规模化是中国大型律所长期坚持，但也在不断重塑的发展路径。今年，多家登上“30大所”榜单的律所告诉ALB，数字的增长不是规模化发展唯一的度量衡，更大的规模也带来了更多亟待解决的问题，从专业化、一体化等视角切入，或许能探寻到规模化更深远的意义。

 

经过ALB两个多月的信息收集和统计调研，2023 ALB China中国最大30家律所榜单得以呈现。该排名以律师总人数为序，并同时体现了合伙人数量、律师数量，相关数据截至今年7月末。

中国本土律所排名中，第一、第二名仍然是盈科律师事务所、大成律师事务所；排名前十的其他律所名次与去年相比略有变化，泰和泰律师事务所、中伦文德律师事务所各提升2位，华商律师事务所提升3位，分别位列第五、第九和第十名；该区间内其他名次变化较小。

第11至30名中，总部位于深圳的广和律师事务所名次变化最大，上升九位来到第19名；金诚同达律师事务所、海华永泰律师事务所、天驰君泰律师事务所均上升四位，位列第14、18、22名；其他去年上榜律所的名次升降均在3位以内或没有变化；去年未出现的三个新身影也加入了这一区间，分别是康达律师事务所、两高律师事务所和竞天公诚律师事务所，排在第21、27、28名。

从律师总人数来看，“万人所”仅有盈科一家，5000人以上的是大成，2000至5000人的共有11家，第14至29名律所的人数均在1000至2000，排名第30位的君合律师事务所律师总人数为961。由此看来，律师总人数超过1000，或将成为进入前30名的一道门槛。

对比近几年的榜单不难发现，虽然排名前十的律所变化相对较小，但在11至30名的排序中，总有较大的升降，且每年都会出现一些新面孔，也必然有前一年的上榜者掉出前30名。由此可见，连续多年出现在榜单上、甚至不断提升排名并非易事。

正如泰和泰管委会委员、重庆办公室主任李擎宇律师所说：“作为中国的规模大所，今天可能位于行业领先地位，但明天是否还属于规模大所？每年都有不少的律所在排名中崭露头角。因此，对于大所而言，要在各种规模或业绩排名榜单上持续领先，我们认为并不容易。”

在李律师看来，这样的危机感来自于市场竞争，已经栖身于规模大所队伍中，反而面对的市场竞争激烈程度不降反增，“过去连续几年，中国律师行业的人数增幅都超过了10%，可以说未来这一行业仍然存在较大的发展空间，同时也意味着头部律所面临更为复杂激烈的竞争环境”。

今年上榜的多家律所的管理者与ALB分享了他们对于规模化的新思考，以及如何在竞争中长期保持领先地位。

数量与质量

当前，诸多律所为了不断提升竞争力和影响力，选择规模化作为发展路径。但受访律所均表示，规模化远不止数字增长这一层含义。

泰和泰的李擎宇律师介绍，从外在指标看，过去一年里，泰和泰律师总人数增长了17%，而2023年累计业务收入同比增长了近20%，“我们的战略重点不仅是单一的律师数量增加，更重要的是对综合品牌质量的打磨。我们的目标是跨域高效协作、多核业务领军、深度服务客户”。

李律师这样理解律所之“大”：“规模和市场份额较大，拥有更多的律师、分支机构、优质客户以及更高的总创收额，这些都是外在的指标。律所的‘大’也包括专业化、国际化、创新性和以客户为中心方面的卓越表现；历史的沉淀与品牌故事，也是大所之路绕不开的。律所之‘大’是时间考验的结果。”

泰和泰结合以上思路，始终坚持适度规模化、高度专业化。“适度的规模扩张有利于律所的市场布局及业务开展，但是具体发展到何种规模、节奏和节点的选择，是由各家律所根据不同的战略目标及管理制度来决定的。”李律师说，“专业化是整体实力强大的根本，机构布局是法律服务网络建设的核心手段，国际化建设是律所长远发展的必由之路。”

与此相似，中伦文德也追求优质的规模化。事务所主任、高级合伙人夏欲钦律师表示，规模化不是简单的摊大饼、滚雪球，应在确保质量的基础上扩大发展规模、开拓业务市场。

“在专业上，中伦文德计划重点选择5-8个专业领域，通过吸引人才、内部组合等多种途径，确保5-8个专业领域成功进入并保持行业第一梯队。”夏律师说，中伦文德还通过财务制度改革、内部治理机制改革、中后台服务改革，增强了律所凝聚力和吸引力，并从业务合作、品牌效应、业务培训三个角度出发，推动总分所联动，实现业务赋能一体化发展。

建纬律师事务所副主任、北京办公室主任宋仲春律师同样观察到专业的重要性：“业内开始更加关注规模化的质量，更多地聚焦于多个板块的专业化发展，或是专业化和规模化的结合。”

据宋律师介绍，过去一年内，建纬新增了长春办公室、15位合伙人、80名左右的专职律师，营收较上一年增长40%，但他强调，在全国布局分所时，建纬并非单纯追求规模扩大，而是以专业性为首要考量。“对于分所的设立，我们会提前通过访谈其主要合伙人、走访当地律协和司法管理部门等方式来进行‘尽职调查’，以确保其专业性和建纬相匹配。”

“在新的大环境下，规模化律所需要具备更强的综合素质和能力，包括人才、专业、市场、管理等方面的优势，才能更好地应对市场的变化。”天驰君泰管委会主任张合律师也表示，数量的增加不代表律所整体实力的增强。

“天驰君泰始终坚持以业务建设为主的发展路线。规模化在其中可以协同促进律师的行业化、专业化发展，通过打造专业团队、帮助律师选择业务领域，更好地提升团队协作能力，从而更好地满足客户的需求。”

规模增长速度惊人的盈科也不止步于数量增长，在2021年开启了“国际化、专业化、数智化、碳中和”高质量发展新阶段。据盈科中国区董事会主任、中国区执行主任李正律师介绍，规模化依旧是盈科实现发展的基础，盈科会继续依托规模化的优势，全力布局国际化发展、梳理专业化建设、参与市场化竞争，同时加快数智化转型，打造整合的盈科数智化新平台，努力完成向“全球领先律师事务所”的发展蜕变。

当务之急

过去一年，中国诸多大型律所都经历了总创收下降的压力。在诸多不确定性叠加的环境下，大型律所在规模扩张的同时，最需要关注、解决哪些问题？

中伦文德执委会主任、高级合伙人张海军律师认为，在经济下行及国际政治经济形势严峻的多重影响下，中国大型律所目前最要关注的是如何保持大盘稳定，需要及时响应市场需求的变化并快速完成业务线的调整，同时还要做到监管方面的合法合规。

“鉴于近两年企业陷入困境引发债务问题的情况显著增加，法律服务市场上对争议解决、破产重组、不良资产处置等需求大幅上升，同时，常法咨询、投资并购、基金业务等非诉业务相应减少。大型律所可以发挥大团队及全专业服务的综合优势，加大对需求增加领域的专业人员及平台资源的投入，缩减业务需求减少的部门资源，并内部通过培训实现调岗，尽可能避免及减少裁员的情况。”

张律师提出上述建议时，也介绍了中伦文德的做法。首先如前所述，加大对破产重组、不良资产处置、争议解决领域的律师团队及平台资源的投入，对于业务需求明显减少的部门，减少该领域的人力资源及平台资源的闲置，降低律所损耗；其次是加大对新领域的投入与研究，比如ESG、合规、新能源、新基建领域等，使中伦文德新领域业务站在行业前沿；另外，认真贯彻行业监管，合法合规经营，为合伙人及律师的展业提供稳定的平台支持。

建纬的宋仲春律师则指出，就内部风险而言，随着人员的增长，规模化律所往往面临更高的运营成本、更频繁的利益冲突情形，这些难题和挑战对律所规范化内部管理提出了更高要求。

天驰君泰的张合律师表示，在律所扩张前，管理策略的制定、平台的搭建就应该先行，以确保律所能够有序运行。另外，天驰君泰管委会注重对律师的关怀，其措施包括搭建有效沟通平台，加强专业技能培训，并提升所内公共服务团队的专业水准，从财务、人力资源、业务支持等方面提升服务能力，协助律师提升办事效率。

盈科的李正律师则以团结、创新、开放、执行这几个词概括应对挑战的方法，并着重介绍了创新和执行层面。“盈科多年来的发展正是倚靠了不间断的制度和模式创新，摸索出了党建引领、管委会领导、监事会监察之下的职业经理人负责制。职业经理人的任务是把律所的各项战略执行到位，并负责律所日常运营和管理工作，真正做到服务好客户、服务好律师，这是多年来盈科发展壮大的根本。”

泰和泰的李擎宇律师则表示，在管理复杂、业务创新、人才吸纳等挑战之外，国际化背景也造成了涉外法律服务的激烈竞争，而法律咨询公司、法律科技公司、四大会计师事务所等替代性法律服务供应商在各自领域具有优势，可能会侵蚀律所的专属领域。

“为了应对这些问题，我们认为可以考虑以下思路：第一，明确战略定位，规模化律所应当根据自己的实际情况，制定并实施调整自己的发展战略；第二，重视人才发展，设计科学合理的人才结构、晋升机制、薪酬比例，以提高创收和利润率；第三，强化数字化建设，泰和泰已发布泰云3.0系统，包括云管理、云办案、云智库、云课堂四大核心系统；第四，跨界融合，泰和泰在解构自身法律服务机构这一传统、单一的身份，希望将法律服务与会计、审计、综合评估、管理咨询等融合，为客户打造一站式服务法律平台。”李律师说。

开辟新机

如前所述，规模化道路并不是律所唯一的发展策略，且路漫漫其修远兮，但各受访律所均不会在短时间内偏离规模化之路，并已结合自身发展状况和环境做出相应规划。

盈科尤为重视国际化。李正律师说，国际化作为盈科的第一战略，仍是盈科首要发展目标，计划将于2026年完成100家直营直投直管的海外分所建设，同时与100家国际法律服务机构建立合作，搭建并丰富扩大“全球一小时法律服务生态圈”，加强国际涉外法治人才队伍建设，打造盈科全球华人家族传承法律服务中心。

“在业务层面，盈科将持续关注碳达峰和碳中和、乡村振兴等创新领域；在管理层面，中国区董事会监事会建立健全各区域董事会和监事会，以此推动区域分所的一体化建设，并建立各分所的创始合伙人制度，增强分所股权合伙人的荣誉感、归属感。”李律师补充道。

泰和泰的李擎宇律师称一体化是未来发展的必然方向。“在实现风控一体化的基础上，我们将逐步实现市场推广一体化、业务形象一体化、品牌制度一体化及战略一体化等重要方面。”

极致的专业化服务是泰和泰下一阶段做大做强的重要发展战略。李律师表示泰和泰将致力于提升律师个人业务专业化，从而构建优秀的团队；加强各地分所及部门间的合作，打通内部的沟通脉络；发掘和培养更多有潜力的业务方向，吸纳该方面的专业人才；集中在某些领域打造自己的专业品牌，提高专业化程度，占有相应的市场。

中伦文德的张海军律师说，律所讲人和，“中伦文德将继续加大对内部律师成长为合伙人的扶持力度，培训自己的合伙人队伍；并用自己的品牌资源吸引外部优秀的合伙人团队、优秀律所的资深律师加盟。”

中伦文德还将逐步加大海外市场的布局，考虑在新加坡等东南亚国家、美国、欧洲等地开设新的分支机构，在求稳的基础上，逐步做大做强。而在业务领域方面，张律师称中伦文德在私募股权基金投资、不动产资产证券化（REITs）、中概股、网络金融及资本市场的科创板业务、数据合规、人工智能、碳达峰及碳中和、元宇宙等新型及热点法律业务领域加大投入与研究，正努力形成有优势的法律服务产品。

明年是天驰君泰成立的三十周年。张合律师表示，天驰君泰将在适度规模化的同时不断提升行业服务能力，加强信息化建设，推动数字化转型，调整自身策略方向，推动业务不断发展。

而在建纬，宋仲春律师表示：“我们将继续兼顾高度专业化和适度规模化，坚持从专业化到行业化的发展方向，进一步细分、强化传统优势业务板块，结合政策导向与客户需求，同时向行业的上下游拓展延伸法律服务领域，并不断从优势板块向相邻行业进行拓展。”

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2023 ALB China Top 30 Largest Law Firms

 

Upscaling is a developmental strategy that China's large firms have been pursuing for a considerable period, but they are also consistently making adjustments to it. Several winners on this year's ALB China Top 30 Largest Law Firms list emphasise that numerical growth alone does not adequately measure the magnitude of a firm. With an increase in the size of a firm, there arises a proportional increase in the number of pressing issues that demand resolution. Therefore, understanding what it truly means to be a large firm is better explored through various perspectives, such as specialisation and integration.

 

After over two months of collecting information and conducting research, ALB is pleased to present the 2023 ALB China Top 30 Largest Law Firms list. Compiled with data up to the end of July this year, the list is organised based on the total number of lawyers, with a separate breakdown for partners and associates.

In the realm of domestic firms, Yingke Law Firm and Dacheng Law Offices have maintained their positions as the top two, with minor changes observed in the ranking of the other top ten firms compared to the previous year. Notable movements include Tahota Law Firm, Zhonglun W&D Law Firm, and China Commercial Law Firm, each advancing by two, two, and three places to the fifth, ninth, and tenth positions, respectively. Other firms within this range have experienced minimal alterations.

Within the 11-to-30 range, Guanghe Law Firm, headquartered in Shenzhen, has undergone the most significant change, rising nine places to the 19th position. Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm, Hiways Law Firm, and TianTai Law Firm have all ascended by four spots to claim the 14th, 18th, and 22nd positions, respectively. The remaining firms from the previous year's rankings have either remained unchanged or shifted within a three-place range. Additionally, this band welcomes three new entries this year: Kangda Law Firm (21st), Leaqual Law Firm (27th), and Jingtian & Gongcheng (28th).

Regarding the total number of lawyers, only Yingke Law Firm has surpassed the 10,000 threshold, while Dacheng Law Offices boasts over 5,000 lawyers. There are 11 firms with lawyer counts ranging from 2,000 to 5,000. Firms ranked 14th to 29th all fall within the 1,000 to 2,000 lawyer range. JunHe LLP, holding the 30th position, has 961 lawyers. These figures suggest that having over 1,000 lawyers in total may be a threshold for any domestic firm aspiring to make it to the top 30.

Upon comparing recent rankings, it becomes apparent that while changes among the top ten firms are relatively modest, there are significant fluctuations in the rankings from 11 to 30. New entrants emerge each year, leading to the inevitable departure of some previous winners from the top 30. Consequently, it is challenging for a firm to secure a spot on the list for multiple consecutive years or to improve its ranking consistently.

Li Qingyu, Management Committee member of Tahota Law Firm and Director of its Chongqing office, underscores the urgency arising from heightened market competition for large firms. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the legal industry in China has witnessed a growth rate exceeding 10 percent in recent years. While this indicates considerable room for industry development, it also means that leading firms face a more intricate and fierce competitive landscape.

Leaders of several winning firms on this year's list share their insights with ALB on new perspectives regarding upscaling and strategies for maintaining a competitive edge.

QUANTITY VERSUS QUALITY

Currently, many firms are opting for upscaling as a strategic approach to enhance their competitiveness and continuously expand their influence. However, all the firms interviewed underscore that achieving a larger scale involves much more than a mere numbers game.

Li from Tahota Law Firm highlights that, externally, the total number of Tahota lawyers increased by 17 percent in the past year, and the cumulative business revenue for 2023 rose nearly 20 percent year-on-year. He emphasises, "Our strategic focus is not solely on increasing the number of lawyers. What matters more to us is building the quality of our brand as a full-service firm. Our objective is to efficiently collaborate across domains, lead in multiple core practice areas, and deliver in-depth services to our clients."

He defines a "large" firm as one that possesses a larger size, holds a significant market share, boasts more lawyers, offices, high-quality clients, and total revenue. Being a large firm also entails excellence in professionalism, internationalisation, innovation, client-centeredness, historical evolution, and branding. Li asserts that a firm earns the designation "large" by standing the test of time.

Following these principles, Tahota has consistently followed the path of moderate size and high specialisation. Li explains, "Pursuing moderate expansion contributes to a firm's market presence and business development. The actual size, pace, and development node, however, are determined by each firm based on different strategic goals and management systems." He emphasises that specialisation is the foundation for overall strength, institutional presence is the core means to build a legal services network, and internationalisation is the only viable path for long-term development.

Similarly, Zhonglun W&D Law Firm is also dedicated to quality-oriented upscaling. Xia Yuqin, Director and senior partner of Zhonglun W&D, states that scaling up is not merely about maximising the size and snowballing; instead, it should involve expanding into new markets while ensuring quality.

"In terms of specialisation, Zhonglun W&D plans to focus on talent recruitment and internal collaboration in five to eight selected areas to secure a position in the top tier of those areas." Xia further explains that the firm has bolstered cohesion and appeal through reforms in financial rules, internal governance mechanisms, and mid and back-office services. The firm has also promoted interaction between the headquarters and branch offices in terms of business cooperation, brand effect, and professional training to achieve integrated development.

Song Zhongchun, Deputy Director of City Development Law Firm and Director of its Beijing office, also emphasises the importance of specialisation. He notes that industry peers are increasingly focused on the professional development of multiple practice areas or the combination of specialisation and scale.

According to Song, in the past year, City Development Law Firm opened a new Changchun office, added 15 partners and about 80 full-time lawyers, and increased revenue by 40 percent compared to the previous year. However, he underscores that when opening offices, the firm prioritises professionalism. "Before establishing a branch office, we conduct 'due diligence' by interviewing key partners, visiting local lawyers' associations, and judicial administrative departments to ensure alignment with our firm in terms of professionalism."

"In this evolving environment, large firms need even stronger comprehensive qualities and capabilities, including advantages in talent, expertise, market, and management, to better respond to market changes." Zhang He, Director of the Management Committee of TianTai Law Firm, shares the view that an increase in numbers does not necessarily represent an increase in the overall strength of a firm.

"TianTai Law Firm has consistently focused on professional capacity-building. In this process, upscaling can effectively promote the specialisation and professional development of lawyers. By building professional teams and assisting lawyers in choosing practice areas, we can enhance teamwork capabilities, thereby better meeting client needs."

Yingke Law Firm, despite its remarkable growth in size, has not limited itself to quantitative expansion. In 2021, the firm unveiled a new stage of high-quality development featuring "internationalisation, specialisation, digital transformation, and carbon neutrality." According to Li Zheng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yingke China and Executive Chairman of Yingke China, scale remains the foundation for Yingke's development. The firm will continue to leverage its size advantages to expand its international presence, focus on professional capacity-building, and participate actively in market competition. Simultaneously, the firm aims to accelerate digital transformation, create an integrated digital platform, and strive to become a "global leading firm."

IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES

In the past year, many large firms in China have faced downward pressure on total revenue. In the midst of various uncertainties, it is crucial for these firms to address and resolve key issues as they navigate expansion.

According to Zhang Haijun, Senior Partner and Director of the Executive Committee at Zhonglun W&D Law Firm, China's large firms are currently grappling with the challenge of maintaining overall stability amidst factors like economic downturn and complex international political and economic dynamics. Zhang emphasises the importance of promptly responding to changes in market demand, swiftly adjusting business lines, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

"Given the significant increase in debt problems resulting from corporate difficulties over the past two years, there has been a surge in demand for legal services, such as dispute resolution, bankruptcy reorganisation, and non-performing asset disposal. Conversely, non-contentious services like general legal advisory, investment, M&A, and fund services have seen a decline. Large firms can leverage their extensive teams and comprehensive service offerings to increase investment in professionals and platform resources in areas with heightened demand, while strategically reallocating resources away from departments with reduced business demand. Additionally, internal job transfers through training can be implemented to minimise layoffs as much as possible."

Zhang also provides insights into Zhonglun W&D's approach, highlighting increased investment in teams and platform resources in growing demand, such as bankruptcy reorganisation, non-performing asset disposal, and dispute resolution. For departments experiencing significantly reduced business needs, the firm has streamlined excess human resources and platform resources to control costs. Furthermore, Zhonglun W&D has invested in and researched new fields like ESG, compliance, new energy, and new infrastructure to stay at the forefront of emerging practice areas. The firm is committed to industry regulation and compliance to provide a stable platform for partners and associates.

In addressing internal risks, Song points out that large firms, with an expanding headcount, often face higher operating costs and more frequent conflict of interest scenarios. These challenges underscore the need for standardised internal management practices within law firms.

Zhang from TianTai Law Firm emphasises the importance of formulating management strategies and establishing proper platforms before expanding. TianTai's Management Committee focuses on supporting lawyers by building effective communication platforms, strengthening professional skills training, and enhancing the professional standards of the shared services team to improve service capabilities in finance, human resources, and business support, ultimately boosting work efficiency.

Li from Yingke Law Firm advocates dealing with challenges through unity, innovation, openness, and execution. Emphasising innovation and execution, he states, "Yingke's development relies on continuous system and model innovation, including exploring a professional manager responsibility system under the guidance of Party building, the leadership of the Management Committee, and the supervision of the Board of Supervisors. The professional manager is tasked with executing the firm's strategies, overseeing daily operations, and ensuring client and lawyer satisfaction, forming the foundation of Yingke's growth."

Li of Tahota Law Firm acknowledges challenges in complex management, business innovation, and talent attraction, highlighting the fierce competition for cross-border legal services in the era of internationalisation. He proposes several strategies, including clarifying strategic positioning based on actual conditions, designing a scientific talent structure and promotion mechanism to boost revenue generation and improve profit margins, strengthening digital capabilities through initiatives like the Tahota Cloud 3.0 system, and fostering cross-domain integration to create a comprehensive one-stop service platform for clients that extends beyond traditional legal services.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

As previously mentioned, upscaling is not the sole development strategy for firms, and there is a considerable journey ahead. Nonetheless, all the interviewed firms express their commitment to staying on the path of upscaling in the short term, aligning their plans with their unique developmental stages and environments.

Yingke Law Firm places significant emphasis on internationalisation, considering it the foremost strategy. Li of Yingke states that internationalisation remains the firm's primary development goal. By 2026, Yingke plans to open 100 overseas offices directly operated, invested, and managed by the headquarters. The firm aims to establish collaborations with 100 international legal service institutions, build and expand the "global one-hour legal services ecosystem," cultivate a team of international cross-border legal talents, and establish the Yingke global Chinese family inheritance legal services centre. In terms of practice areas, Yingke will continue to focus on innovative fields such as carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, rural revitalisation, etc. The firm also intends to enhance regional integration by establishing regional boards of directors and boards of supervisors and a founding partner system for each branch office to elevate the sense of honour and belonging of equity partners.

For Tahota Law Firm, Li sees integration as the inevitable direction of future development. "On the basis of achieving integrated risk control, we will gradually integrate marketing, business image, branding, strategy, and other important aspects." Pursuing excellence in professional services is a key strategy for Tahota's growth. Li Qingyu outlines the firm's focus on improving the professionalisation of individual lawyers, fostering collaboration between offices and departments, exploring and expanding into market potential practice areas, attracting professionals in those fields, and building a professional brand in selected areas to enhance specialisation and market share.

Harmony among colleagues is emphasised by Zhang of Zhonglun W&D Law Firm. The firm plans to increase support for lawyers to grow into partners and will attract external partner teams and senior lawyers by leveraging brand resources. Zhonglun W&D also envisions gradual expansion overseas, considering new offices in Singapore, other Southeast Asian countries, the United States, Europe, etc., focusing on stability. Zhang Haijun anticipates increased investment and research in emerging legal areas such as private equity investment, real estate asset securitisation (REITs), China concepts stocks, Internet finance, STAR Market business, data compliance, artificial intelligence, carbon peaking, carbon neutrality, and the metaverse.

As TianTai Law Firm approaches its 30th anniversary in 2024, Zhang He outlines the firm's commitment to improving industry service capabilities, pursuing moderate expansion, advancing information technology development, promoting digital transformation, and adjusting its strategic direction to facilitate continuous business growth.

At City Development Law Firm, Song underscores the emphasis on both professionalism and moderate scale. The firm aims to transition from professionalism to specialisation, reinforcing traditional advantageous practice areas, extending legal services to industry upstream and downstream in alignment with policy guidance and client needs, and expanding from advantageous sectors to adjacent industries.