虽然律师事务所一度被视为颇为传统、甚至堪称保守的机构，今天，创新及适应力则在法律市场竞争中扮演着重要角色。从使用全新技术，到设立全新的工作模式及方法，成为“先驱者”的道路绝不限于一条。在ALB推出的全新“律所先驱者”排名中，我们评选出了10家在原创力方面脱颖而出的中国律所。
愈是变动的年月，律师事务所依靠敏锐度和适应力脱离危机、实现长久发展的能力愈发显得重要。如今，一些律所正逐渐脱离“保守”形象，尝试用创新方法解决既存难题，也使自己能够“时刻准备着”，面对不安的未来。
也许在未来的某天，当我们回望2020年，它在我们的记忆中会成为“亚洲法律市场大变革之年”。这一年的开局对于律师事务所来说就充满张力：客户预期不断变化、科技变革日新月异、大量优秀同仁的涌现进一步催化了法律市场竞争度。随后，新冠疫情的到来轻松吹破了一切我们曾以为坚固的事物。
伴随律所做出各种尝试，试图缓解业务遭受的重创，有件事似乎变得更明显了：创新和大胆开始变得如此重要，它们不仅能让律所脱离当下的震动，也会为未来的可持续增长铺设舞台。
正是牢记着这点，2020年，ALB首次推出了“律所先驱者”榜单。这是目前中国法律服务市场上少有的关注创新力的榜单，也因如此，我们十分惊讶并欣喜于参与者对于“律所创新”一词广博多元的理解。这些参与者中，既有头部律所，展现着它们在创新层面的实力；也不乏规模较小的律所，让我们看到雄心与乐观心态调和在一起后可能发生的化学反应。
这个新排名得到了中国法律服务市场的热烈反馈，我们看到，尽管大家对于创新的理解不尽相同，但大体可以从管理制度、分配制度、业务模式、协作网络、技术创新、灵活性等角度考量这个话题。在上榜律所简介中，我们也从上述维度，介绍了上榜律所的创新之道。
在正式介绍这些律所前，我们想再分享两个有趣的观察：第一，面对相同“痛点”，有时律所会给出截然不同的解决方案；第二，和以往相比，这份榜单更多元地糅合了所谓“大所”“小所”“地方所”甚至“精品所”。
我们也希望借由这份榜单，开启何为“律所创新”的讨论，因为即便只是今天微现火苗的尝试之举，明天也可能发展为决定生存的重要指标。
1 北京道可特律师事务所
推荐关键词：管理制度，协作网络，技术创新
道可特律师事务所在北京办公室外，单独设立了“道可特总部”。道可特总部是一个独立主体，是各个办公室权益的主要持有者，而道可特各办公室的合伙人也可以通过一定方法获得总部权益，且这种权益有其对应的价值。道可特总部设置有品牌战略中心、产品研发与指导中心、业务支持与市场协调中心，统领全所的战略、产品和市场三大工作，其管理和服务覆盖所有办公室。
道可特主导发起了绿法（国际）联盟，这是中国首个以法律为核心的跨界联盟，联合了学术研究、金融机构、行业实体、企业孵化、互联网、创新和媒体等机构和群体。该联盟发起组织跨界论坛、研讨会、沙龙、闭门会等活动，进行行业课题研究，输出了《全国私募基金行业法律健康指数报告》《全国保险行业法律健康指数报告》《央企上市公司法律健康指数报告》《2018中国不良资产法律健康蓝皮书》等。
道可特自主研发了“绿云VIT”系统。这一系统有三大核心平台子系统：“绿所云”“绿企云”“绿芯云”。“绿所云”包括业务、财务、行政、人力、招投标、品牌、市场、通讯系统等功能板块；“绿企云”实现了律师与客户之间点对点服务；“绿芯云”则拥有移动客户端App和PC端两个终端，用以进行跨界研讨会议、资源互置和合作交流。
2 大成律师事务所
推荐关键词：协作网络，灵活性，技术创新
大成律师事务所创建的“下一代法律全球转介网”（Nextlaw Referral Network）目前是全球规模最大的律师协作网络，拥有来自200个国家的超过700家律师事务所。和传统律师协作网络不同，该平台不收取会员费，对于律所不进行规模限定，同时也没有“一地一所”的限制。通过专有技术，会员律所可以搜索、联络客户需求地的合适律所，并对他们的服务进行评分，以保障客户能够在陌生法域同样得到高质量服务。会员还可以利用这一平台追踪自己的所有推荐及被推荐记录，形成个性化推荐选择。这一平台同时入驻了多家法律科技供应商，以折扣价格向会员律所提供相关服务。
新冠疫情期间，大成上线了“COVID-19 Hub”，该信息中心针对员工、客户及合作伙伴，协调全球48个国家的区域办公室，实时整合各国政府公告、防疫资讯、以及涉及劳动法、数据隐私保护、不可抗力、税务、竞争反垄断等领域专业资讯。疫情期间，大成还在直播App“大成律师”（Dentons Lawyer）中上线了“大成学习假期”（Dentons Learning Holiday），免费向律师和客户提供培训课程，自2020年2月来共上线了超过100门课程、观看量超过170余万次。
3 澄明则正律师事务所
推荐关键词：业务模式，产品创新
创新性的资本市场服务能力使得澄明则正律师事务所能够为中国市场上独一无二的公司设计符合其特性的交易结构，并最终协助客户实现预期的交易结果。
过去几年中，澄明则正帮助投资人和监管者理解互联网医美平台这一境内外资本市场尚无先例可循的新兴行业，成功协助新氧登陆纳斯达克，成为中国互联网医美平台第一股；澄明则正还在现有监管制度缺失的情况下论证了互联网券商的合规性，协助富途证券完成纳斯达克上市，成为互联网券商海外上市第一股。
此外，澄明则正始终基于对新兴各行业的深入了解，伴随客户，尤其是初创型企业成长，为企业客户提供全生命周期、各发展阶段的法律服务。以开拓药业为例，澄明则正先后担任了开拓药业红筹重组事项专项法律顾问、Pre-IPO轮美元融资专项法律顾问，并作为发行上市的承销商中国法律顾问，陪伴开拓药业完成了从三板市场到香港联交所的成长，创新性地实现了“围绕资本巿场提供综合法律服务”。
4 家理律师事务所
推荐关键词：业务模式，管理制度
作为全国六家专事婚姻家事业务的律师事务所之一，家理律师事务所搭建了“大中台”的运营模式，成立了市场部、客服部、产品部、谈案部、办案部，进行一体化运营，极大提高了单日上门咨询量，解决了案源紧缺难题。家理同时采用流程化办公方式，将法律服务产品化，在提升客户体验的同时为律所积累了大量办案数据，并持续输出《年度婚姻家事行业白皮书》。
家理自主开发了“蜗壳SOP系统”，这是一个采用“任务+项目”多维度管理模式的办公系统，它结合智能生成日志、日程管理、风控管理、任务审核、协作管理、收藏管理、工作讨论等多项功能，通过对工作数据的完整收集，建立起庞大的数据库，同时由系统对律所成员的工作状态进行分析，开创了由任务推动成员的新型工作模式。此外，SOP内设办案标准流程，保证办案过程留有痕迹，方便律所及律师回顾查询，一方面在数据支持下提前规避风险，减少因操作不规范造成不必要的损失；另一方面实现了办案经验的可复制化，提高了整体服务质量，并利用技术运营系统实现创收增长。
5 君合律师事务所
推荐关键词：分配制度，技术创新
自2015年起，君合律师事务所在传统绩效分配体系基础上，启动“部分计点制”（modified lock-step）改革合伙人分配制度。考虑到律师行业本身所具有的风险厌恶和保守情绪，君合不触碰原有的底层分配制度，许可部分合伙人自愿将从底层分配制度上获得的分配投入“实验田”进行二次分配。目前“一所两制”已平稳运行近六年。
在IT基础设施建设领域，君合采取了“外部采购核心软件系统、内部自主研发辅助配套软件系统”策略，逐步搭建完成包括业务案件管理系统、文档管理系统、律师忙闲调度系统、律师/行政评价系统、人力资源管理系统、工位预定系统、客户关系管理系统、知识管理系统等在内的完整软件体系，并开发了为全体律师业服务的律携App。
君合自主开发了多项中国律师行业中独有的软件，比如律师调度系统，能够实时掌握律师人员的忙闲状态，并在业务组之间进行调剂；客户关系管理系统，实现了客户数据管理、市场费用管理、媒体申报管理、市场活动管理、客户数据去重等诸多功能；再比如律师评价系统，依据业务工时重叠度高低在律师之间自动建立评价关系，并具有自动识别和剔除不合理评价功能。
6 金杜律师事务所
推荐关键词：产品创新，业务模式，灵活性
快速变化的市场环境倒逼律师事务所进行业务转型，在深挖市场需求的同时不断推出新型法律服务产品。自2018年起，金杜推出了第一单在知识产权方面具备创新突破的ABS产品、第一单“沪伦通”产品、科创板产品、第一单以知识产权融资租赁债权作为基础资产发行的资产证券化产品等。
同时，金杜紧随国家政策，制定了专门的区域/领域业务模式，例如于2018年4月设立的“金杜大湾区国际中心”，2019年3月设立的金杜“一带一路”国际合作与促进中心等。金杜还于2019年推出“金杜投融资平台”，合作伙伴可以使用该平台扩大客户访问渠道，促进更多交易。
为适应疫情和数字时代引发的办公模式变化，2020年4月，“金杜云办公室”上线，首批覆盖武汉、重庆、西安、郑州、昆明、沈阳以及新西兰奥克兰七座城市。金杜云办公室依托云中子线上法律服务平台（“云中子律服”），整合并运用线上办公和线下赋能机制，汇聚金杜全球网络及专业人员回应和满足当地客户需求。
7 万商天勤律师事务所
推荐关键词：协作网络，管理制度
万商天勤律师事务所发起设立了“V&T Alliance全球法律联盟”，目前已与七个国家及地区的律师事务所及法律服务机构联盟。该联盟一方面服务于伴随“一带一路”等国家战略深入实施而“走出去”、因此产生涉外法律需求的中国客户，也为联盟机构参与中国发展创造机会。
在管理模式方面，万商天勤首创了“平台（万商天勤律师事务所）+管理（万商天勤管理公司）+资本（鼎颂商事争议解决支持平台）”模式，在律师事务所外，专设为法律服务机构提供运营管理和品牌推广的专业服务机构、独立的知识产权运营管理有限公司，以及经营诉讼融资业务的资本公司。万商天勤还首创了“法律资本”概念，专注于法律领域的风险投资及资本运营。
8 北京瀛和律师事务所
推荐关键词：管理制度，业务模式，法律科技
北京瀛和律师事务所在合规合法前提下，部分借鉴股份有限公司体制，重新架构了律所产权、管理、分配制度模式，目前共有23名合伙人成为投资合伙人，同时赋予运营团队25%有管理股权，为运营支持团队提供了有效支持。同时，瀛和整合了律所内品牌marketing＼客户customer＼产品product＼服务service四部门，设立“MCPS业务中心”，将市场服务菜单化、产品化、团队化，并引入经纪人概念，为律师进行全方位推广。
在业务模式领域，财富传承业务近年来成为行业服务热点，但高净值客户普遍掌握在银行VIP中心与保险公司VIP中心手中，律师缺少接驳大流量客户资源的机会。瀛和与中国大型保险集团共创了“1+1+10私人财富律师服务”模式，由100名律师对接10家大型保险集团，为保险公司高净值客户提供私人律师服务，而收费来自于保费分成，不直接从客户处分成。
在法律科技领域，瀛和参与孵化了kindlelaw操作系统，以及电子合同、电子签名、电子签章服务平台法大大（fadada.com)。
9 元达律师事务所
推荐关键词：灵活性，业务模式
在以中美为代表的双边贸易关系持续紧张的背景下，元达律师事务所以极富创造性的方法为客户提供跨境服务。在错综复杂的国际环境中，元达不仅为客户提供事后法律救济，还注重帮客户提前识别并缓解可能出现的风险，包括：帮助中国公司分析成为调查/执法/制裁对象的深层背景和原因；结合美国各执法部门及特定执法人员特点，预判执法手段，并协助客户设计应对策略；圈定公司中高风险人员；评估法律风险产生的传导效应；以及帮助公司寻找抗辩理由及证据等。
为实现这一目标，元达采用了“中国心”+“外国脑”的团队组织方式：即以中国律师为核心，辅助美国律师、会计师、公共关系顾问协同策划、执行，帮助客户在中国思维和语境下，应对来自中美政府、媒体、客户、供应商、银行、投资人、内部员工等多方压力，为客户提供政治、法律、经济、社会、人文等多维度服务。
与此同时，面对愈发复杂的数据保护环境，元达也以创新性手段协助客户解决跨境数据传输和网络安全问题。元达不但帮助客户设计跨越中国、欧盟、美国的数据合规计划，也就敏感数据和国家机密的处理、复杂的政治关系，以及如何解决中国法律与美国政府要求间冲突等提供意见。
10 虹桥正瀚律师事务所
推荐关键词：分配制度，技术创新
虹桥正瀚律师事务所自2011年起实行了纯粹的“计点制”（pure lock-up）分配模式，是中国大陆极少数使用此种分配制度的律师事务所之一。在虹桥正瀚看来，唯有通过解决合伙人之间的分配关系、促成更好的律所内部合作模式，才能为客户提供品质更高、内容更前沿和复杂、速度更快、成本更受控制的法律服务。纯粹“计点制” 打破了合伙人边界，将整个事务所打造成完全一体化的团队，使合伙人、律师人均营业持续多年创下新高，并帮助律所快速打造了顶尖争议解决、金融、房地产等团队。
在IT运营领域，虹桥正瀚是全球首先引入甲骨文ERP管理系统的律师事务所，并通过持续迭代系统，与律所专用文档管理系统等深度结合，实现了100%移动办公，极大提升了合伙人、律师的管理、办案效率。
2020 ALB Trailblazers – China
While law firms may have once courted a traditional, somewhat conventional image —today, innovation and adaptation are key. From employing new types of groundbreaking technology to establishing new ways of working and new approaches, there are many different ways to be a trailblazer. For ALB's new Trailblazers 2020 rankings, 10 Chinese firms stand out for their originality, leadership and impact.
A year of upheaval has demonstrated that law firms need to be nimble and adaptive if they are to come out of this crisis and thrive in the long run. Here are some firms that are using innovative approaches to tackle existing challenges and also make themselves future proof.
It is likely that years from now when we look back on 2020, we'll remember it as the time of the Big Shift in Asia's legal industry. At the start of this year, the traditional law firm model was already under a considerable amount of strain, with shifting client expectations, rapid advancements in technology, and a plethora of high-quality competition. And then turned up COVID-19 to deliver what appears to be a decisive blow.
As law firms scrambled to contain the fallout to their businesses, one thing started to become obvious —that innovation and boldness were the critical keys to both surviving the current shock, but also set the stage for sustainable growth in the future.
Keeping this in mind, we sought submissions for the ALB Trailblazers listing of innovative law firms. Given that this was the first edition, we were surprised at the diverse responses from across the legal industry — marquee names in their respective markets showcased their innovation credentials, while smaller law firms highlighted just what could happen if firms had a mix of ambition and a positive mindset.
The rankings were well received by the legal industry players in China. Although innovation is defined in different ways, overall we can look at it from a few aspects, namely management, distribution, business model, legal network, technology innovation and flexibility. We share how the winners enable innovation using these aspects.
Before we introduce the trailblazers, we would like to share two noteworthy observations. Firstly, law firms sometimes propose very different solutions to the same pain points. Secondly, the winners' list presents a more diverse representation that includes not only marquee names and smaller law firms, but also local firms and boutique law firms.
With the Trailblazers listing, we hope to initiate a discussion on the innovation of law firms. A small step taken today could be an important indicator of survival in the future.
1. Beijing DOCVIT Law Firm
Keywords: management, legal network, technology innovation
Alongside its multiple China offices, DOCVIT Law Firm has set up a headquarters in Beijing which is an independent entity and the main holder of the rights and interests of each office. Partners of the law firm can also earn a stake in the headquarters in certain ways. At the headquarters are the brand strategy centre, the product R&D and guidance centre, as well as the business support and market coordination centre. The headquarters leads work relating to strategy, products and marketing of the firm and manages all the offices.
DOCVIT Law Firm led the establishment of the Green Legal Global Alliance (GLGA), which is China's first cross-sector alliance made up of insiders from legal services, academic research, financial institutions, industry entities, business incubators, the Internet industry, innovation-driven companies, media, and other groups. GLGA organizes cross-sector forums, seminars, salons and closed-door events, as well as conducting research on industries. The alliance published the Legal Health Index Report on National Private Equity Industry, the Legal Health Index Report on National Insurance Industry, the Legal Health Index Report on Listed Companies among Central SOE, the 2018 Blue Book of China's Non-Performing Assets and so forth.
DOCVIT Law Firm has also developed internally the Green Cloud VIT system that comprises three subsystems, namely Green Firm Cloud, Green Enterprise Cloud and Green Core Cloud. The Green Firm Cloud subsystem supports functions covering business, finance, administration, human resources, bidding, branding, marketing, and communication. The Green Enterprise Cloud subsystem connects lawyers and clients, while Green Core Cloud allows for cross-sector seminars, resource placement and collaboration via a mobile app and PC.
2. Beijing Dentons Law Offices
Keywords: legal network, flexibility, technological innovation
Created by Dentons, the Nextlaw Referral Network is the world's largest legal network, connecting more than 700 law firms from 200 countries. Unlike conventional legal networks, it is free and open to all law firms regardless of size, and is not geographically exclusive in membership. The network utilizes a proprietary technology platform to help member firms research, contact, and rate the performance of network members to guarantee that clients receive the highest quality legal advice and business solutions. Members can also easily record and track the types of referrals they are receiving and sending, and where the referrals are going to or coming from to better shape their offers and assistance effectively. It also serves as a distribution channel of curated legal technology for its members, at discounted prices.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dentons launched the COVID-19 Hub. The law firm united regional offices in 48 countries to integrate global consultations and summarised them in the hub, which allows its employees, clients and partners to find the latest government announcements and pandemic updates, as well as information about labour law, data privacy protection, force majeure, taxation, competition and antitrust law. During the pandemic, the law firm launched the Dentons Learning Holiday program on its live-streaming mobile app known as Dentons Lawyer to provide free training courses to its lawyers and clients. Since February, Dentons has live-streamed more than 100 courses, which have drawn over 1.7 million views.
3. CM Law Firm
Keywords: business model, product innovation
Innovative expertise in capital markets allows CM Law Firm to structure deals for companies that suit their unique nature to achieve desirable results.
Over the past few years, the law firm has been helping investors and regulators understand the online cosmetic surgery platform, an emerging industry at home and abroad. It helped SoYoung to become the first Chinese internet cosmetic services company to list on Nasdaq. The law firm also examined the legal basis of online brokerage when regulations for this area were yet to be in place, and eventually helped Futu Securities to be the first Chinese online broker to list on Nasdaq.
Furthermore, the law firm has an in-depth understanding of various emerging industries, and uses this to provide comprehensive legal services to companies, especially startups, in different development stages to help them grow. For biotech startup Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited, CM Law Firm served as its special legal adviser on restructuring and pre-IPO financing, and provided legal advice to the underwriter for Kintor's IPO. The law firm accompanied Kintor on its journey to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange from China’s New Third Board, providing innovative and integrated legal services in the capital market space.
4. Jiali Law Firm
Keywords: business model, management
As one of the six leading law firms specializing in marriage and family affairs in China, Jiali Law Firm has established an integrated operating model that oversees marketing, customer service, products, and cases. Thanks to this model, the law firm is providing a lot more consultation on a daily basis. Jiali has also streamlined work process and productized its legal services, so it can improve customer experience while accumulating data from the cases it handles. As a result, it has been publishing an annual white paper on marriage and family affairs.
Jiali has internally developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) system, a multi-functional work system that integrates tasks and projects. This combines various functions for users to generate tasks, manage their schedules, control risks, review tasks, manage collaborative projects, organize bookmarks, and discuss work. The data collected allowed for the creation of a database and the system can analyse the employees' work progress, creating a new working model that is task-oriented. In addition, the SOP system has a built-in procedure for handling cases to ensure details are collected to allow others to follow up the case more easily. This minimizes risks with the help of data as it avoids negligence and thus losses. It also makes legal work easier to handle, improving service quality, and eventually revenue growth, thanks to this tech-enabled tool.
5. JunHe
Keywords: distribution, technology innovation
Since 2015, JunHe LLP has adopted a modified lockstep model to reform its partner remuneration system. Taking into account the risk-averse and conservative nature of the legal industry, the law firm chose not to overhaul the original remuneration system, but allowed some partners to voluntarily move their pay to the new system for second distribution. Currently, both remuneration systems have been running smoothly at the firm for six years.
In terms of building its IT capabilities, JunHe's strategy is to procure core software systems externally while developing auxiliary systems internally. It gradually built systems for case management, file management, work schedule management, lawyer/administration review, human resources management, workstation reservation, client relations, and knowledge management. JunHe has also developed a mobile app that serves the legal community.
The firm has internally developed several unique software packages used by the Chinese legal community, such as a system that can track the availability of lawyers in real-time and rearrange work between different teams, as well as another system for client relations with functions for managing client data and marketing costs and events. It has also developed a system to review lawyers and automatically identify and remove inappropriate reviews.
6. King & Wood Mallesons
Keywords: product innovation, business model, flexibility
The rapidly evolving market environment is forcing law firms to transform their business models and keep introducing new legal service products while understanding market demand. Since 2018, King & Wood Mallesons has launched the first ABS product with innovative features in the IP space, the first IPOs on Shanghai-London Stock Connect and the STAR board, and the first asset-backed securities with the financial leases of IP as the underlying asset.
At the same time, the law firm has followed national policies to formulate region/expertise-based business initiatives, such as the KWM International Center in the Greater Bay Area in April 2018, and the KWM Belt & Road Center for International Cooperation and Facilitation in March 2019. The law firm also launched an investment and financing platform in 2019 on which partners can expand access to clients to facilitate more transactions.
To cope with the changes in the workplace triggered by the pandemic and digitalization, the law firm has launched the KWM Cloud Office in seven cities, including Wuhan, Chongqing, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Kunming, Shenyang in China, and Auckland in New Zealand. Cloud operations are supported by an online legal services platform in integrating online and offline functions, bringing together the law firm's global network and experts to meet the needs of local clients.
7. V&T Law Firm
Keywords: legal network, management
V&T Law Firm led the establishment of the V&T Alliance, which is currently made up of law firms and legal services organizations from seven countries and regions. The alliance is going global as China deepens its Belt and Road strategy, which is producing Chinese clients who need foreign-related legal services, and creates opportunities for the alliance to take part in China's development.
In terms of its management, V&T invented a model that integrates platform, management, and capital. Apart from its legal business, V&T has established a company specializing in operations and marketing for legal service providers, and a company specializing in litigation finance. V&T was also the first to put forward the concept of "legal capital" to focus on venture capital investment and operations in the legal sector.
8. Winteam500 Law Firm
Keywords: management, business model, legal tech
Winteam500 restructured its property rights, management, and distribution systems by referencing the system of limited liability companies. Currently, 23 partners have become investment partners, and the operations team is granted a 25% stake in the law firm to support its work. At the same time, the law firm integrated four departments across marketing, customer, products, and services to set up the MCPS Business Center to productize its services. It also introduced agents to advertise the lawyers.
In terms of business models, wealth succession planning has been a hot area in legal services. However, high-net-worth clients are often in the hands of VIP centres belonging to banks and insurers, which deprives law firms of access to these clients. Winteam500 collaborates with large insurers in China to create its private wealth legal service, under which 100 lawyers work with 10 large insurers to provide services to high-net-worth clients referred by the insurers. Legal service, therefore, becomes part of the service package and lawyers share their proportion of the profit from the collaborating insurers.
In the legal tech space, Winteam participated in the incubation of the KindleLaw operating system as well as fadada.com, an integrated service platform that offers electronic contracts, electronic signatures, and electronic seals.
9. Yuanda China Law Firm
Keywords: flexibility, business model
Yuanda adopts a unique approach to provide clients with cross-border services against the backdrop of the ongoing trade tensions. The law firm identifies and mitigates potential risks in advance for clients, while it helps Chinese companies analyse the deep-seated backgrounds and reasons why they might become the targets of investigations, law enforcement, or sanctions. To properly perform this function, Yuanda uses its extensive experience in communicating with the U.S. authorities and in-depth knowledge of various U.S. law enforcement departments and specific law enforcement officers. These attributes enable Yuanda to predict how laws will be enforced and help clients formulate strategies accordingly. The law firm can also identify high-risk employees in the company, evaluate the chain effect caused by legal risks, and help the company find justifications and evidence.
The team combines expertise at home and abroad — Chinese lawyers as core members, with U.S. lawyers, accountants, and public relation consultants coming aboard to jointly formulate and execute strategies. This system enables Chinese clients to address queries from the Chinese and U.S. authorities, media, clients, suppliers, banks, investors, and employees, as well as offering services from legal, economic, and social aspects.
As data protection is getting more complex, Yuanda has adopted an innovative approach to help clients address issues regarding cross-border data transfer and cybersecurity. The law firm not only helps clients formulate plans that address the legal requirements of cross-border data transfer across China, the EU and the U.S., but also advises on handling sensitive data, confidential state information, complex political relations, and trade compliance, as well as for settling conflicts between China's laws and the requirements of the U.S. government.
10. Zhenghan Law Firm
Keywords: distribution, technology innovation
Zhenghan Law Firm has implemented a pure lock-up compensation model since 2011 and is one of the very few law firms in China to do so. The law firm believes that only by addressing compensation among the partners can it foster better cooperation within the firm, so as to provide clients with higher quality and speedier legal services that are more cutting-edge and complex in nature with more controllable costs. The pure lock-up model creates a fully integrated team, and has enabled the per capita revenue brought in by partners and lawyers to hit new highs over many years. It also helps the law firm quickly assemble top-notch teams specializing in dispute resolution, finance, and real estate.
In terms of IT capabilities, Zhenghan was one of the world's first law firms to bring in Oracle's ERP system. The law firm also keeps updating the system to align it with its document management system to achieve 100 percent remote working, which enables efficient management and helps partners and lawyers handle cases much more efficiently.
To contact the editorial team, please email ALBEditor@thomsonreuters.com.
