ALB China magazine has released its annual list of the country's "Hot 25 Lawyers". Now in its seventh year, ALB China's HOT 25 provides an (admittedly subjective) overview of the past year, listing those lawyers that shaped the profession and have turned heads - by performing outstandingly in their field, showing extraordinary leadership, courting controversy, pioneering a path for the rest of the profession, or simply being at the centre of things.

In this year's list, 16 of the 25 lawyers are from Beijing. The result is not surprising as Beijing has the largest legal service market in China both by headcount and revenue. The city's legal industry now has more than 21,600 lawyers working in more than 1,350 law firms (excluding foreign lawyers and foreign firms). The number of PRC lawyers in the city has been increasing by an average of 2,200 lawyers annually in recent years. The gross revenue of Beijing's legal industry in 2009 amounted at RMB9bn, accounting for about one third of the nation's total.

Jun He's managing partner Xiao Wei and King & Wood's Wang Ling, for example, have secured a place on the list for their outstanding leadership, while Liu Hong Yu, partner of JT&N, and Tong Lihua, founder and director of Beijing Legal Aid Centre for Migrant Workers, have been recognised for their contribution and dedication to pushing agendas and legislation to address some of the most concerning issues facing the population and disadvantaged social groups.

The full list of 2010 ALB China's HOT 25 is available in issue#7.9 of ALB China magazine and online - click here. ALB

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