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YANG LIN 杨林, HUANG YUANBING 黄远兵, CHEN YAOQUAN 陈耀权, YANG JIE  杨杰

 

随着大型律师事务所逐渐完成在粤港澳大湾区的布局,过去两年,许多律所开始提出大湾区整体发展策略,希望通过整合该区域的资源、人员,为客户提供更优质服务。ALB对话大湾区律所管理合伙人,请他们分享了律所在大湾区发展的全新策略,以及在大湾区重点布局的产业及业务领域。

 

ALB:贵所目前在粤港澳大湾区的布局情况如何?贵所如何制定综合性的大湾区发展策略?

杨林律师,卓建律师事务所创始合伙人、律所主任、执委会主任:粤港澳大湾区是卓建所重点布局的区域,也是卓建所的根基所在。目前,我们在深圳区域部署了卓建总所、龙岗分所、龙华分所、光明分所、坪山分所、深汕特别合作区分所;在东莞、广州、中山、湛江设立了分所。到2027年,我们将有条件基本实现粤港澳大湾区全覆盖,包括正在筹建中的珠海分所、中澳横琴联营所、佛山分所、茂名分所、肇庆分所、惠州分所、清远分所。此外,我们还将设立深圳前海、深圳河套中港联营所。

卓建在粤港澳大湾区的发展策略,把握“一个中心,三个方面”的原则。一个中心,就是粤港澳大湾区要成为卓建全国布局及国际化的中心支撑,三个方面分别是:持续提升卓建在粤港澳大湾区的品牌力和聚合力;持续强化卓建粤港澳大湾区对全国乃至国际布局的带动力和影响力;持续推行卓建粤港澳大湾区的示范效应。

黄远兵律师,泰和泰(深圳)律师事务所执行主任:粤港澳大湾区拥有国内最有活力的市场、最完整的产业链条和最前沿的对外开放阵地,是全世界经济活跃度最高的区域之一,是国内国际经济双循环新发展格局的新支点。一直以来,泰和泰将粤港澳大湾区的业务发展作为重点布局之一,先后设立了深圳、香港及广州办公室,构成了对大湾区法律服务市场的体系化覆盖,并将依托在大湾区的布局,衔接和释放泰和泰全球网络资源。

陈耀权律师,天同律师事务所管理委员会委员、深圳办公室负责人:随着粤港澳大湾区商业、贸易、金融等多个领域要素的不断深入融合,粤港澳跨境民商事争议案件量的增长态势也迅速上升,市场需求日益增强。推动大湾区法律服务开放也是目前业内诸多法律同仁都在关注并热议的话题。

杨杰律师,广悦律师事务所主任:广悦是一家立足大湾区的律师事务所,目前在广州、深圳设有办公室,香港办公室正在筹备中。大湾区是我们非常看好的市场,因其既有广州、深圳等经济发达的一线城市,又有香港、澳门等与国际接轨的特别行政区。结合自身的优势,广悦制定了“立足湾区、协同港澳、面向世界”的发展战略。近些年,广悦也一直在坚定地执行该战略。除广州、深圳外,广悦已先后设立了泰国曼谷、美国洛杉矶、澳大利亚悉尼、土耳其联盟办公室,东京办公室也于12月底正式成立,不仅如此,我们香港、新加坡、罗马的办公室也在积极筹划中。

ALB:贵所重点关注于大湾区哪些优势产业?在这些产业领域建立了怎样的服务能力和优势?

杨林律师:除了传统的法律服务之外,卓建在大湾区将紧密围绕湾区规划的产业布局,结合深圳十四五规划面向未来的“20+8”产业,做精做专法律服务,为经济、社会及大局服务,践行粤港澳大湾区头部律所的使命和担当。在高科技、智能制造、人工智能、信息化、数字化、海洋经济、新能源、知识产权、涉外等领域持续加大投入,培养高精尖的法律服务人才。目前,我们在智能制造、数据合规、知识产权、涉外等领域已经打下了坚实的基础,下一步,我们将持续加强未来领域的人才培训和引进,从专业深入到行业,不断提升服务能力。

黄远兵律师:粤港澳大湾区作为全球重要的制造中心,产业基础雄厚,产业链条完整。目前,粤港澳大湾区已形成通信电子信息产业、新能源汽车产业、无人机产业、机器人产业等产业集群,是中国建设世界级城市群和参与全球竞争的重要空间载体。

我们重点关注先进制造业(高端装备制造、新材料)、新兴产业(半导体与集成电路、高端装备制造、智能机器人、区块链与量子信息、生物技术)、现代服务业(金融、教育、健康、文化娱乐、商贸、信息服务等各类专业服务业)、海洋经济(天然气水合物、海洋风电为代表的海洋新能源、海洋生物医药、海洋工程装备制造业、海洋金融、海洋环保等新兴产业)等优势产业。

一直以来泰和泰十分关注粤港澳大湾区的市场需要,重点发展资本市场、跨境贸易、数字经济、合规管理、知识产权、投资并购、争议解决、海事海商等市场需求旺盛的业务领域。以资本市场为例,泰和泰充分利用深圳和深交所、中小板以及香港联交所的地缘优势,做大做强资本市场业务。在境外投资领域,泰和泰充分利用香港、深圳前海是中国企业走出去的“窗口地区”的地理优势,着重发展境外投资业务。

陈耀权律师:天同深圳办公室从2017年设立以来,即注重市场调研和客户需求分析,通过与客户的深入沟通和了解,我们能够更好地把握大湾区的法律服务需求,并为客户提供定制化的解决方案。

其次,我们重视人才培养。我们致力于吸引并培养具有国际化背景和专业知识的律师,他们能够更好地适应粤港澳大湾区“一国两制三法域”的特殊法律环境,满足客户对多元化法律服务的需求。

杨杰律师:作为一家在湾区成长了十五年的律师事务所,我们不仅对湾区有着深厚的感情,更有自己的独特理解。我们重点关注湾区的城市更新、数字经济、海事海商等优势产业,不仅在上述产业成立了专业的律师团队,且多次获得业内的肯定。比如在房地产领域,我们曾荣登《商法》卓越律所大奖:建筑及基础设施榜单、房地产投资及REIT基金榜单;在互联网与数字经济领域,我们曾荣登Legal 500亚太地区:TMT领域潜力律所榜单,代理的案件曾获评为《商法》年度杰出交易;在涉外法律服务领域,我们曾3年荣登Asialaw航空与航运领域值得关注律所榜单和Legal 500航运领域榜单,2次荣登《商法》卓越律所大奖:海事海商榜单。这几个领域内的领军律师,包括黄山律师、王敬律师、我自己等也多次获得过国际评级机构的推荐。

ALB:在法律业务领域,贵所近期有哪些重点关注板块?

杨林律师:我们关注粤港澳大湾区规划布局支持发展和重点引入的产业领域,包括但不限于高科技、智能制造、人工智能、信息化、数字化、海洋经济、新能源、知识产权等,我们在合规(数字、税务、刑事)、涉外(港澳、东南亚、欧美)、能源、破产与重整、数字化智能化板块尤为关注。

黄远兵律师:一是跨境投资与并购,提供跨境法律服务的能力将成为律师事务所的核心竞争力。粤港澳大湾区作为涉及两大法系、三个关税区、三个司法裁判区的特殊区域,对于跨境法律服务的需求十分突出。

二是科技创新、人工智能与数字经济,在全球一流湾区,科技创新已成为区域发展新引擎。2023年爆火的ChatGPT,引发关于人工智能应用的普及以及行业数字化转型的探索。

三是争议解决/仲裁,目前粤港澳三地仲裁规则衔接,支持仲裁机构持续完善与国际接轨的仲裁规则。另外我们也重点关注环境、社会和治理 (ESG) 、知识产权、海事海商等业务领域。

陈耀权律师:粤港澳大湾区凭借其强大的经济体量为法律服务提供了广阔的市场,其活跃的资本环境促进经济建设的同时也产生了大量的风险和纠纷。

就目前大湾区重点发展产业体系分析,首先,我们关注跨境投资和国际贸易领域。大湾区作为国际贸易和投资的重要枢纽,吸引了大量的跨国企业和投资者。我们在国际贸易、外商直投和跨境并购等领域具有丰富的经验和优秀案例。

其次,我们专注于知识产权和科技创新领域。大湾区是中国创新创业的重要基地,拥有众多高科技企业和创新项目。天同引入了知识产权服务板块,并打造了一支由资深律师、实务专家以及知名高校学者组成的知识产权诉讼团队,帮助客户处理疑难复杂的知识产权纠纷。

此外,我们也关注金融、房地产、文旅、能源与环境等领域,涉及项目合作开发、证券虚假陈述、公司控制权争夺、商业秘密保护及不正当竞争等纠纷,每年均代理了在业内颇具影响力的标杆案件。

杨杰律师:法律业务领域我们主要关注境内外数据合规、网络游戏、数据出境、ODI、涉外知识产权等板块。

ALB:目前贵所在大湾区发展过程中面临哪些挑战?又有怎样的化解之道?

杨林律师:我们目前在大湾区遇到的挑战主要包括以下几个方面:一是法律服务市场在实践端所呈现出的整体下滑;二是北京、上海等外地分所的持续增加,以及境外律所设立办事处,进一步加剧了区域竞争;三是高昂的成本及费用让自我规模化及品质提升的速度减缓,降低了竞争力;四是人才竞争处于第二梯队,为未来的持续发展留下了隐患。

主要的解决措施对应如下:一是打造一体化智能化的平台,为律师作业和服务赋能;二是按照自己的节奏降本增效;三是稳中求进推进全国及国际化布局;四是扩大意向高校的校招范围,第一手锁定人才,并出台青年律师扶持计划招揽优秀人才。

黄远兵律师:同行竞争:区际律所联盟、合作组织的兴起推进港澳与内地法律服务的对接,我们直面香港律所、澳门律所、外国律所的竞争。同时,内地各大律所纷纷在大湾区重点布局以及本地律所规模化加速,竞争非常激烈。

法律制度与文化差异:大湾区独有的“一个国家、两种制度、三个法域、三个关税区、三种语言”的格局。制度之外,文化和语言的差异使得法律服务在跨境交流与合作方面遭遇了一些隐形障碍。

法律服务市场需求越来越高:大湾区高速发展的产业态势对法律服务能力的要求越来越高,在这种“快”节奏面前需要不断推陈出新。

人才吸引培养:我们还需要大力加强律师涉外法律服务能力的培养,不断提升我们律师 “走出去”的法律服务能力。

立足大湾区、深耕大湾区,用法律服务助推社会经济和文化的发展是泰和泰的着重发力点。2022年8月,泰和泰香港办公室3位律师,正式取得了粤港澳大湾区律师执业资格,作为深圳市首批大湾区律师,获准加入泰和泰深圳办公室执业。

未来,泰和泰还将持续在吸引培养高端涉外人才建设上发力,并针对性地进行市场拓展,投入大量的人力、财力及物力在细分领域研发法律服务产品,以为客户提供更优质的服务为最终落脚点。

我们坚持“数智化”赋能律所发展构建云上律所,坚持风险防控构建低风险律所,坚持创新驱动律所可持续发展,聚焦“深度服务客户、多核业务领军、跨域高效协作”的二五规划战略目标,不断突破、超越、创新。

陈耀权律师:深圳作为粤港澳大湾区的重点经济活跃城市之一,其跨境法律服务可辐射范围之广,以及大湾区内营商环境的优化和区域深度合作,为法律服务市场带来大量机会的同时也带来了诸多挑战,最直观的问题就是大湾区内涉及多个行政区域和法律体系造成的法律环境差异。

未来,我们将密切关注大湾区执业律师制度的发展、积极参与相关政策的研究和讨论,为大湾区法律服务开放和法律服务市场健康发展提供建设性的意见和建议。

其次,天同也会持续关注南沙、前海、横琴等平台的建设和发展,积极与当地政府和企业建立合作关系,为这些平台的发展提供法律支持和咨询服务。

此外,天同还注重技术创新和数字化转型。我们正在积极推动律所内部的数字化转型,包括研发在线服务。深圳作为粤港澳大湾区的重点经济活跃城市之一,其营商环境的优化及区域深度合作,促使了大湾区内的高度经济活跃,为法律服务市场带来大量机会的同时也带来了诸多挑战。我们也会持续关注人工智能、区块链等新兴技术的发展,探索将其应用于法律服务的多种可能性。

杨杰律师:目前面临的挑战主要是与全国性大所、区域化大所在湾区的差异化发展问题,如何扬长避短,发挥湾区律所的优势,是我们一直保持思考的问题。

我们认为湾区的律所应当充分发挥对湾区市场尤其是法律服务市场深刻理解的优势,发扬湾区律所务实稳健的风格,才有可能克服挑战,共同打造湾区多元化的法律服务生态。

ALB:大湾区有许多方兴未艾的规划,例如大湾区执业律师制度;南沙、前海、横琴平台的持续建设……面对这些规划,贵所做了哪些“面向未来”的布局,以实现在大湾区的持续发展?

杨林律师:诚如前面所言,主要是以下几方面的布局:一是粤港澳大湾区重点区域(9+2)全覆盖的分支机构布局;二是前海、横琴、河套联营所布局;三是以粤港澳大湾区服务输出为导向的国际化布局,香港、新加坡、东京、纽约等分支机构的设立;四是前述机构自身快速成长以及在资源、业务和服务上加快打通和融合的进程。

黄远兵律师:粤港澳大湾区作为我国重要的战略部署,具有明显的区位优势,我们也将会利用好这一优势,部署律所在粤港澳大湾区的整体法律服务布局。

为此,泰和泰将紧随国家发展战略展开全国布局,泰和泰深圳、广州及香港办公室将重点加强其战略协同,同时衔接泰和泰全球平台和网络,整合境内外法律资源,提升专业实力和影响力。

同时,我们也将利用好湾区“9+2”城市的鼓励与优惠政策,适机拓展服务网络,不断加强与大湾区律师的合作交流,借助港澳律师所独有的国际化经验背景,推动我们律师涉外服务能力的提升,衔接境内境外资源,助力中国企业“走出去”发展。

陈耀权律师:天同律师事务所将继续致力于在粤港澳大湾区建立稳固的业务基础。我们将继续关注市场需求,提升专业能力,与合作伙伴共同发展。在参与打造更加公平、正义的法律生态圈的使命引领下,为客户提供更加全方位、高质量的法律服务。我们相信,通过持续的努力和不断的创新,天同律师事务所将在粤港澳大湾区实现持续发展并取得更大的成功。

杨杰律师:我们坚信湾区有一个充满活力和希望的未来,也坚信湾区一定会给法律服务行业带来更多的机会,但我们认为抓住机会的核心要素是人才。

因此广悦除持续引入高度专业化的本土人才外,还积极响应政策,引入香港澳门的大湾区律师,目前广悦已引进了六位大湾区律师,未来我们还会持续引进大湾区律师,丰富我们的专业团队,更好地为海内外客户提供优质的法律服务。


 

Managing Partner Roundtable: Greater Bay Area

Prominent law firms have taken a strategic view of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), with many embarking on comprehensive GBA development strategies in the last two years. Their objective is to enhance client services by seamlessly integrating resources and talent across the region. In this roundtable, leaders of law firms operating in the GBA delve into their growth strategies for the area.

 

ALB:Can you tell us about your firm’s presence in the GBA at the moment? How would you describe your development strategy for the region?

Yang Lin, founding partner and director at Guangdong Zhuo Jian Law Firm: The GBA is the focus and the foundation of Zhuo Jian Law Firm. At present, we have branches in Shenzhen including Longgang, Longhua, Guangming, Pingshan and Shenzhen-Shantou special cooperation zone, as well as branches in Dongguan, Guangzhou, Zhongshan and Zhanjiang. By 2027, we will basically cover the whole GBA market, including offices that are under construction in Zhuhai, Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, Foshan, Maoming, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Qingyuan. In addition, we will also set up Shenzhen Qianhai and Lok Ma Chau Loop mainland China-Hong Kong joint venture.

Zhuo Jian’s GBA development strategy is based on the principle of one center and three aspects. One center is GBA becoming the pivot for the firm’s national and international layout. The three aspects refer to enhancing Zhuo Jian's branding and convergence in GBA, strengthening the firm’s leading position and influence on the national and international layout, as well as improving our leading position across the region.

Huang Yuanbing, director at Tahota (Shenzhen) Law Firm: The GBA owns the most dynamic market, and the most complete industrial chain and is a perfect place that links to the global market. It is one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world, as well as a new pivot of the domestic and international economic development pattern. Tahota has been focusing on the GBA and has set up offices in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. This completely covers the legal service market in the GBA. Based on the layout of the GBA, Tahota will expand its global network.

Chen Yaoquan, head at TianTong Law Firm Shenzhen Office: With the deepening integration of business, trade, finance and other fields in GBA and the increasing number of cross-border civil and commercial disputes between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the market demand for legal services is increasing. Promoting the development of legal services in the GBA is also a hot topic for many peers in the legal industry.

Yang Jie, director at Wang Jing & GH Law Firm: Wang Jing & GH Law Firm is based in the GBA, with offices in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. We are also preparing to launch a Hong Kong office. We are very optimistic about the potential of the GBA market, as it includes first-tier cities with developed economies such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen, while it is adjacent to special administrative regions such as Hong Kong and Macau. With its advantages, Guan Wang Jing & GH Law Firm has launched a development strategy of "based on the GBA, collaborating with Hong Kong and Macao and facing the global market". In recent years, the firm has been actively following the strategy. In addition to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Wang Jing & GH Law Firm has set up offices in Bangkok, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Turkey, and our Tokyo office will be established at the end of December. In addition, our offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Rome are also under preparation.

 

ALB:What industries in the GBA does your firm focus on? What kind of capabilities and strengths have you built up to better cater to these industries?

Yang Lin: In addition to traditional legal services, Zhuo Jian Law Firm will improve legal services by closely following GBA’s industrial layout and Shenzhen's 14th Five-Year Plan to serve the development of the economy and society. We continue to invest in high-tech, smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), informatization, digitalization, ocean economy, new energy, intellectual property rights, and foreign-related areas, and cultivate legal service talents. Currently, we have laid a solid foundation in the fields of intelligent manufacturing, data compliance, intellectual property rights, and foreign-related matters. We plan to continue to strengthen the hiring and training of talents to improve our service capability.

Huang: As a global manufacturing center, Guangdong, GBA has a strong industrial foundation and a complete industrial chain. So far, GBA has formed industrial clusters covering the communication and electronic information industry, new energy automobile industry, drones and robotics. It is an important carrier for China to build a world-class urban agglomeration and participate in global competition.

We focus on advanced manufacturing (high-end equipment manufacturing and new materials), emerging industries (semiconductors and integrated circuits, high-end equipment manufacturing, intelligent robots, blockchain, quantum information and biotechnology), modern services (finance, education, health, culture and entertainment, commerce, information services), and the maritime economy (new marine energy such as gas hydrates and wind power, marine biomedicine, marine finance and marine environmental protection).

Tahota has been paying close attention to the GBA market, focusing on areas with strong market demand, such as capital market, cross-border trade, digital economy, compliance management, intellectual property rights, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), dispute resolution, as well as maritime and offshore business. Taking the capital market as an example, Tahota makes full use of the geographical advantages of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong to strengthen its capital market business. In the field of overseas investment, Tahota takes advantage of Shenzhen Qianhai and Hong Kong to develop its overseas investment business.

Chen: Since the establishment of the TianTong Law Firm Shenzhen office in 2017, we have focused on market research and analysis of clients' demand. Through in-depth communication with our clients, we manage to better grasp the demand for legal services in the GBA and provide customized solutions.

In addition, we value talent development. We are committed to attracting and cultivating lawyers with international backgrounds and professional knowledge, who can better adapt to the special legal environment of "one country, two systems and three jurisdictions" in the GBA and meet clients' needs for diversified legal services.

Yang Jie: Our law firm has been developing in the GBA for 15 years and we not only have a deep affection for the region but also have a unique understanding of the area.

We focus on the region’s competitive industries such as urban renewal, digital economy, and maritime business. We have set up professional teams covering the above industries, which have been recognized by the industry.

ALB: In the field of legal practice, what areas will your firm focus on in the near future?

Yang Lin: We focus on the sectors that are supported by GBA’s policies, including high-tech, smart manufacturing, AI, information technology, digitalization, ocean economy, new energy and intellectual property rights, among others. We particularly keep an eye on compliance (digital, tax, criminal), foreign-related areas (Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia, Europe and the U.S.), energy, insolvency and restructuring, and digitalization and intelligence.

Huang: We pay attention to cross-border investment and M&A. The ability to provide cross-border legal services will become the core competitiveness of law firms, as GBA involves two major legal systems, three tariff zones and three jurisdictions.

Technology innovation, AI and the digital economy are also one of our areas of focus. Technology innovation has become a new engine of GBA’s development. In 2023, the popularity of ChatGPT triggered the application of AI as well as the digital transformation of different industries.

In addition, we also pay attention to dispute resolution and arbitration. We also focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG), intellectual property rights and maritime businesses.

Chen: GBA provides a broad market for legal services based on its developed economy, and its vibrant capital market facilitates economic development while generating a large number of risks and disputes.

Based on the key development of the industrial system in GBA, first of all, we focus on cross-border investment and international trade. As an important hub for international trade and investment, GBA has attracted many multinational enterprises and investors. We have rich experience and excellent cases in international trade, foreign direct investment and cross-border M&A.

We also specialize in intellectual property and technology innovation. GBA is an important base for innovation in China, with many high-tech enterprises and innovative projects being based here. TianTong Law Firm has introduced an intellectual property service segment. We have launched an intellectual property litigation team consisting of senior lawyers, practice experts and scholars from renowned universities to help clients deal with difficult and complex intellectual property disputes.

Meanwhile, we also focus on finance, real estate, tourism, energy and environment, involving project cooperation and development, securities misrepresentation, corporate control disputes, trade secret protection and unfair competition. Every year, we have benchmark cases that are quite influential in the industry.

Yang Jie: In the legal practice area, we focus on domestic and international data compliance, online games, cross-border data transfer, overseas direct investment (ODI), foreign-related intellectual property rights and other segments.

ALB:What are the challenges your firm is facing in the GBA, and how are you going to address them?

Yang Lin: We are facing several challenges in the area. We see an overall decline in the legal services market on the practice side. There is fierce competition as law firms based in Beijing, Shanghai and foreign markets are expanding in the region. In addition, the high costs and fees hurt the capacity to expand and improve our business, which lowers our competitiveness. The lack of talent is also a potential risk for sustained development in the future.

To address the issue, we plan to build an integrated and intelligent platform to empower lawyers. We will also reduce costs and increase efficiency at our own pace, as well as expand in the national and international markets steadily. In addition, we will hire more talent from universities and introduce a program to support young lawyers.

Huang: We are facing fierce competition. The emerging inter-regional law firm alliances and cooperative organizations have pushed the connection between Hong Kong and Macau and mainland legal services, and we are facing competition from Hong Kong firms, Macau firms and foreign firms. Meanwhile, the competition is fierce as major mainland law firms are focusing on the GBA while local firms are also expanding.

The other issue is the differences in the legal system and culture. The GBA is unique in having "one country, two systems, three jurisdictions, three tariff zones and three languages". In addition, cultural and language differences also cause some barriers to cross-border communication and cooperation in legal services.

We are also seeing increasing demand for legal services in the market. The rapid development of GBA leads to increasing demand for legal services. In the context of such a "fast" pace, we need to continuously make innovations.

We need to train lawyers to improve their skills in dealing with foreign-related legal services.

It is Tahota’s focus to be based on GBA and expand in the region. We will use legal services to promote the development of social economy and culture.

In August 2022, three lawyers in Tahota’s Hong Kong office obtained the qualification for practicing as lawyers in GBA and became the first batch of GBA lawyers in Shenzhen. They were able to join Tahota’s Shenzhen office.

In the future, Tahota will continue to hire and cultivate talents in the field of foreign-related issues. We also aim to develop legal services in different areas by investing people and money in order to provide customers with qualified services.

We aim to empower the firm with digital intelligence to build a cloud-based law firm. We want to build a low-risk firm by risk prevention, as well as make innovations to drive the sustainable development of the firm.

Chen: As a key city in GBA, Shenzhen has a wide range of cross-border legal services. Meanwhile, the optimization of the business environment and the in-depth regional cooperation in GBA brings opportunities as well as challenges for the legal services market. An obvious problem is the differences in the legal environment caused by the multiple administrative regions and the legal systems involved in the region.

In the future, we will pay close attention to the practicing lawyer systems in GBA and actively participate in the research and discussion of relevant policies. We will provide suggestions for the improvement of legal services and the development of the legal services market in the area.

TianTong will also continue to pay attention to the construction and development of regions such as Nansha, Qianhai and Hengqin. We will form partnerships with local governments and enterprises to provide legal support and consulting services for the development of these regions.

In addition, TianTong also focuses on technological innovation and digital transformation. We are promoting digital transformation within the law firm, including the development of online services. As one of the key economically developed cities in GBA, Shenzhen has contributed to the qualified development of the region based on its optimized business environment and in-depth regional cooperation. It brings many opportunities as well as challenges to the legal services market. We will also keep focusing on emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain and try to apply them to legal services.

Yang Jie: The challenge we are facing now is mainly how to differentiate us from national and regional large firms in GBA. We have been thinking of how to build on our strengths and make use of the advantages of GBA law firms.

We believe that GBA law firms should take advantage of their deep understanding of the GBA market, especially the legal services market, to overcome the challenges and build a diversified legal services ecosystem in the region.

ALB: In the Greater Bay Area, there are many projects under construction, such as the pilot scheme for GBA lawyers, the building of Nansha, Qianhai and Hengqin, and more What plans do you have to realize sustainable development in the region considering these projects?

Yang Lin: We plan to focus on four sectors. Firstly, we aim to launch branches that fully cover key regions of GBA; Secondly, we will launch offices in Qianhai, Hengqin and Lok Ma Chau Loop; Thirdly, we will set up branches in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and New York to facilitate the export of legal services; and fourthly, we will support the rapid growth of these branches and help them connect to each other in terms of resources, business and services.

Huang: GBA is a critical place in the country’s strategic development plans and we will make use of this advantage to deploy our legal service in the region.

Tahota will follow the national development strategy to expand around the country. Our offices in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Hong Kong offices will collaborate with each other, and use our global platform and network to integrate the domestic and international legal resources.

In addition, we will also take advantage of the GBA incentives policies to expand our service. We plan to strengthen collaboration and communications with lawyers in GBA and make use of the unique international experience of Hong Kong and Macao lawyers to improve our lawyers' foreign-related service capabilities, as well as help Chinese enterprises to go to the global market.

Chen: TianTong Law Firm will strive to build a solid business foundation in GBA. We will keep track of market demand, enhance our professional capabilities and develop with our partners. Based on our mission to participate in building a fairer and more just legal ecosystem, we will provide more comprehensive and better legal services to our clients. We believe that TianTong will realize sustainable development in GBA through continuous efforts and innovation.

Yang Jie: We believe that GBA is a vibrant and promising market, and the region will definitely bring more opportunities to the legal services industry. Talent is the key thing to seize the opportunities.

Apart from hiring local talents, Wang Jing & GH Law Firm is also looking for GBA lawyers from Hong Kong and Macau. Currently, our firm has hired six GBA lawyers. We will keep recruiting GBA lawyers to enrich our professional team and to better provide better legal services to our clients at home and abroad.

 

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