China Business Law Journal has identified this year’s future leaders in the legal market after an extensive market survey and independent research. Jeffrey Huang reports
On the bumpy path to global economic recovery, persistent geopolitical tensions and industrial restructuring have added prolonged uncertainty to the market. A new wave of elite lawyers, navigating a volatile environment and intensifying sectoral competition, is fast adapting and rising to prominence – emerging as a noteworthy force in China’s legal services market.
Armed with solid professional competence, sharp industry insight, and an open, innovative mindset, they are demonstrating distinctive value across complex transactions, compliance and dispute resolution. By earning market recognition and client trust, they are injecting fresh vitality into China’s legal industry and expanding its possibilities.
To reflect the evolution of China’s legal industry and provide valuable reference for businesses, China Business Law Journal identifies and recognises the most acclaimed legal professionals in the Chinese market across three categories: Visionaries, Growth Drivers and Rising Stars.
This report highlights the winners in the Rising Stars category, including 100 lawyers aged 40 or below who are practising. The reports and complete lists for the first two categories were published in volume 16, issues 9 and 10, respectively, and are also available on the 含羞草社区 website and social media platforms.
In the following pages, we present a selection of commendations from clients and collaborators of the Rising Stars. While we cannot include every tribute, these authentic voices from the front line of legal services offer a compelling glimpse into the achievements and promise of these emerging legal talents.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated in our survey and offer our congratulations to the award recipients.
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, as well as legal experts across diverse industries to nominate their lawyers of choice.
This year’s robust response, with thousands of nominations, coincides with an increasingly competitive legal market, reflecting corporate clients’ ever-higher expectations of legal professionalism and industry specialisation.
In keeping with the principle of neutrality, as always, lawyers were not allowed to nominate themselves, nor colleagues at the same firm. The final selection is based on market nominations, candidate submissions and independent editorial research. The entire evaluation process is free of charge, from nomination to final selection.
Domain experts
Elite lawyers, as authorities in their respective practice areas and industries, provide companies with professional, precisely tailored legal services that meet sector-specific needs, earning high praise from legal counsel and management.
According to Niels Schumann, head of compliance, integrity and legal affairs at Audi FAW NEV, an excellent counsel must possess broad knowledge of the automotive industry, intellectual property, labour relations and litigation. Selina Li, a partner at JunHe’s Beijing office, is such an expert. Schumann commented: “Drawing on years of experience as a legal adviser, Selina Li responds instantly and engages actively with different needs at every stage of a project, making her a ‘one-stop’ partner we fully trust.”
Certain practice areas, owing to their highly specialised nature, demand the expertise of legal professionals with deep industry experience – aircraft manufacturing being a prime example. Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing, a leading domestic manufacturer, faced complex cross-border logistics and import-export management challenges, along with significant compliance pressures due to the unique nature of its products.
At a critical juncture, Du Yue, a partner at DHH Law Firm’s Shanghai office, and her team, leveraging their industry insight, conducted research to identify cross-border trade risks with precision, provided bespoke legal advice and assisted the company in obtaining Authorised Economic Operator accreditation.
“Achieving this accreditation holds crucial strategic importance for our future expansion of international business and cross-border trade activities,” said Harry Li, head of the company’s legal department. “Du Yue’s professional support played an indispensable role in our successful acquisition of this status.”
Zhou Hang, a partner at the Shanghai office of Commerce & Finance Law Offices, has broad experience in internal corporate compliance, investigative response and dispute resolution, earning praise from Xie Dong, general counsel, Greater China, at Dyson. “[Zhou Hang] provides valuable and actionable opinions and advice for foreign enterprises operating in China, effectively protecting corporate interests,” said Xie.
Cross-border navigators
A turbulent international landscape has not diminished enterprises’ enthusiasm and demand for globalised operations. The momentum of Chinese enterprises “going global” continues to build, with destination markets becoming increasingly diversified. Meanwhile, China’s vast domestic market remains highly attractive to foreign investors.
Against the backdrop of great power competition, cross-border business is bound to encounter challenges. This provides an excellent stage for legal talent with multicultural advantages and multi-jurisdictional experience.
For Bokai Technology, a large foreign-invested IT service provider, Chen Wenying, a partner at Gaopeng & Partners’ Beijing office, is a reliable expert in navigating legal risks in the Chinese market. Du Linyao, the company’s legal counsel, noted that Chen holds an LLM from a US law school and has years of experience as a legal manager in foreign enterprises, enabling her to understand the needs of international clients and communicate fluently in English while providing legal services.
Du also praised Chen not only for her comprehensive legal knowledge and sharp reasoning, but also for her ability to precisely grasp key disputes and demonstrate exceptional strategic vision and problem-solving skills in major cases, particularly through her extensive experience in commercial arbitration.
Fu Duan, an international partner at Haiwen & Partners practising in both Beijing and Hong Kong, provided robust legal support for TAL Education Group’s investment activities, drawing on her professional experience in cross-border M&A and investment financing, together with a deep understanding of the company’s post-investment management framework.
Luo Ling, TAL’s general counsel, commended Fu for her in-depth analysis from multiple perspectives – including transaction compliance throughout the process, potential project cost risks, clarity of responsible parties and procedural legality – using core contractual terms as a lever while remaining closely aligned with project needs and the relevant legal and regulatory framework. This provided crucial guidance for the company’s decision making.
As Chinese enterprises continue to expand overseas, lawyers with expertise in offshore jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands, have become particularly invaluable. Liu Fengchang, a partner at Zhenghan Law Firm’s Shanghai and Hong Kong offices, handled a Chinese mainland preservation case related to Hong Kong arbitration on behalf of the China-Africa Fund for Industrial Co-operation.
His thorough understanding of litigation, arbitration and the legal systems in both the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, along with his effective interpretation of Hong Kong arbitration procedures for mainland courts, left a strong impression on Li Gang, the company’s senior investment manager.
“Liu Fengchang consistently pursues the best commercial outcomes for us from a legal perspective, always rooted in our commercial objectives – this is what makes him truly exceptional,” said Li.
Jessie Xu, a Shanghai-based partner at Harneys, earned the admiration of Wang Ruyi, legal manager at China Resources Beverage, for her mastery of British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands law, as well as her highly responsive communication skills. Wang described Xu as a reliable partner across all cases, noting that she “can deliver high-quality work within extremely tight deadlines”.
Professional dedication
Highly proficient lawyers often serve as “walking knowledge repositories”, mastering not only laws and regulations but also demonstrating a deep understanding of market trends and specialised knowledge. Yet, what makes lawyers stand out among their many accomplished peers, winning them clients’ trust and acclaim, is often their sharp commercial acumen, effective communication skills and dedicated, responsible professional attitude.
Alex Feng, a Hong Kong-based of counsel at Paul Hastings, earned recognition from Faye Xu, general counsel at Chenqi Technology. Xu emphasised that prioritising the company’s commercial interests is a key consideration when engaging external counsel. “[Feng] made tremendous contributions to the project drawing on his extensive professional experience and strong sense of responsibility, consistently offering solutions and advice from the company’s perspective throughout the process.”
Luo Ting, senior legal counsel at ZhenFund, has collaborated with Guo Youning, a partner at Shihui Partners’ Beijing office, on multiple cases. She commended Guo’s extensive professional experience, high ethical standard and well-developed team management skills.
“[Guo] consistently provides efficient and accurate case analysis and outcome predictions, helping clients make better litigation decisions,” said Luo. “His extensive courtroom experience and hands-on working style assist clients in efficiently navigating trial procedures, frequently securing favourable outcomes through victories or settlements – making him truly trustworthy and reliable.”
Beyond day-to-day collaboration, lawyers often act as “firefighters” at critical moments, using their expertise and dedication to extinguish damaging flames. When Zhongrong Life Insurance faced significant investment losses due to Evergrande’s fraudulent bond issuance, Chen Wangshu, a partner at Hai Run Law Firm’s Beijing office, provided timely legal support to safeguard the company’s rights.
Yang Weitong, investment manager at Zhongrong, spoke highly of Chen’s work: “He breaks away from traditional litigation thinking, conducting comprehensive analysis not only based on legal provisions but also integrating financial market dynamics and industry regulatory requirements.
“By collaborating with financial experts to deeply interpret Evergrande’s financial data and credit ratings, he strengthened the professionalism and persuasiveness of our legal arguments,” said Yang. “This level of dedication, responsibility, professionalism and pursuit of excellence is not something every lawyer can achieve.”
Zhu Jinshu, a Beijing-based partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm, earned the recognition of Li Jingjue, legal director at Huayi Brothers Media, for the professional competence and ethos she demonstrated throughout litigation, culminating in a “zero payout” outcome.
Li noted that throughout the case, Zhu maintained efficient responsiveness, swiftly identifying core disputes while accurately anticipating potential risks. After the case concluded, she turned her attention to high-frequency risk scenarios in the company’s daily operations, tailoring compliance training accordingly.
“This combination of problem-solving and long-term empowerment gave us a profound appreciation of Zhu Jinshu’s professional capabilities and the warmth of her service,” said Li.
Moving forward together
Lawyers may possess many attributes that win clients’ favour – outstanding practical capabilities, extensive experience, an impressive track record, or even highly competitive fee quotes. However, earning long-term trust and building enduring relationships require more unique qualities, combined with a perfect alignment of timing, circumstances, and personal rapport.
Ason Zhang, a partner at Chang Tsi & Partners’ Beijing office, is one of the core lawyers responsible for protecting Skechers China’s IP rights. Over more than a decade of collaboration, Zhang has provided the company with comprehensive IP services across China and other Asian countries, achieving groundbreaking victories in numerous significant cases and earning him recognition from Demi Yu, senior legal manager at Skechers China.
“[Zhang] consistently upholds the principle of maximising client interests throughout his practice, demonstrating a high sense of responsibility and providing highly effective solutions to a variety of complex IP issues,” said Yu.
Du Linhong, a partner at Jingtian & Gongcheng’s Beijing office, and her team received praise from Lu Yongfeng, head of legal at Radiance Group. “[Du] possesses the comprehensive ability to integrate complex legal issues with commercial needs while ultimately meeting stringent regulatory requirements. She is not merely a legal service provider but a reliable strategic partner on our path to the capital markets,” said Lu, recalling their close collaboration during the company’s IPO.
Vivi Cai, CFO of Vlinker Management Group, particularly values strong partnerships. In the past decade, and across different projects including IPOs and bond issuances, she has received continuous support from Pan Bingqing, counsel at Davis Polk’s Hong Kong office.
Cai highly recognises Pan’s profound professional expertise, exceptional dedication and outstanding service outcomes: “As a client, I prioritise collaborating with her on subsequent major capital transactions and have repeatedly recommended her legal services to other companies. She not only creates tangible value for enterprises but also exemplifies the professional ethos of the contemporary elite lawyer – ‘rooted in expertise, centred on the client’.”
As longstanding legal counsel, Tang Fang, a partner at Llinks Law Offices’ Shanghai office, provides compliance advice to Sungrow Power Supply and its various subsidiaries. In the company’s project to acquire control of Taihe Intelligent Technology, Tang contributed to designing the transaction structure, conducting due diligence, as well as drafting and negotiating contractual terms.
His ability to balance client needs while co-ordinating the interests of all parties earned recognition from Chai Xianli, director of the company’s legal and compliance department. “[Tang] combines professional competence with a client-dedicated service attitude, delving deep into core project concerns, anticipating risks for clients and charting optimal pathways,” said Chai.
