO of SDK Therapeutics, commends Chang as “far more than legal counsel”. “He has acted as a trusted strategic adviser whose expertise has directly enabled SDK Therapeutics to secure financing, protect its IP and licensing rights, and build a solid corporate platform for growth,” Berthier says.
