APAC China Business Awards 2017

4 APAC / China Business Awards 2017 , Best Full-Service Law Firm & M&A Lawyer of the Year 2017 - Shanghai AllBright LawOffices is one of the leading full-service lawfirms in the People’s Republic of China. We spoke toMr. MingdeWu (Managing Partner) to find out more about the firmand the secrets behind its success so far. As a national law firm headquartered in Shanghai, AllBright provide 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, being the largest law firm based in Shanghai (and in the whole Eastern China region), AllBright certainly lead in this respect among our peers. Mr. Wu discusses the firm’s dominance of the market and how it has come to achieve this thanks to its dedicated staff. “Here at AllBright we have over 1600 registered lawyers (including more than 400 partners and senior consultants). Aside from our regular working language of Chinese (Mandarin and major dialects), many of our lawyers are also fluent in CN170001 English, Japanese, French, German, Korean and other major languages, and many are also admitted in international jurisdictions. Our partners and senior consultants came to the firm with diverse professional and personal backgrounds. Many transactional lawyers have practiced for years in top international law firms and/ or in leading multinational companies. A number of our litigators once were 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. “Alongside their work with us, 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 have been involved in drafting several international treaties concerning international investment, trade and other forms of economic cooperation. Our 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.” These staff work with a vast array of clients from across the corporate landscape and around the world, as Mr. Wu explains. “Aside from our traditional strength of servicing large domestic Chinese powerhouses such as large private or public domestic companies and central and local State owned enterprises, we also have international clients that come to us from all over the world. We regularly provide legal services to Fortune 500 companies and reputable multinational companies, including foreign invested enterprises incorporated in China, international and local financial institutions and investment funds. “In addition, we provide a comprehensive geographical coverage of the PRC through our eighteen offices in China. Moreover, we recently set up a joint venture law firm with Hong Kong based law firm Stevenson, Wong & Co. at the Qianhai modern service industry cooperation zone in Shenzhen. “Through our Hong Kong office, we have access to the INTERLAW network, an international association of which has been favourably reviewed by Chambers & Partners and other ranking agencies. Our individual partners also work closely with partners in major international law firms or boutique law firms in many jurisdictions for cross- border or multi-jurisdictional matters.” One of the key areas that the firm works in is dispute resolution, and Mr. Wu is keen to outline the range of services the company offers in this area. “As a major PRC firm, we have a history of strength in court litigations. Over the years we have expanded and transformed that traditional strength into a first class capability to represent our clients in all types of dispute resolution procedures, in China and abroad. Through our national presence and international referral network, we have built an unparalleled dispute resolution