Legal Awards 2017

8 APAC / Legal Awards 2017 , LG170007 Best Full-Service Law Firm - China Allbright LawOffices are one of the leading full-service Chinese lawfirms in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). We spoke to Catherine Zhu to find out more about what makes them so successful. As a national law firm headquartered in Shanghai, Allbright provides a comprehensive range of high quality legal services to both domestic and international clients from its eighteen offices, respectively in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Nanchang, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Tianjin, Taiyuan, Xi’an, Xiamen, Zhengzhou and Hong Kong. While size is only one of many indicators of the success and resourcefulness of a law firm, Allbright certainly lead in this respect amongst its peers in Shanghai. The practice is the largest law firm based in Shanghai, and in the whole Eastern China region. It has approximately 1600 registered lawyers, including approximately 450 partners and senior consultants. Aside from staff’s regular working language of Chinese (Mandarin and major dialects), many of the firm’s lawyers are also fluent in English, Japanese, French, German, and other major languages, and many are also admitted in international jurisdictions. Catherine outlines some of the services that the firm provides as well as telling us about some of the clients that the firm deals with. “Boasting a wealth of experience and knowledge, our partners and senior consultants came to the firm from diverse professional and personal backgrounds. Many transactional lawyers have practiced for years in top international law firms and in leading multinational companies. A number of our litigators were once judges and prosecutors, and many are active arbitrators. We also have access to a strong network of former government officials and legislators. “Supported by a large team of translators and legal assistants, our professionals have undertaken many complex and high profile transactions, and have won many landmark cases. Our lawyers have played critical roles in advising the government on, and actually drafting, many of the core Chinese laws and regulations involved in our daily practices today, and were involved in drafting several international treaties concerning international investment, trade and other forms of economic cooperation.” Being a full-service law firm, the practice offers a variety of services to an assortment of clients. Catherine details how the team at Allbright provide solutions for the most complex of legal issues as she details which areas the firm focuses on particularly. “Allbright’s practitioners possess a wealth of first-hand experience and legal expertise in providing effective solutions to the most complex of legal issues regarding the application of laws and regulations, governmental approval and legal procedures. The particular areas that we focus on include Corporate, Commercial and M&A, Securities and Capital Markets as well as Banking and Finance. Alongside those areas, the legal team also works in Real Estate and Construction, Intellectual Property, International Trade and Dispute Resolution. There have been a lot of significant developments within the legal industry recently and Catherine mentions how these developments have affected and sometimes benefitted the company. “When facing an international and domestic severe economic situation and in response to the central authorities to adapt to the new normal economy, we adhere to the development path of “large scale, specialization, branding, internationalization, information” in the efforts of all our colleagues. The new Hefei, Zhengzhou, Fuzhou, Nanchang and Xian branches have been set up. “As a result of this, we continue to be a national leader in the fields of securities and capital markets, financial trusts and asset management, WTO and international trade, litigation and arbitration etc. we also have achieved new development in the fields of corporate restructuring M&A, structured finance and asset securitization, aviation and maritime, foreign investment, intellectual property, private equity and venture capital, construction and real estate, compliance, utilities, energy and environment, culture industry, labor law and capital housekeeping, to name a few. Meanwhile we maintain a good momentum of development in the fields of free trade area.” Regarding the future for the firm, Catherine emphasises that the firm must continue to work hard and be innovative. This will ensure that Allbright is able to capitalise on its current success, providing exceptional and professional services for a variety of clients. “Ultimately, we must continue to carry forward the spirit of hard work and innovation, adhere to the purpose of customer first and refined professional services, strengthen cooperation between professional teams, improve service capabilities in various fields to ensure the continued growth of Allbright Law and provide more and better professional services for the building of society ruled by law and the promotion of social and economic development.”