在日新月异的立法与商业变化中，今年上榜的十五位诉讼律师以专业的力量稳步向前。从“行业专家型”律师的视角出发，他们为客户创造价值的同时也建立着独树一帜的个人品牌。

 

过去一年，中国法律法规经历了快速更新迭代，不同行业也经历着创新发展，这些都对诉讼律师的专业服务提出了更高要求。部分上榜律师和ALB分享了他们在专业化方面的执业感悟、对行业的观察，以及对树立个人品牌的见解。

近期诉讼仲裁领域新变化

今年1月底，最高人民法院评选公布了2021年度全国法院十大商事案件，其中不少都属行业首起案例，反映了中国诉讼仲裁界在过去一年取得的创新性发展。

例如，顾华骏、刘淑君等11名投资者诉康美药业股份有限公司证券虚假陈述责任纠纷特别代表人诉讼案是中国首单特别代表人诉讼案件，也是中国新《证券法》实施以来证券纠纷特别代表人诉讼第一案。随着一审判决在2021年11月出炉，五万余名投资者获赔24.59亿元人民币，赔偿金额迄今最高、投资者人数迄今最多，并且，证监会还表示，将在全面总结此案经验的基础上，推动完善代表人诉讼制度机制，支持投资者保护机构进一步优化案件评估、决策、实施流程，依法推进特别代表人诉讼常态化开展。

十大商事案件还包括中国首例个人破产案件——梁某某个人破产重整案。有专家在接受中国新闻网记者采访时指出：“个人破产制度是市场主体退出与拯救制度的重要内容，对于完善市场主体退出渠道、畅顺市场经济循环具有不可或缺的重要意义。”在中央授权先行先试的支持下，深圳率先出台中国首部关于个人破产的地方性立法——《深圳经济特区个人破产条例》，并于2021年3月1日起正式施行。梁某某个人破产重整案是条例实施以来，深圳市中级人民法院裁定受理和顺利审结的首个个人破产案件、首个个人破产重整案件，也是全国个人破产第一案。

入选十大商事案件的另一件重整案——海航集团有限公司等321家公司实质合并重整案也具有重要意义。此案是目前亚洲地区债务规模最大、债权人数量最多、债权人类型最多元、重整企业数量最多、法律关系最复杂、程序联动最复杂的破产重整案件，也是少有的由高级法院直接审理的重整案件。有学者指出，超大型企业破产重整的最大困难在于如何妥善管理、维护、运营或处置复杂财产，尽可能保护债权人的整体清偿利益。法院在案件审理时准确适用最高法2018年《全国法院破产审判工作会议纪要》中有关实质合并重整的规定，谨慎确定了实质合并企业的范围、标准及破产原因，适时启动实质合并程序。而该案的顺利审结，为后续出现风险的大型集团企业通过破产重整方式，在法治化、市场化原则下化解风险提供了成功样本与经验，也在实质合并重整、协同重整、境外承认与执行等方面为未来破产法修订提供了素材与参考。

从以上案例不难看出，商事诉讼案件不断呈现新型、疑难复杂、标的额巨大等特点，而这些案例的成功审理也使得法律法规的更新方向更加有迹可循。在两者相辅相成、互相促进的过程中，诉讼律师承担着案件代理者的角色，小到参与个案审理，大到维护社会公平正义、推进法治建设进程，其重要性不言而喻。

商事仲裁在2021年也得到了长足的发展。2021年5月，《2021年国际仲裁调查报告》（2021 International Arbitration Survey）发布，香港、北京和上海入选全球最受欢迎的十大仲裁地，香港国际仲裁中心和中国国际经济贸易仲裁委员会则入选全球最受欢迎的仲裁机构前五位，我国商事仲裁的国际影响力得到彰显。与仲裁有关的法律也在不断完善，例如，2021年7月，司法部发布《中华人民共和国仲裁法（修订）（征求意见稿）》；12月，最高人民法院发布《关于修改〈最高人民法院关于仲裁司法审查案件报核问题的有关规定〉的决定》。

在法律法规日新月异的同时，案件办理的方式也在变化。自新冠疫情爆发以来，已经有相当比例的案件审理通过线上的方式进行。2021年7月，最高人民法院“一站式”国际商事纠纷多元化解决平台在国际商事法庭网站上线启动试运行；2021年8月，《人民法院在线诉讼规则》开始施行，截至当时，全国已有3500多家法院接通“中国移动微法院”在线诉讼平台；2021年12月底，最高人民法院发布《人民法院在线调解规则》，成为首部指导全国法院开展在线调解工作的司法解释。

尽管在线审理具有一定的便利性，但和以往面对面当庭审理的形式相比，不少诉讼律师指出，这一形式下庭审的说服和交流效果受到一定影响，律师普遍在沟通方面感到挑战，因此，越来越多的诉讼律师灵活调整工作方式，结合线上线下途径保持与客户、法院或仲裁机构的沟通，并对庭后书面工作更为重视。

此外，随着新兴领域立法加快，诉讼律师的价值也不再局限于法庭之上。我国第一部有关数据安全的专门法律——《数据安全法》从去年9月1日开始正式施行，2021年11月起，《中华人民共和国个人信息保护法》亦正式实施，两者结合《民法典》、《网络安全法》、《电子商务法》、《消费者权益保护法》等法律，对数字经济时代下的个人信息提供更加全面的保护。

过去一年，反垄断领域也变化频繁，国务院反垄断委员会于2月制定发布《国务院反垄断委员会关于平台经济领域的反垄断指南》；10月，全国人大常委会在完成对《中华人民共和国反垄断法（修正草案）》审议后对外公布征求意见。立法频出使合规再次成为许多身处新兴行业的企业所关注的重点，通商律师事务所合伙人程钟律师在采访中指出：“立法的更新迭代导致企业会在风险评估时存在滞后性，而做出整改、适应新法的过程势必会产生成本，这就需要诉讼律师切实地为其考虑合规的成本问题，从法律的角度、商业可持续发展的角度去说服企业经营者，并在最低成本的基础上提出合规方案。”

对专业化的思考

通商律师事务所合伙人程钟律师表示，诉讼律师专业化是与整个司法队伍专业化程度的显著提高息息相关的，法官和检察官队伍日益专业化要求着与之配套的律师队伍也逐渐细化法律职业方向，精准划分法律各部门不同的专业特点，深耕该领域。

“以我所擅长的股权争议领域为例，从公司的创立、运营直至解散、清算，股权问题几乎贯穿企业经营的每个环节，由此衍生出的争议纠纷也牵扯到各方股东的权益。那么，股权纠纷的常见类型有哪些？争议焦点在哪儿？作为律师该如何有针对性地进行风险防范？这些都可以成为深度解剖和研究对象。” 程钟律师说。他还列举到，股权转让、增减资、股权代持、股权激励、对赌协议、股东资格确权、股东优先权等常见股权纠纷，每一个内容都值得律师们仔细深入地学习和总结。因此，程钟律师建议道： “（诉讼律师）不仅仅要在工作中学习，还要更多地和法院、知名律师有良好的沟通，及时分享彼此在工作中遇到的问题和解决的办法，以开放兼容的态度，掌握知识的最前沿。”

在天同律师事务所合伙人、国内仲裁业务负责人朱华芳律师看来，专业化的核心内涵应该是以专业为本，“即律师是凭借卓越的业务能力和服务能力赢取案件的胜利、获得客户的认可的。” 她坦言，天同在确定战略定位时，选择的是“产品”领先战略，“我们的产品就是我们的专业服务。我们聘用最优秀的人才，采用最精细化的方式进行作业，从案件评估、文书起草、参加庭审、推进沟通到结案卷宗，每个环节都精益求精、全力以赴。”

最近几年，天同律师承担了国务院国资委的《融资性贸易法律风险防范研究》和《国企治理中公司人格否认风险防控研究》课题，最高人民法院的《营业信托纠纷案件审理中的法律问题研究》和《民事纠纷案件中涉及刑事犯罪法律问题研究》课题，中国证券业协会的《债券违约情景下承销商虚假陈述民事责任及风险防范研究》《IPO注册制下发行人与中介机构虚假陈述民事责任研究》和《资产证券化（ABS）的管理人民事责任及风险防范研究》课题。“这些课题成果既来源于我们执业实践中的观察、思考和总结，又切实地提高了我们处理这类争议的专业能力。” 朱华芳律师说。

如果以专业为本是专业化的核心内涵，那么术业有专攻就是朱华芳律师眼中专业化的主要表现。她说：“专注是天同血液里的东西，我们从成立至今，只做商事争议解决，出发点就是成为极致精专从而极度强悍的律所。同时，在商事争议解决之下，我们又有更细的分工，除了商事团队、仲裁团队外，我们还有专门的知识产权团队、破产团队、建工团队、新金融团队，商事团队的不同合伙人也分别有自己更擅长的领域。”

行业观察

近年来，越来越多的案件都涉及刑民交叉。京都律师事务所高级合伙人郭庆律师正是这方面的专家，她告诉ALB，刑事合规是近年来企业关注的焦点之一，越来越多的企业意识到了刑事合规在企业管理中的重要性。据郭庆律师的观察，大部分企业，包括那些内部法务系统已经相对非常完善的企业，对于刑事法律风险大都还缺少全局性的提前统筹和防范。她与团队接触过的各种中资、外资企业一旦触碰到刑事风险，就会反应十分迅速地向外部专业律师团队求助，这种情况下，只要企业自身没有明显的“硬伤”，是能够通过外部律师团队的努力将不利后果降到最低的。

“比如我们代理的一些公司涉嫌单位犯罪的案件，其真实起因有的是员工工作疏忽，有的是因员工或高管的个人犯罪行为受到牵连而被侦查机关调查。我们在指导客户应对和配合刑事侦查时，发现往往需要想方设法去搜集各种形式的正式的和非正式的公司文件，结合不同种类的其他证据，才能勉强组合证明公司的主观意图与犯罪无涉。虽然这些案件最终有惊无险获得了检察机关不起诉的决定，公司犯罪并未成立，但如果此前在公司运营层面加入刑事合规意识，那么再碰到这类情况时，其过程就不至于如此令人心惊。毕竟刑事风险是虽然概率最小但最致命的风险，因此我认为刑事合规真的是企业管理的必修课。”郭庆律师说。

朱华芳律师则是专注于商业合同、公司和投融资纠纷处理的专家。今年，她负责了北京仲裁委员会《中国投资争议解决年度观察》的写作。对于投资争议解决，朱华芳律师观察到了一些值得关注的趋势：一是资管行业监管体系不断健全，资管纠纷裁判路径更加清晰，但仍有不少疑难问题亟待解决。二是公司制度改革步入新阶段，公司法修订草案公布，资本制度、公司治理规定面临重大变革。三是证券投资纠纷解决机制快速发展，违法违规责任体系不断完善，“五洋债案”“康美药业案”等多起典型证券虚假陈述案件引发业界激烈讨论，也必将带来行业变革。四是破产法制建设取得重要进展，市场主体退出机制持续优化。

“总之，新的形势、新的规定、新的案例不断出现，律师想要服务好客户，就需要深入行业，持续学习，加强研究。基于此，去年我和团队耗时大半年形成近12万字的《中国私募基金行业纠纷研究报告》，系统研究和梳理了私募基金争议解决的实践现状和发展趋势，提出相关问题和解决办法，以期为客户及行业从业人员、投资者提供有益借鉴。”朱华芳律师说。

树立个人品牌

据司法部统计，到2025年，全国执业律师人数将达到75万名，每万人拥有律师数达5.3。如何在激烈的竞争中树立个人品牌，从而脱颖而出？程钟律师深信，专业能力永远都是吸引客户的最强大的力量。他坦言：“如何独辟蹊径却又把传统的诉讼律师路径一一为客户解读，是考验一个诉讼律师语言表达能力的试金石。我们永远秉承客户利益与法律公平正义相结合的理念，不是简单地跟客户说‘NO’，而是永远为客户找到解决问题的‘Plan B’。此外，在通商律师事务所这个平台上，我们可以信赖和依靠团队群策群力的智慧，为客户提供一站式的法律服务，客户不需要在非诉和诉讼团队之间来回跳转，可以更好地拥有全局性的法律服务。”

朱华芳律师亦重视律师专业能力和律所作为平台的价值。她告诉ALB，在建立与客户的信任关系方面，律师有几点需要特别注意：“一是 ‘我们’而非‘你们’。把客户的事情当成自己的事情，把客户的工作人员当成同事，做与客户并肩作战的战友，而不仅仅是提供服务的乙方。二是 ‘我们’而非‘我’。任何一个案件，都集全所之力去处理好，突显团队作战的优势；同时，充分调动和认可客户工作人员支持和协助的关键作用，没有客户的配合，律师不可能办好案件。三是律师的工作目标是解决问题，而不是提出问题。律师要善于提出问题，但客户找律师，要的是解决方案；在提供解决方案上，光努力是不够的，还需尽力。四是真诚是最强大的力量。对案件的认识是什么，能做什么，不能做什么，坦诚沟通；同时，也要不断精进专业能力，敢于下判断。”

郭庆律师告诉ALB，如果说诉讼作为律师业务里最基本的传统技能，是一片竞争激烈的“红海”，那么在“红海”中发现并开辟鲜有人踏足的“蓝海”也是在竞争中脱颖而出的一条路径，“我的经验是提前关注你所感兴趣的行业的动态，在新的技术开始应用于市场时就开始思考它有可能产生的法律后果，在前沿领域里提前储备知识、做好准备，并与相应行业的企业保持交流和探讨。”

作为一名从记者成功转型的律师，郭庆律师的职业经历也使她对个人品牌的树立有着独到的见解。她指出，最首要的一点就是要提升最具自身特点的“辨识度”。成为律师前，她曾先后在新华社和中央电视台新闻中心工作10年；转行做律师后，她又用了十年的时间广泛接触不同类型的民商事法律服务，也代理过多个在国内外备受关注的刑事案件；近几年，她将业务重点有意识地向汽车产品、新能源汽车领域和智能驾驶等方面的争议解决逐渐倾斜。

“站在现在这个角度回头看，似乎是做了很多年与我目前重点执业领域无关的工作，但这是一个辨识度逐渐清晰的过程，就好像我周围的同行和法务小伙伴们常说的：‘郭律师是能用流利的英语工作的、懂车的律师里最懂传媒的，同时也懂得刑事合规’。我觉得有句话说得好：人生没有白走的路，每一步都算数。重点是怎样把自己的经历、包括你已经放下了的经历，转化成继续推动你前行的能量，这种转化必须是有目标的转化，把握住方向的磨练会让你百炼成钢，没有目的的磨练可能会使人百炼成渣，”郭庆律师坦言。

此外，虽然律师执业领域的划分逐渐精细化，但郭庆律师同时也提醒道：“客户们的需求告诉我，没有广度也就很难有深度，因为他们遇到的法律问题往往是综合的，是跨部门法领域的，能真正为客户解决实际问题的律师应当是一系列零部件的总成，而不是一颗特别优秀的螺丝钉。通百艺而精其一二，是一个诉讼律师比较理想的状态，而这种状态不是一蹴而就的，需要潜心专注的十年以上的历练。”

未来展望

面向未来一到两年，程钟律师计划在破产领域有所拓展，将破产重整与争议解决业务有效结合，同时将向国内外客户提供更加全面和专业的数据安全和企业合规法律服务。他告诉ALB，2021年是A股上市公司破产重整大年。2021全年，有19家上市公司破产重整得到法院裁定批准。而2021年之前十几年间，A股市场总计只有73家公司破产重整，在破产重整数量较多的2019和2020两年，合计数量为19家。而如果从申请破产重整角度来看，2021年申请破产重整的上市公司数量更多，有23家，其中，有13家并未在2021年就破产重整方案获得法院裁定批准，“这意味着2022年将依然是上市公司破产重整大年。从全国来看，破产重整领域也在逐渐热门起来，蕴含着很多法律业务的机遇，因此，如何搭上这一顺风车成为通商上海2022年努力的主要方向。我相信未来不良资产处置领域必将有很好的发展前景。”

郭庆律师则表示：“未来几年，我会带领团队继续深入研究我们感兴趣的行业，比如汽车制造和改装行业，持续跟进行业发展，保持与业内专家的深度交流，延续我们在智能驾驶领域所积累的争议解决经验，与更多车企寻求更广泛和深入的合作。”

朱华芳律师向ALB分享道：“争议解决律师的工作目标就是专业、高效地为客户解决问题、创造价值。接下来几年，我们还是需要继续努力提升业务能力，为客户发展创造价值，在赢得信任和尊重的同时，推动自己和团队同事不断成长，同时也希望能尽己所能，为行业进步贡献力量，为法治建设添砖加瓦。”

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2022 ALB CHINA TOP 15 LITIGATORS

In the past year, China’s laws have evolved rapidly while businesses keep becoming more sophisticated thanks to constant innovation, thus litigators are facing higher requirements when it comes to the services they offer. Some of the litigators that made the list have shared with ALB about their thoughts and experience in practice, their observation of the industries, as well as their ways of building personal brand.

 

LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION DEVELOPMENTS

As this year just kicked off, the Chinese Supreme People's Court published the top 10 commercial cases for 2021 chosen from all national courts, with several of them being pioneering cases in their fields. For example, the case between 11 investors, including Gu Huajun and Liu Shujun, and Kangmei Pharmaceutical, on securities misrepresentation liability is China's first class-action lawsuit. Additionally, this is the first class-action lawsuit filed since the new Securities Law took effect. Over 50,000 investors were awarded a total of 2.459 billion yuan ($388 million) in November 2021 by the first trial court. Both the indemnification and investor amounts are unprecedented in history. Soon after the first trial, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said during a press conference that they will amend the class action system in light of this case in order to assist representative organizations in improving case assessment, decision-making, and implementation processes, as well as to ensure that class actions are conducted in accordance with the law.

The top 10 commercial cases in China also include the country's first personal bankruptcy case involving a man named Liang. "Personal bankruptcy law is a critical component of market exit and restructuring regulations. It has significant meaning to improving the market exit channel and economic cycle," an expert said in an interview with China News Service. With the approval of the central government, the Shenzhen government enacted the first local law governing personal bankruptcy; Personal Bankruptcy Regulations in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone has taken effect since March 2021. The Liang bankruptcy case is the first personal bankruptcy and restructuring case that the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court has ruled and closed since the law took effect, in addition to being China’s first personal bankruptcy case as mentioned above.

Another significant restructuring case among the top 10 commercial cases is the substantive merger and restructuring case of HNA Group and 321 other entities. This is the largest bankruptcy and restructuring case in Asia, with the most debt, creditors, creditor categories, restructured entities, complex legal relations, and complicated procedures. It is one of the few restructuring cases that have been ruled directly by the Supreme People's Court. According to a scholar, the difficulties associated with a giant entity bankruptcy and restructuring case revolve around how to properly manage, maintain, operate, and process complex assets in order to protect the creditors' aggregate interests as much as possible. When hearing the case, the court specifically cited the substantive merger and restructuring rules from the 2018 Minutes of the National Court Work Conference on Bankruptcy Trials of the Supreme People's Court. It established the entity's scope, standard, and bankruptcy basis for the substantive merger and promptly initiated the substantive merger process. The outcome of this case establishes a precedent for future giant entities' bankruptcy and reorganization under the rules of law and market. It may also be referred to in the future when amending bankruptcy law provisions on substantive mergers and reorganizations, reorganization collaboration, and overseas recognition and enforcement.

As demonstrated by the examples above, existing laws are capable of effectively resolving cases, even those high-bid complex cases with no similar precedents to be referred to. On the other hand, the outcome of these cases also indicates the direction in which the law can develop in the future. As those who handle these cases directly, litigators bear a significant role and can have great impact in many aspects, from the specific case to keeping society’s fair and advancing the development of rules and laws.

Commercial arbitration also made significant progress in 2021. In May 2021, the 2021 International Arbitration Survey was published. Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai have been named among the world's top 10 most preferred arbitration seats, while the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) have been named among the world's top five most preferred arbitration agencies, demonstrating China’s international influence in commercial dispute resolution. In the meantime, arbitration laws have been improved too. For example, in July 2021, the Ministry of Justice published the Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China (Amendment) (Draft for Comment), and the Supreme People's Court also issued the Decision of the Supreme People's Court to Amend the Relevant Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on Issues Concerning Applications for Verification of Arbitration Cases under Judicial Review."

While laws related to dispute resolutions are evolving, how the cases are handled is also changing, especially after the outbreak of COVID-19 when online trial has become the new normal for many cases. In July 2021, the Chinese Supreme People's Court's "all-in-one" international commercial disputes alternative dispute resolution platform was available for beta testing on the CICC website. In August 2021, the People's Court Online Litigation Rules took effect. There were over 3,500 courts that had access to the Chinese Mobile Mini Court online litigation platform at the time. At the end of December 2021, the Chinese Supreme People's Court issued the People's Court Online Mediation Rules, the country's first set of court guidelines for conducting online mediation. While an online trial may be more convenient, many litigators assert that it has a detrimental effect on persuasion and communication when compared to a traditional face-to-face trial. Communication is harder, and as a result, an increasing number of litigators are flexibly adjusting their working methods, communicating with their clients, courts, and arbitration agencies both online and offline, and paying more attention to the post-trial paperwork.

Additionally, the value of litigators is not limited to the courtroom, either online or offline, as legislation in emerging areas accelerates, making compliance top the companies’ list of concerns. For example, China's first data security law went into effect on Sept. 1. The "Personal Information Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" also took effect in November 2021. Together with the Civil Code, Cybersecurity Law, E-commerce Law, and Consumer Protection Law, these two pieces of legislation provide comprehensive protection for personal data in the digital economic era. Last year was a turbulent year for the antitrust community. The Anti-Monopoly Commission of the State Council issued the Antitrust Guidelines for the Platform Economy Industry in February; the National People's Congress Standing Committee reviewed and released a draft of the Anti-monopoly Law of the People's Republic of China (Draft) for public comment. Due to the frequency with which legislation is introduced, many businesses in emerging industries are placing a higher premium on compliance. Cheng Zhong, a partner at Commerce & Finance Law Offices, says: “The amendment of law will render a business's risk assessment obsolete. Companies’ efforts to adapt to updated laws will undoubtedly be costly. This requires litigators to consider the cost of compliance for their client companies, persuade executives from the standpoints of law and business sustainability, and devise a cost-effective compliance solution.

INCREASING PROFESSIONALISM

China's legal industry has grown rapidly since the country's lawyer system was restored and rebuilt. Clients have become choosier than ever in recent years, particularly since the segmentation of legal services are constantly being refined. Given this, it has become critical for lawyers to maintain a professional demeanor in order to grow successfully. Cheng believes that a litigator’s professionalism is inextricably linked to the significant improvement of the entire judicial system, that is, as judges and prosecutor teams become more professional, litigators must keep up with the pace, refine their service areas, and develop more deeply in their own fields.

"Taking equity disputes which is my area of expertise for an example, equity is often involved in the whole life circle of a business from the foundation, operation, to liquidation, so the lawyers need to understand different types of equity disputes, their core focuses, and how the risks can be avoided. These are all the issues worth in-depth study,” Cheng says, and he lists a number of common equity disputes to ALB, such as equity transfer, investment increase or decrease, equity entrustment, equity incentive, valuation adjustment mechanism, shareholder qualification confirmation, and shareholder priority. Cheng also suggests: “It is insufficient to just learn these things from work; we will gain more knowledge by communicating with courts and famous lawyers, as well as by promptly sharing our problems and solutions with peers at work. Only an open-minded attitude can truly enable us to gain more cutting-edge knowledge.”

According to Zhu Huafang, a partner and the head of domestic arbitration group at TianTong Law Firm, a litigator’s capability is the essence of professionalism, “that is, litigators should win their cases and earn the client's respect for their high-quality professional practice and service.” She tells ALB that TianTong's strategic position is determined by its "product" leading strategy, and "our product is our professional service. We employ the best people and operate with the most refined methods. We make every effort to improve each process, from case evaluation, legal document drafting and participation in trials to improving communication and closing cases."

In recent years, TianTong's lawyers have conducted the Research on Risk Prevention for Financing, and the Risk Prevention and Control of Piercing the Corporate Veil in the Governance of State-owned Entities for the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Research on Legal Issues in the Trial of Business Trust Dispute Cases, and the Research on Legal Issues Involving Criminal Offenses in Civil Dispute Cases for the Supreme Court, the Research on Civil Liability and Risk Mitigation for Misrepresentation Made by Underwriters Under Bond Default, A Study On The Civil Liability Of IPO Registration Issuers And Intermediaries For False Statements, as well as the Research on Civil Liability and Risk Mitigation for Asset-backed Security (ABS) Managers for the Securities Association of China.

"The research findings are derived from our observation, reflection, and summary in practice, and directly benefit our professional capability to resolve such disputes," Zhu says.

Zhu also adds that in addition to professional capability, a lawyer must have their own specialty and be a master of it, which she believes is how professionalism is shown during work. "Focus is in TianTong's ‘gene’. Since our establishment, we have focused exclusively on commercial dispute resolution, with the goal of becoming an extremely specialized and thus extremely powerful law firm. Meanwhile, we have a more defined labour division within the dispute resolution group, such as a number of teams dedicated to intellectual property rights, bankruptcy, construction engineering, and new finance. The commercial team's partners each have their own area of expertise as well.”

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

An increasing number of cases have involved both criminal law and civil law in recent years. Catherine Guo, an expert in this area and a senior partner at King & Capital Law Firm, tells ALB that criminal compliance has been a major concern for businesses in recent years. A growing number of companies have realized the importance of criminal compliance for a long-term development. Guo's observations indicate that many companies, even those with complete internal legal systems, still lack overall coordination and prevention of criminal legal risks. She and her team have collaborated with a variety of Chinese and international businesses. Therefore, they always turn to external litigators for assistance as soon as they face criminal risks.

"For instance, there have been cases in which companies we represent were accused of corporate crime. Several of these cases arose as a result of employee negligence or due to investigations conducted by investigative agencies into personal crimes committed by employees or executives. When advising clients on how to respond to and cooperate with criminal investigations, it is quite common for us to use all available means to collect different types of formal and informal company documents, as well as other types of evidence, thus arduously demonstrating the company's subjective intent is irrelevant to the crime. Ultimately, these cases gained nol pros decision by public prosecutors, and the companies were acquitted of criminal charges. Nonetheless, the process could have been less concerning and stressful for companies under similar circumstances if criminal compliance awareness had previously been improved by the company's supervisors at the operational level. After all, criminal risk is the most lethal risk, despite its low likelihood of occurrence. As a result, I would consider criminal compliance to be a prerequisite for business management,” Guo says.

 Zhu specializes in commercial contract, corporate, and investment and financing disputes. This year, she is responsible for writing the Beijing Arbitration Commission's Annual Review on Investment Dispute Resolution in China.  Zhu has observed several noteworthy trends in investment dispute resolution: To begin, while the asset management industry's regulatory system has been improved with the adoption of a clearer adjudication process for disputes, numerous difficult issues remain unresolved. Second, the corporate system reform has entered a new phase with the publication of a draft revision of the Company Law, which will result in significant changes to the capital structure and corporate governance. Third, the securities investment dispute resolution system is rapidly evolving, with the goal of continuously improving the law enforcement system. Typical securities fraud cases, such as the Wuyang Bonds Case and Kangmei Pharmaceutical Case, have sparked intense debate throughout the industry and will inevitably result in industry changes. Last but not least, significant progress has been made in developing the legal system of bankruptcy, and the system for market entity withdrawal is continuously optimized.

"To summarize, with the constant emergence of new conditions, regulations, and cases, we are required to delve deeper into the industry, continue to learn, and improve our study in order to provide our clients with exceptional services. As a result, my team and I spent nearly half of last year writing the Research Report on Private Equity Industry Disputes in China, a nearly 120,000-word report in which we systematically studied and sorted out the current practice conditions and future development trend of private equity dispute resolution, and we raised related issues and solutions for the benefit of clients, industry practitioners, and investors," Zhu says.

BUILDING A PERSONAL BRAND

According to the Ministry of Justice, there will be 750,000 practicing lawyers nationwide by 2025, or 5.3 lawyers per 10,000 people. Building a unique personal brand to stand out from the fierce competition has become many lawyers’ concern. Cheng believes in professional competence's superior role in attracting clients. He says, "Whether a litigator can interpret all conventional solutions for a client in a unique and understandable way is a decisive test of his or her language skills. We are always adamant about protecting both our clients' interests and legal fairness and justice, never simply saying 'NO' to our clients, but always devising a 'Plan B' for resolving issues. Additionally, we can trust and rely on our team's wisdom to provide one-stop legal services to our clients through Commerce & Finance Law Offices, which eliminates the need for clients to switch between non-litigation and litigation teams and provides them with overall superior legal services."

Zhu also places a high value on lawyers' professional competence and the value of law firms as a platform. She tells ALB that there are a few things lawyers should keep in mind when it comes to establishing trust with clients: "The first is using 'we' instead of 'you.' It entails treating client matters as if they were our own, treating our clients' employees as colleagues, and working side-by-side with our clients, rather than viewing ourselves as merely a Party B providing services. The second is using 'we' rather than 'I'. In TianTong, any case will be managed by the entire firm, maximizing the benefits of teamwork. Furthermore, lawyers will be unable to effectively manage cases unless clients cooperate, so we are expected to fully mobilize client employees and recognize their critical role in providing support and assistance. Third, the goal of lawyers at work is to solve problems, not to raise new ones. Lawyers should be good at asking probing questions, but more importantly lawyers should also try their hardest to provide solutions. Fourth, the most potent force is sincerity. Lawyers must communicate openly with clients about their understanding of the case about what can and cannot be done. Additionally, they should constantly improve their professional competence and have the courage of making a decision."

Guo tells ALB that litigation is the basic skill in lawyers’ practice, thus the fierce competition, but finding and exploring new opportunities that few people ventured into is a way to win a place for themselves in this “red ocean.” "My experience has taught me to pay attention to the news in the industry you are interested in, find an emerging area and start preparing for it as soon as possible. Think about the possible legal consequences that may arise from new technologies when they are introduced to the market, and plan ahead of time and accumulate knowledge about frontier fields. Also, maintain communication and discussion with companies in these industries."

Having successfully transitioned from a journalist to a lawyer, Guo has her own perspective on personal branding. She emphasizes the importance of improving "recognition" as a lawyer. She previously worked for Xinhua News Agency and CCTV News Centre for 10 years prior to becoming a lawyer. She then spent over a decade offering a range of civil and commercial legal services and represented many high-profile criminal cases garnering both domestic and international attention. Guo’s recent focus has gradually shifted toward dispute resolution in automobile, new energy vehicles, and intelligent driving cases.

"Looking back from this perspective, it appears as though I have spent many years doing work that has nothing to do with my current key practice areas, but it is a process in which I gradually gained clearer recognition. Just as my colleagues and legal partners often say, 'Guo is a media-savvy lawyer who speaks fluent English, understands automobiles, and is also knowledgeable about criminal compliance.' I believe in the wise saying that goes ‘There are no useless steps in life as every step counts.’ The point is to understand how to transform your own experiences, including those you have already let go, into energy that propels you forward. This must be a purposeful transformation. Goal-oriented experiences can aid in your flourishing," Guo says.

Moreover, while the division of legal fields gradually progresses toward specialization, Guo reminds us, "Clients' needs indicate that it is difficult to have depth without breadth, as the legal problems they encounter are frequently complex and involve different legal fields. Lawyers who can truly solve practical problems for clients should be a collection of components, not a particularly fine screw. While it is an ideal state for a litigator to master in one or two with knowing most of the fields, this state does not occur immediately but requires over ten years of concentrated and dedicated experience."

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Cheng plans to expand into bankruptcy within the next year or two, effectively combining bankruptcy and restructuring with dispute resolution. Additionally, he wishes to offer more comprehensive and specialized data security and corporate compliance legal services for domestic and international clients. He tells ALB that 2021 will be a big year for bankruptcy restructuring of A-share listed companies. In 2021, 19 listed companies applying for bankruptcy restructuring received court approval. However, in the decade before 2021, only 73 total A-share companies declared bankruptcy and were restructured. Most bankruptcy restructuring took place in 2019 and 2020, with a total of 19 companies going through restructuring. In terms of the applications, 2021 saw the largest number of companies applying for restructuring, with a total of 23 companies. "This indicates that 2022 will continue to be a big year for bankruptcy restructuring of A-share listed companies. From a national perspective, this field is also gradually gaining popularity and offers many opportunities for legal services. Therefore, focusing on seizing the opportunity is the main task of Shanghai Office of Commerce & Finance Law Offices in 2022. I believe there is good future development potential in the field of non-performing asset disposal."

Guo shares with ALB: "In the upcoming years, I will lead the team to continue conducting in-depth research of the industries we interested in, including automobile manufacturing and modification, continue following industry development, and keeping in touch with industry experts to constantly add value through our experience in intelligent driving dispute resolution and expand our collaboration with more automobile companies."

Zhu says: "The working goal of dispute resolution lawyers is to professionally and efficiently resolve problems and create value for clients. And this is where we are heading in the upcoming years. While gaining trust and respect, I will push myself and MY teammates to grow continuously. I also hope that I can do whatever I can to contribute to the progress of the industry and the development of legislation.”

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