China (National)

Established in 2015, Cathay Associates Kejie is a boutique transactional law firm specialised in advising domestic and international companies, financial institutions and governments. 

Highlights 

It has a global network of offices across 57 countries and works with its member firms to provide cross-jurisdictional legal services for Chinese enterprises on outbound investments, M&A and other cross-border matters. 

Kejie’s legal services focus on M&A, private equity, financing and investment matters, investment funds, and capital markets.  

Headquartered in Beijing with branch offices in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Xi'an, Jia Yuan Law Offices is ranked ‘Highly recommended’ in capital markets. The firm specialises in capital markets, corporate and M&A, financial and international businesses. Senior partner Liangjuan Wen has expertise in corporate restructuring, refinancing and M&A. 

The firm acted as legal adviser for Qilianshan Group on its major asset reorganisation. The team also advised Qingdao Port in acquiring eight subsidiaries from Rizhao Port Group and Yantai Port Group for US$2.14 billion by issuing shares and paying cash. They also advised Sinoma International on its purchase of 100% equity of Hefei Cement Research & Design Institute Corporation by issuing shares and paying cash. 

Key clients include Qingdao Port, Sinopack Electronic, and Tianjin Printronics. 

Testimonials 

Asset finance     

“Professional.”      

Jing Liu 

“Good.” 

M&A 

"Jia Yuan has consistently provided our company with strong support and assistance, offering reliable guidance on both domestic and international legal matters."     

Xi Wei 

"Delivers comprehensive legal support in day-to-day operations and demonstrates exceptional legal expertise and adaptability when specialized services are required." 

Merits & Tree Law Offices was initially established in 2006 under the name Beijing Hawkhigh Law Offices until it was renamed in 2017. It has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Haikou, with a Wuhan office now in the phase of establishment. The firm now has more than 80 partners and 300 lawyers and other professionals.  

Highlights  

It is a relatively young law firm in China but continues to develop rapidly. The firm’s strength is in handling private equity and investment funds mandates.  

Among the publishable deals, the team advised on the establishment and investment in New Fusion Energy (Anhui) by NIO Limited. This project involves a joint venture between NIO and two government-backed investment institutions to create a company focused on the development and commercialisation of fusion technology. The firm also advised on Round B-4 financing of Beijing Zhipu Huazhang Technology.  

The firm hired three partners Bo Hu, Ying Hui and Qingyang He in 2023 to strength its teams in private equity and M&A work.  

Key clients  

China Pengfei Group, Wuxi Shangji Automation, China National Nuclear Corporation, SanNuo Biosensor, China Pacific Insurance, Sequoia Capital, IDG Capital, CITIC Capital, Gaorong Capital, Tencent, and Xiaomi. 

Testimonials  

Investment funds     

“Merits & Tree Law Offices stands out for its highly stable and cohesive legal team. The same core partner and associates have handled our matters for years, delivering deep institutional knowledge and continuity in legal service. Their attorneys combine technical expertise with industry-specific experience, particularly in private equity fund investment and corporate equity investment. This consistency eliminates the need to repeatedly onboard new teams, which is a common pain point with other firms.” 

“In recent years, we've collaborated with M&T on many complex investment fund cases. M&T lawyers have shown excellent understanding of insurance-fund investment in private funds and great skill in solving complex legal problems. They have been a key partner in our projects. They have shown innovative thinking in designing transaction structures for insurance-fund investments in private funds. Their strategic wisdom and problem-solving skills in project negotiations have been vital for our project's success. M&T lawyers also have unique views on resolving fund-transaction disputes. They have solved multi-party disputes, met various commercial needs, and helped us maximize our interests.” 

Project finance     

“Demonstrated strong responsiveness and attention to detail when collaborating with others. Consistently delivered timely and accurate support during collaborative work.” 

Feng Zhou     

“Very knowledgeable and truly professional.” 

Xiongping (Allen)  Liu     

“Xiongping Liu has shown innovative thinking in designing transaction structures for insurance-fund investments in private funds. His strategic wisdom and problem-solving skills in project negotiations have been vital for our project's success.” 

Xiaoxing Guo     

“Xiaoxing Guo approached every aspect of the project with great care and diligence. He took the time to understand our needs, provided clear and well-reasoned legal advice, and always followed through on deadlines. His sense of responsibility gave us confidence at every stage.” 

Bei Hu 

“Lawyer Hu has an exceptional ability to solve problems and a very solid professional foundation, making outstanding contributions to our transactions.” 

Zhong Lun Law Firm continues to enjoy the coveted position as one of the strongest and most in-demand transactional law firms in China.  

Highlights  

Zhong Lun’s strongest forte is banking and finance, capital markets, M&A, investment funds, restructuring and insolvency, and private equity.  

The firm's capabilities are demonstrated through its involvement in significant financial transactions. Notably, Zhong Lun advised a US$1 billion acquisition loan for the delisting and privatisation of Hollysys from the Nasdaq. The firm also handled a substantial loan facility of nearly US$8.2 billion for the Phase III ethylene and polycarbonate projects, syndicated by major Chinese banks. 

Zhong Lun advised Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy (Group) on the Ping An Securities-Mengniu Dairy No.3 Phase I Receivables Asset-Backed Special Purpose Scheme. As of 2024, this securitisation project achieved a scale of over RMB 10.15 billion (US$1.43 billion), setting a precedent for industry-financing combinations in China's fast-moving consumer goods sector. 

Additionally, the firm advised on the CITIC Securities-YueXiu Commercial Holding-Type Real Estate ABS Scheme, marking the debut of a holding-type real estate ABS product, also known as a Private REIT, in China. Backed by commercial and office properties, this issuance was the first of its kind on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, signifying a milestone in the entry of commercial and office properties into the holding-type real estate ABS market. 

Key clients  

Structure Therapeutics, Lufax Holding Limited, Atour Lifestyle Holdings, Kingdee International Software Group Company, Haier Smart Home, China Publishing & Media Holdings, Dongfeng Motor Group Company, Beijing Health Guard Biotechnology, and Shenyang Fortune Precision Equipment Co.  

Testimonials  

Banking 

“Chen Dongyue is extremely knowledgeable and gives very clear instruction.” 

Banking and finance 

“They have excellent professionals, deep experience and, where needed, good connections with relevant regulatory bodies.” 

Investment funds 

“In navigating regulatory gray areas, their ability to find viable paths forward when regulations are ambiguous is a key differentiator in China's investment landscape. In handling government relations, their experience and sophistication in managing necessary interactions with Chinese regulatory bodies effectively really alleviated our burdens. In complex cross-border structuring, their expertise in designing investment vehicles and transaction flows that optimize tax, regulatory compliance, and commercial goals across multiple jurisdictions, especially involving China, truly helped us settle several legal matters. In execution certainty, their deep experience and resources translate into a high degree of reliability in getting complex, high-stakes deals closed successfully.” 

"Professionalism: Zhong Lun offers highly professional services. Its top-notch legal team gives accurate legal advice and effective solutions, reflecting solid legal knowledge and rich experience. Efficiency: the firm swiftly meets client needs, promptly updates on project progress, and shows remarkable efficiency in handling urgent matters. Teamwork: with a closely-knit team, it can handle complex projects through multi-field and cross-departmental collaboration, providing clients with all-round legal support. Innovative thinking: when dealing with tough cases, the firm's lawyers use creative ideas and flexible strategies to offer unique, tailor-made solutions. Deep client-need understanding: it deeply understands the characteristics and needs of clients' industries, and provides practical-oriented legal advice and solutions from a business perspective." 

"Zhong Lun stands out for its deep industry expertise, especially in cross-border transactions and compliance, providing practical and commercially savvy legal solutions." 

M&A 

“Offer a serious service such as legal opinion. M&A agreement negotiation.” 

Private equity 

"Quick turn-around, Super professional, having business sense, can provide solutions that really work." 

"Professional. Very responsive. Provide good judgement and advice." 

“Zhong Lun was outstanding in contract drafting, deal structure designing and negotiation.” 

Shaun Gao

"PE/VC financing, rRestructuring, capital markets." 

Moxi Zhang

"Possesses strong knowledge, is highly responsive, and provides effective solutions." 

Xin Li

"Smart, professional, and patient." 

Tian Liu

"Tian Liu excelled in defining the path by clearly identifying the core legal obstacle and structuring a viable solution acceptable to all parties. She maintained constant, clear communication to ensure our business objectives were fully integrated into the legal strategy and documentation. Liu drove the team with strong project management to meet deadlines, manage complex due diligence, and ensured meticulous attention to detail. Her decisive guidance and ability to harness the firm's resources were instrumental in achieving a successful outcome." 

Jialiang Zheng

"Patient in communication and excellent in legal expertise." 

Xining Dai

"Xining Dai demonstrates (1) a solid professional foundation: with in-depth understanding of private fund regulations, offering precise advice; (2) extensive practical experience: handling numerous projects across all fund stages; (3) strong problem-solving capability: tackling complex issues in structure design and risk control; (4) deep client demand understanding: providing personalized service plans; (5) effective communication and collaboration: explaining complex issues clearly and building sound cooperative relationships." 

Ping (Evan) Zhang

"Ping Zhang is (1) a regulatory and practice expert: with profound understanding of private fund laws, able to anticipate compliance risks; (2) commercial thinking-oriented: optimizing terms from a business perspective to balance GP/LP interests; (3) strong in risk control: safeguarding client interests through agreement design; (4) well-connected: possessing extensive industry resources to offer solutions in financing and cross-border investment." 

Fang Chen

"With decades of consistent excellence, Fang Chen stands out as one of China's most experienced and devoted private funds practitioners, combining deep technical mastery with tireless professionalism." 

Jie Ma

"Excellent in every aspect." 

Wenxiang Meng

"Good. Possesses deep expertise in his specialized field and applies it effectively." 

Cuatrecasas is a Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American focused firm with more than 1,000 lawyers across 14 countries. The firm opened an office in Shanghai in 2007 followed by Beijing in 2017. The firm advise clients on their investments in China and other countries in the region through a team of Chinese consultants and foreign lawyers.

V&T Law Firm is a full-service Beijing-based PRC Law Firm with branch offices in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Chengdu and international offices in Madrid, Manchester and Kolding.

Focusses / specialisms 

Securities law is core to the firm’s business. It provides advice in domestic and overseas IPOs, refinancing, bond issues, M&A and asset reorganisations.

Key clients  

Key clients of the firm include China Vanke, Tus-Holdings, Shanghai Huaming Intelligent Terminal Equipment, Kunming Future City Development and Xingzhen Investment Management.

Established in 2018, CM Law Firm is an eight partner and 50-lawyer-strong Shanghai-based PRC law firm with a further office in Beijing.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is focussed on early-stage financing, pre-IPO investment, IPOs, secondary market financing and facilitating domestic and cross-border private equity transactions.

Key clients  

Key clients of the firm include Futu Securities International, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Cloopen, Kintor Pharmaceutical, Zhejiang Energy and Credit Suisse.

Formed in 1948, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is a New York-based international law firm with 1,700 lawyers across 22 offices. The firm’s Beijing office opened in 1991. The firm serves its clients’ Greater China interests from its offices in Hong Kong and Beijing with more than 70 lawyers.

Headquartered in Beijing, AnJie Broad Law Firm provides full legal services in transactional law and is strong in financial legal services related to the insurance industry.  

Highlights  

The firm has experience in domestic and foreign M&A, foreign direct investment, real estate and construction projects, financial leasing, infrastructure, banking and finance, overseas investment, capital markets, private equity and venture capital.  

In the M&A sector, the firm advised Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic Co. on its acquisition of the China operations of Luxembourg-based International Automotive Components Group. This complex transaction involved sellers from three foreign entities and six domestic target companies across multiple jurisdictions, including wholly owned subsidiaries, a joint venture, and their respective branches. The legal team successfully navigated the intricacies of this deal by efficiently conducting due diligence under tight deadlines, creatively structuring the transaction, and managing the closing arrangements. 

The firm also assisted Yinchuan Shengrong Investment in establishing a joint venture with American Lycra Company, known as the Yinchuan Spandex Project. This initiative revitalised local assets, unlocked the market potential of Yinchuan's non-performing assets, and significantly enhanced the efficiency of state-owned asset utilisation. By resolving historical burdens associated with underutilised assets from previous transactions, the project is poised to have a profound impact on local economic and social development. Scheduled to commence operations in August 2025, the project is expected to create between 300 to 500 local jobs and generate an annual tax revenue of RMB 100 million (US$14 million), thereby contributing to the local economy's prosperity. 

Key clients  

CICC Capital, CITIC Securities, Sinopec, PetroChina, Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital, and Ping An Group.  

Established in 2016 in Beijing, Shihui Partners is an emerging boutique law firm in China.  

Highlights  

The firm provides specialist advice in M&A, private equity, capital markets and investment funds, and has achieved many results in the new economy industry.  

The firm advised Guming Holdings on its Hong Kong IPO, which was the largest in the consumer market this year. Additionally, Shihui Partners advised JD Group on a US$2 billion convertible bond issuance, marking the second-largest convertible bond issuance by a Chinese concept stock in history and the largest by an Asian company since 2024. 

Partner Jian Zhang played a key role in advising Midea Group on its Hong Kong IPO, a transaction that stands out as the second-largest IPO globally since 2024. This IPO was also the largest in the Hong Kong market over the past three years and the largest H-share IPO of a non-financial A-share listed company to date. Following the issuance, Midea Group became the first A-share listed company to complete an H-share IPO under the new overseas listing filing system. 

In 2024, Shihui Partners expanded its team with new hires, including Baao Zhao from Han Kun Law Offices, Huikai Wang from King & Wood Mallesons, Yangyuqian Meng from Zhong Lun Law Firm, Xian Zhang from Longfor Group, and Yuan Zhang from Liu Shen & Associates. 

Key clients  

Orchid Asia Investment Fund, JD.com, JD Health Group, Lightspeed Venture Capital, CICC Capital, Ping An Insurance, ZZ Capital, East West Bank of China, and Legend Capital. 

Headquartered in Sichuan, Tahota Law Firm is a full-service law firm that enjoys a leading position in western China’s legal market. The firm has branches in cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Nanjing and Tianjin.  

Highlights  

Core practice areas of Tahota Law Firm include securities, investment and mergers and acquisitions, private equity, bankruptcy liquidation, foreign-related investment and financing, and debt restructuring.   

The firm advised on several key projects, including the PPP project for the new urban express line from Bishan to Tongliang, the first domestic rail transit under the PPP+TOD model. They also advised on the acquisition of asset operation rights for the China Southern Power Grid Laos project, part of the Belt and Road initiative, and assisted Nakano Transportation Co in establishing a warehousing centre in Norfolk, Virginia.  

Key clients  

Yunnan Hongta Bank, Aluminum Corporation of China, Sichuan Cable Broadcasting Network, Tiansheng Securities, Development Bank of Singapore, Zhongtai International Securities, and ICBC International. 

Established in 2016, Zhongjian Law Firm is a Beijing-based law firm. It has a collaboration with UK boutique Rooney Nimmo extending its reach to Hong Kong, US and Singapore. 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is best known for its private equity, trust, asset management, securities, international trade and intellectual property work in sectors such as real estate, banking and insurance. 

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include CITIC Securities, Sinopec, Bank of China, Zhongrong International Trust, Tsinghua University Education Foundation and Shanghai Culture Assets.

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

During the research period the firm kept busy advising on confidential real estate acquisitions, investments and mixed reform projects. In 2019 it handled 60 M&A cases and 15 insurance investment cases.

Established in Beijing in 2009, FenXun Partners is a PRC law firm with 140 fee earners, 30 partners and further offices in Shanghai and Qionghai. In 2015 Baker McKenzie FenXun (FTZ) Joint Operation Office was jointly established by FenXun and Baker McKenzie as the first joint operation approved by the Shanghai Justice Bureau.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is focused on M&A, foreign direct investment, capital markets, asset securitisation, investment funds, private equity, competition and finance, and has expertise in financial services and real estate.

Key clients  

Key clients of the firm include Nashwork, Chongqing Baidu Microfinance, Herald International Financial Leasing, Huarong Rongde Asset Management, Whirlpool and GlaxoSmithKline.

Tian Yuan Law Firm is a full-service law firm founded in 1992. It is headquartered in Beijing and has 11 branch offices in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xi'an, Haikou, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Hefei, Kunming and Hong Kong.  

Highlights  

The firm’s practice areas cover capital markets, M&A, banking and finance, and restructuring and insolvency.  

In the capital markets sector, the firm has an impressive history of advising on notable deals. Last year, they provided legal counsel for Weil AG's issuance of Global Depositary Receipts and their listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Additionally, they advised on the IPOs of Keep Inc. and Neusoft Xikang Holding Inc.  

In the M&A sector, the firm played a crucial role in the strategic reorganisation of Anhui Military Industry Group and China National Military Equipment Group. They also advised Garman Apparel on the acquisition of IP assets for the Hush Puppies brand in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.  

Key clients  

China Nuclear Power, China Metallurgical, Guoyuan Securities, Sanyuan Food, Sinomach, Changjiang Power, Yunda Express, Sanqi Mutual Entertainment, NavInfo, Bilibili, Sinochem, and China Jinmao.  

Testimonials  

M&A

"The company's satisfaction is primarily attributed to lawyer Chai Jie. As the leading lawyer and the person-in-charge of specific matters, he is a representative scholar-type lawyer in the Chinese mainland. He has provided highly professional legal support in areas such as the supervision of mainland listed companies, state-owned assets supervision, domestic compliance, and post-investment management of listed companies in Peru.  

“He is particularly proficient in overseas investment and mergers and acquisitions, anti-monopoly reviews, the US FCPA, long-arm jurisdiction, and resolving issues between state-owned assets supervision and localization requirements. Since 2019, our company has maintained a positive cooperative relationship with lawyer Chai Jie's team. He is not only our legal advisor but also a good teacher and friend to CPI and has helped cultivate a group of cross-border legal talents within the company."  

"Tian Yuan Law Firm demonstrates keen business acumen, strong combativeness, and rapid response times. They possess excellent judgement regarding the transaction management and regulatory rules involved in M&A. Furthermore, their accurate assessment of market participant psychology is particularly impressive and supports us in making better decisions."  

“Tian Yuan Law Firm (Guangdong) stands out in several key areas, beginning with its deep biotech-specific expertise, where the team provides unmatched insight into genetic resource (HGRAC) filings and biosecurity compliance, supported by lawyers who often hold advanced degrees in biology or pharmaceuticals, offering intellectual property understanding beyond that of general firms. Furthermore, the firm is known for its proactive, industry-tailored solutions, having preemptively audited our partnerships for HGR regulation compliance, flagging potential risks, and providing commercial-grade contracts with precisely tailored clauses. The team is highly responsive and business-minded, offering reliable support and cost-transparent fee structures that have resulted in significant savings. Finally, their unique differentiators include a valuable government liaison network that helped expedite approvals and the ability to provide benchmarking data from similar transactions, offering critical market context.” 

"A core advantage is their ability to deliver tailored legal solutions that address the company's specific needs." 

Capital markets

"Efficient and professional." 

Tao (Cedric) Xu

"Lawyer Xu Tao is highly renowned in the field of M&A and anti-takeovers of listed companies and is a leading expert lawyer. Although relatively young, he has extensive experience handling numerous hostile takeovers of listed companies and has developed many innovative acquisition and counter-acquisition methods suited to the characteristics of the Chinese market. His understanding of market participant psychology and grasp of business dynamics have been greatly helpful to the advancement of our overall project. He is a legal advisor we rely on and trust." "His key strength is providing the company with practical and effective legal solutions." 

"He provides timely feedback on legal documents, resolves legal disputes, and offers professional advice." 

Laixiang Li

"Li Laixiang, a distinguished biotech legal expert at Tian Yuan Law Firm, specializes in biopharmaceutical regulations, intellectual property strategy, and investment frameworks. Notable successes include streamlining CAR-T therapy approvals through optimized HGRAC submissions and structuring milestone-based IP agreements for gene-editing startups to align fundraising with patent portfolio growth." 

Formed in 1866, Sidley Austin is a Chicago-based international law firm with over 2000 lawyers across 20 global offices. In Asia-Pacific the firm has 200 legal professionals in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. Its Hong Kong office was established in 1994. 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm offers US, Hong Kong and English legal advice to its clients and excels transactionally in the equity capital markets, the debt—especially high-yield bond issuances—capital markets, investment funds, M&A and private equity. 

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include Springland International Holdings, Vivo Capital, CanSino Biologics, Kaisa Group Holdings Company, Standard Chartered Bank, DBS Bank and Fosun International. 

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

The firm’s equity capital markets practice was very active during the research period advising on Hong Kong IPOs, share placements and rights issues; while the debt team handled corporate bond issuances alongside high-yield, convertible and green bond issues. 

The M&A team acted in take-privates, joint ventures, disposals and acquisitions in the transport, real estate and construction industries. In private equity the firm assisted clients in various rounds of funding and in investments.  

Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)

-China Evergrande Group Rmb13.2 billion acquisition of Shengjing Bank

-Fosun International €400 million 4.35% high-yield bond issue 

-HiFiBiO Therapeutics $67 million series C financing

-Kaisa Group Holdings $400 million 11.95% high-yield bond issue

-Shanghai Henlius HKSE IPO

-Springland International Holdings HK$4.5 billion take-private 

-Vodafone Idea $3.5 billion rights issue 

-Zhongliang Holdings HKSE IPO

Leaf is a boutique law firm founded in 2012 by a team of European lawyers, led by Bruno Grangier. The firm has offices in Beijing and Shanghai. In the last quarter of 2020, SNB Law and Leaf started a strategic cooperation, a joint M&A team is to be established and will consist of experienced professionals from France, Germany, Austria, China and Vietnam. To increase its footprint in Europe, the firm opened an office in Paris in January 2020. Partner Charlotte Mantoux, who was previously in Shanghai, joined the firm’s Paris office.

Highlights

With a focus on M&A and private equity, the team is composed of Chinese and international corporate lawyers trained in international law firms and familiar with cross-border transactions with major MNCs, entrepreneurs, funds, and setting up joint ventures in China.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include GL Events, Pernod Ricard, Beaumanoir, Babolat, Nuxe, Galeries Lafayette, Full Jet, Tomorrow, Havas Group, and Cerba and Sanyou Medical.

Llinks Law Offices is a Shanghai law firm with nationwide and international practice.  

Highlights  

Its main practice areas include banking and finance, capital markets, restructuring and insolvency, and M&A.  

While confidential, the law firm's deals this year highlight expertise in banking and finance, with notable clients like Bank of China, Bank of Shanghai and DBS, showcasing its capabilities.  

The firm advised United Imaging Healthcare Technology Group on issuing technology innovation corporate bonds to institutional investors in 2024, a first for private medical enterprises. They also assisted Sonavox with A-share convertible corporate bonds, Jiangsu Bojun Industrial Technology with convertible bonds, and Zhuhai CosMX Battery with public convertible bonds.  

The firm advised Sungrow Hydrogen Technology's A round financing and Wise Living Technology's Hong Kong IPO. They also assisted Goldlink Capital in transferring Best Linking Group Holdings to the Main Board and advised Hua Hong Semiconductor on listing on the Science and Technology Innovation Board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.  

Key clients  

Beijing Jingdong Century Trading, Shanghai Banghui Commercial Factoring, China Re Asset Management, New China Asset Management, China Insurance Investment, Sunshine Asset Management, Generali China Asset Management, and China Insurance Investment.  

Testimonials  

Project finance

"Demonstrates exceptional 'risk precision capability' in financing operations and provides an 'embedded service' experience in legal advisory." 

Candice Du

"Specializes in cross-border investment, M&A, and dispute resolution, with particular expertise in technology, new energy, and healthcare sectors." 

WongPartnership is a Singapore-based law firm with over 400 professionals across further offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Yangon. The firm is also a member of the regional law network, WPG, granting it access to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm’s Shanghai office opened in 2004 followed by its Beijing office in 2010. It is best known for corporate matters such as advising Chinese entities on joint ventures and M&A structured through Singapore.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include CapitaLand, Raffles Education Corporation and China Everbright.

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

During the research period the firm kept busy advising on acquisitions, disposals and investments in education and real estate. 

Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)

-CapitaLand S$11 billion acquisition of Ascendas-Singbridge group of companies

-Liu Yanwen Rmb420 million stake acquisition of Langfang Development Zone Oriental University City Sino-Singapore Education Investment 

-State Alpha S$147 million acquisition of Ying Li International Real Estate

SF Lawyers is a member of KPMG’s Global Legal Services network that has over 2700 legal professionals across 81 jurisdictions. The affiliated Hong Kong firm SF Lawyers has 10 lawyers and more recently launched in Shanghai with Shanghai SF Lawyers as the English registered name of the independent PRC firm Ruiwei Law Firm.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is focused on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and corporate and commercial legal services.

Key clients  

Key clients of the firm include Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation and Wangsu Science & Technology.

Founded in 2005, PacGate Law Group is a professional boutique law firm that provides premium legal services to business entities and institutional investors. Headquartered in Beijing, the firm has attorneys qualified both in China and in the US to offer clients professional, business-oriented and cost-effective legal services on complex transactional matters.  

Highlights  

The firm specialises in a wide range of legal practice areas, such as PE & VC, investment funds, M&A, financial services, securities and capital markets, foreign direct investment and overseas direct investment. 

Last year, the firm advised GRC FuHua Capital, a Taiwanese venture capital fund, in its investment in Shenzhen Yuanshixin Intelligent Technology.  

Hui Ye Law Firm's dedicated M&A department enables the firm to provide legal services to clients in China and investment-target countries under its international service network. The team is also active in the fields of aviation, energy, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and real estate. The firm now has a total of 35 offices around the world with a strong strategic presence in Europe. Hui Ye Law Firm welcomed 11 partners for corporate and M&A in the last 12 months. 

Lantai Law Firm was founded in Beijing in 2002 and has a further 16 offices in other Chinese cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Nanjing.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is especially active in banking and finance. Since January 2020, it has provided legal services on more than 30 financing projects, covering fixed asset loans, M&A loans, syndicated loans, operating property loans, consumer loans, wealth management financing, PPP loans and asset-backed special plans, asset-backed bills and development financial support.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include China Development Bank, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, China CITIC Bank, Bank of Communications, Beijing Bank, Beijing Rural Commercial Bank.

Research period review: 33r^d edition (2022/2023)

In 2022, the firm advised several commercial banks and developmental financial institutes. Key names are senior partners: Xiaomin Yao and Qing Wang. Notable deals include advising China Development Bank in its issuance of a REITS project for a local state-owned credit subject enterprise; advising China CITIC Bank Kunming Branch as the lender on the M&A between Cloud Group and Platinum Industry.

Apart from the deals above, the firm also assisted China Development Bank in Rmb360 billion of infrastructure investment funds formation. The project was completed within a short period and the structure involved different delivery means.

On the capital markets side, the firm advised Henan-based Zhongyuan Bank on the placement of 3.15 billion H-shares; and advised Heilongjiang ZBD Pharmaceutical on its listing.

Deal highlights: 33r^d edition (2022/2023)

China Development Bank’s REITS project.

Cloud Group and Platinum Industry Co’s merger and acquisition.

Zhongyuan Bank’s H-share placement.

Heilongjiang ZBD Pharmaceutical’s listing.

Beijing Yicheng Real Estate’s Rmb4 billion syndicated loan.

CDB Financial’s Rmb1.5 billion structured financing.

Beijing Wuyi Real Estate Development’s Rmb1 billion real estate development loan.

Beijing Jingu Chuangxin Real Estate’s Rmb1 billion syndicated loan.

Client feedback: 33r^d edition (2022/2023)

Banking and finance

“High quality of legal services, timely feedback, well meet the needs of the bank's domestic and foreign business legal services.”

Lawyer feedback: 33r^d edition (2022/2023)

Qing Wang

“High quality of legal services, timely feedback.”