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There is no substitute for great leadership. In tough market conditions it serves as a beacon, guiding law firms and their young talent through adversity. Winny Zhang reports

How does one become a recognised leader in the legal profession? This question might leave even a silver-tongued courtroom lawyer searching for an answer. Imagine a law firm as an exquisite symphony. Its leader¡¯s role would transcend that of being a mere musician; a leader is the conductor, skilfully harmonising the talents of each lawyer within the firm. Forget about the old days when you used to focus on playing multiple instruments. Instead, leaders inspire the players to realise their full potential and deliver an outstanding performance.

The latest A-List Visionaries, selected by China Business Law Journal, are the conductors. They lead the industry, paving the way for harmonious law firms and inspiring young talents to challenge conventions with innovative thinking. They shape a new future for law firms and the legal field as a whole.

The A-List 2023-24: Visionaries

After collecting a wide range of market feedback, the editorial team of China Business Law Journal announces The Visionaries in China¡¯s legal market

During our survey of the A-List 2023-24, many of our ¡°Rising Stars¡± told us that visionary leaders invest in the growth and development of their junior counterparts. They take time to understand young lawyers¡¯ strengths and aspirations, providing constructive feedback and tailored support. Sometimes, a seemingly insignificant word or gesture of help from these leaders becomes a motto for young lawyers as they pursue their careers.

In this article, we uncover the golden rules of leadership and the positive influence that industry pioneers bring to their juniors. Some of the replies provide certain references for legal peers who are still exploring ways to summarise their management experience.

Golden rules of leadership

Undoubtedly, partners with exceptional leadership skills are to be found at the forefront of the industry and have deep expertise. However, what truly sets them apart is their ability to attract, retain and build a team of intelligent and resourceful legal talent. They achieve this by establishing a clear vision and goals that inspire a shared pursuit among all team members.

Chen Yimin, a partner at Jingtian & Gongcheng based in Shanghai, emphasises the importance of ¡°adopting a humanistic approach to communicate, listen, learn and then lead¡±. Through positive interactions with employees and effective teamwork, he efficiently mobilises resources from different offices and co-ordinates their development.

Wang Lixin, managing partner of the Guangzhou office at King & Wood Mallesons, speaks highly of corporate culture as one of the firm¡¯s core competencies. ¡°Managing partners are both leaders of the firm and practitioners of corporate culture,¡± he says. Particularly in large-scale law firms with a global presence, establishing a mature set of corporate culture principles enhances internal cohesion, client loyalty and market positioning.

In modern business, organisations gain a competitive advantage by adhering to a ¡°work more, get more¡± creed and establishing a differentiated distribution system. Last year, Gongcheng Law Firm, a leading homegrown law firm in northeast China, merged with Shanghai-based Wintell & Co, retaining the latter¡¯s English name.

¡°The allocation of resources within the firm determines its strength and overall synergy,¡± says Chi Rida, the principal founding partner based in the firm¡¯s Changchun office. During the integration, he paid special attention to restructuring the management and bonus system.

Gary Gao, a Shanghai-based partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm, says: ¡°The most important rule of the team leader is [they] must be the one who is most creative in terms of exploring new legal serves arena, i.e. new types of cases.¡±

This idea is right up Jay Ze¡¯s alley. Ze, the managing partner at Eversheds Sutherland¡¯s Beijing office and head of its China corporate practice, says: ¡°The leader needs to proactively identify the next big things in business, as well as the legal industry, in the jurisdictions where he or she operates.¡±

Work hard, play hard is the number one principle of Ann Ng, Maples Group¡¯s head of Asia funds and investment management in Hong Kong. ¡°We want to engender a high-performance culture with our teams but this must be balanced with a culture of enjoyment and humour,¡± she says.

Jordan Yang, a Beijing-based senior partner at AllBright Law Offices, also demonstrates care for his team members¡¯ daily lives by implementing a home office and flexible working system tailored to each individual¡¯s circumstances, allowing them to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

The approach ¡°always follows a super fundamental principle ¨C treating everyone equally and with respect. It has helped me to build an efficient, high-quality team with a high degree of stability,¡± says Yang.

Effective leadership can galvanise a team and bring about positive change. Conversely, poor leadership leads to employee negativity and conflict, and hinders team progress. Bowie Fung, a founding partner at Hong Kong-based law firm CFN Lawyers, disregards poor management behaviour. ¡°Just giving orders or using authorities as a boss would not earn real respect from the teammates,¡± says Fung. ¡°Shouldering responsibility, working hard, encouraging teammates, solving issues and advocating on behalf of the team are what a partner should do to set a sample for others to follow.¡±

How to set an example? Horace Lam, China¡¯s co-country managing partner at the Beijing office of DLA Piper, suggests starting with being disciplined.

Xu Song, the deputy director and senior partner at Guozhi Law Firm in Guangzhou, expands on her principles of empathy by examining a Chinese character. ¡°To manage or serve colleagues in law firms who are all highly educated people, I think, is based on the word ¡®Ë¡¡¯, namely ¡®as others mind¡¯. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,¡± says Xu.

The work of a lawyer is accompanied by numerous trivial details requiring undivided attention, but a leader¡¯s role is quite the opposite. Li Yingying, the Shanghai-based senior partner at Dacheng Law Offices, says that if managers ¡°are accustomed to micromanaging every aspect, they will inevitably stifle the motivation and initiative of lawyers¡±.

Instead, Li suggests managers focus on major issues and foster lawyers¡¯ autonomy in their daily practice.

Yang, from AllBright, adds to a lesson in team management, advising managers to ensure compatibility when selecting talent. ¡°A big mismatch [in] communication and work styles can drain the team¡¯s energy and incur significant costs,¡± says Yang.