The Legal 500

‘Very knowledgeable and easy to work with’, Jun He Law Offices is rated particularly for ‘the professionalism of the attorneys’. The firm has great strength in banking and finance, which led to some impressive M&A representations - the corporate team advised China Merchants Bank on its HK$36bn takeover of Wing Lung Bank in one of the largest outbound acquisitions by a Chinese company. The ‘really fantastic’ Xiao Wei ‘appears frequently on the biggest deals’, while Shanghai-based David Liu is also considered ‘a very strong corporate lawyer’.

‘A big firm with diverse talents’, in 2008 King & Wood continued to expand, opening an international office in New York and completing its Hong Kong merger with Arculi, Fong & Ng in addition to opening new offices in second tier cities Qingdao, Suzhou and Ji’nan. Considered ‘especially strong for commercial matters’, the practice advised Dongfang Electrical Machinery on its $1.9bn acquisition of Dongfang Turbine, and a 68% shareholding in Dongfang Boiler from its parent company, DEC. Yang Xiaolei and Zhou Ning are both ‘top calibre’.

Commerce & Finance Law Office appears on many of the most high profile deals in the market - in 2008, the firm was PRC counsel to China Unicom in its $15.8bn disposal of CDMA business and assets to China Telecom, and advised China National Bluestar on its sale to the Blackstone Group of a 20% stake for $600m. Founding partners Liu Gang and Di Xiaofeng remain ‘first class choices of counsel’.

Described as ‘responsive, sophisticated and experienced, particularly in venture capital and private equity investment’, it is no wonder that Global Law Office is instructed on an array of the top M&A deals. One highlight was representing Focus Media in the $1.4bn sale of its digital out-of-home advertising networks to SINA. Jinrong Liu, Ben Zhong and George Niu are singled out for ‘sound expertise, diligence, and business sense’.

Haiwen & Partners advised Shenzhen Development Bank on its $3.2bn sale to Ping An Insurance in 2008, and acted as PRC counsel to MAN Group in its $790m acquisition of Sinotruk. The team has ‘a great reputation for M&A work’. Fei He and Weibo Jiang ‘have great experience on a number of big transactions’.

‘Strong corporate firm’ Jingtian & Gongcheng acted as PRC counsel to China Telecom in its $15.8bn acquisition of China Unicom’s CDMA business. Founding partners Wei Bai and Hongjiu Zhang are both active in M&A work.

Described by one foreign client as an ‘excellent local firm that provides great value for its service’, Tian Yuan Law Firm advised ARC Education Investment Management in its $71m acquisition of 45% equity interest in Shaanxi Da De Education Development. Xiaohui Zhu and Hua Chen are ‘really good for M&A’.

Zhong Lun Law Firm provides ‘very good service’, with strength in both strategic M&A and private equity transactions. The team acted as PRC counsel to Shui On Construction & Materials in its $400m takeover of China Central Properties. The practice also advised AIG Global Investment on its $90m investment for a 13.5% equity interest in Lifan Group. Shanghai-based private equity specialist Lefan Gong is ‘particularly good - responsive, professional and fully bi-cultural’.

Concord & Partners advised Yiyang Yukang Communication Equipment on its $9.2m acquisition by Acorn International. Yao Yi has good M&A experience in a number of sectors, ranging from internet and telecoms to mining and resources.

DeHeng Law Office has seen recent instructions on some of the most significant deals in the market. The firm acted for Ping An Life Insurance in its $3.2bn acquisition of Shenzhen Development Bank, and advised China Yangtze Power on its $15.8bn acquisition of the remaining 18 generators in the Three Gorges Dam project from its parent company. Beijing partner Qi Jiang has an impressive record in this field.

Fangda Partners had a busy 2008, with highlight representations including acting for Blackstone in its $600m investment in China National Bluestar. Additionally, the firm advised Old Mutual on its $245m acquisition from Fortis Bank of a 49% interest in ABN AMRO TEDA Fund Management. Founding partner Jonathan Zhou has an extensive capital markets and M&A practice.

Particularly active in capital markets work, Grandall Legal Group also has a ‘strong reputation for corporate and M&A transactions’. The firm has key industry strengths in energy and insurance, which leads to a good volume of M&A. The practice advised GCL-Poly Energy on its $2.6bn acquisition of Jiangsu Zhongneng. Beijing managing partner Weidong Wang is a key dealmaker.

In 2008, Guantao Law Firm advised Shaanxi Da De Education Development on its $71m sale of 45% equity interests to ARC Education Investment Management. Additionally, the practice represented Beijing Financial Street Construction in its $204.6m joint acquisition of 40% equity interests in Hengtai Securities. Yang Ling and Liu Rong in Beijing are M&A specialists.

Technology and venture capital are cornerstones of Han Kun Law Offices’s corporate practice, reflected in recent representations such as advising Beijing Teamsun Technology in its HK$262m acquisition of Automated Systems Holdings. While the team is small, the lawyers have significant prior experience at market-leading Chinese and international law firms or companies. Yinshi Cao is recommended.

Hylands Law Firm is perhaps best known as an intellectual property practice, but also has a thriving corporate group. The practice has advised Bank of China, Merrill Lynch, GE Capital, Macquarie Bank, Microsoft and Hutchison Whampoa Properties. Zhifang Lu has impressive experience in M&A and private equity.

JunZeJun Law Offices’s corporate and M&A practice has specialties in mining, resources and financial services. In 2008, the team closed a $10m private equity investment for Kehui International. Founding partner Wang Junyan is recommended for M&A.

Run Ming Law Office’s corporate practice has some specialism advising the aircraft industry, though its 2008 deals were quite diverse. One highlight was advising Indian wind energy giant Suzlon on corporate matters relating to its subsidiary in Tianjin - the practice also advised a US private equity fund on making investments in Chinese forestry and coal resources. Founding partners Yi Liu and Fei Liang both have a focus on corporate work.