The Legal 500

The ‘preeminent’ Jun He Law Offices fields a top-tier team of employment lawyers who have extensive knowledge and experience in handling all types of employment issues, particularly in the context of foreign investment enterprises. Jianjun Ma is a well-known expert in the field and has advised many multinational corporations and large-scale SOEs on reduction in work force and employee transfer issues with respect to mergers and acquisitions and corporate restructuring. Dongpeng Wang covers day-to-day employment matter such as contracts, employee handbooks and compliance, but has a particular focus on litigation. Other expertise includes advising on work-related injuries and occupational disease issues. Clients include Electrolux and Honeywell.

TransAsia Lawyers’ employment practice is led by the ‘accomplished’ Isabelle Wan, who has been advising clients on a wide range of employment issues relating to direct investments in China for over 15 years. Demonstrating considerable strength in depth, many senior members of the team have been involved in drafting much of the region’s most critical employment laws, and also have previous work experience at government level including the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

King & Wood has a solid reputation in this area, with a history of working with governmental authorities, legal research institutions, and HR research agencies on the development of legislation, judicial practice, and administrative enforcement. The full-service practice covers advice on collective and individual employment contracts, planning and implementation of employment policies, and litigation and arbitration. Jiang Junlu focuses on disputes, contractual issues and internal policies.

James Hu at Fangda Partners has a strong reputation advising on employment matters in the context of mergers and acquisitions, company formations and restructurings. Work has included acting for a multinational telecoms company in arbitration and proceedings against a member of senior management arising from the sale of its global mobile business, and representing a leading computer company in a famous court action against a graduate regarding employment discrimination.

Baker & McKenzie’s large team of specialist employment lawyers is complemented by in-house tax and immigration advisors. Highlights for Joseph Deng included advising on all employment law issues relating to The Walt Disney Company’s $3.6bn Shanghai Disneyland Park. Other experience includes advising on collective bargaining issues, high-profile litigation, and advising on corruption and FCPA investigations under both Chinese and US law. Department head is the ‘preeminent’ Andreas Lauffs.

The highly regarded Lesli Ligorner is the driving force behind the full-service employment practice at Paul Hastings LLP LLP, specialising in strategic employment counseling and litigation, with a focus on anti-corruption matters. In 2010, the group experienced an up-tick in international M&A-related work acting for both buyer and seller, and also advised a multinational conglomerate regarding a combined asset and stock acquisition involving employees in ten different countries.

DLA Piper provides cradle-to-grave advice to domestic and multinational clients in a variety of sectors, including banking and finance, where the team has been involved in some ground-breaking work regarding non-compete provisions. Other work included acting for a leading global utility company in the negotiation of a collective contract with its trade union. Kevin Jones leads the team in Shanghai, which recently welcomed associate Sarah Gao from highly regarded local firm Jun He Law Offices. Hong Kong-based Pattie Walsh is practice head and praised by clients for her ability to give on the spot advice.

Allen & Overy LLP advises multinational and domestic clients and has recently experienced an increase in cross-border advice due to the firm’s strong international network. Victor Ho regularly advises on employment issues in the context of M&A and other general corporate matters and recently acted for DBS regarding RBS’ wind-down of its retail and commercial businesses previously carried on in China. Managing partner Ji Zou has experience covering corporate and employment matters in the US and China, and Susana Ng, who has a strong litigation background, was recently promoted to consultant.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert was boosted by the arrival of Matthew Durham, previously practice head at Simmons & Simmons, to lead the employment team. As well as extensive employment law experience in China, Durham also offers general corporate expertise to a strong client following, which primarily comprises multinationals from the financial, life sciences, retail and industrial sectors. Managing partner Brinton Scott also frequently deals with employment matters in the context of corporate and commercial work. Clients include Best Buy, GlaxoSmithKline and Bombardier.

Franki Cheung at Deacons has in-depth knowledge of local regulations as well as national laws in this practice area, developed through his strong relationships with central government and local law firms. Recent work for the team includes assisting a wholly foreign-owned enterprise in terminating the employment of a senior manager who also held the position of trade union chairman, and advising a major hi-tech US company on issues affecting its operations in China.

Post-merger, Hogan Lovells International LLP now has a 15-strong team which has a ‘good understanding of the Chinese regulatory and legal environment’. Highlights included advising 2008 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine Professor Luc Montagnier on his high-profile appointment by Shanghai Jiaotong University. Jun Wei and Roy Zou (‘fast, creative, pro-active’) both have significant experience interacting with government agencies. Philip Cheng advises multinational clients in the pharmaceutical, chemical, industrial products, real estate, financial and hotel industries.

Linklaters has a growing presence in China and is building up a broad client base within the financial services industry, often handling work with a cross-border element through its impressive regional network. The team also offers specialist advice on all aspects of executive incentive arrangements such as share options and trust arrangements. Recent work includes acting for RBS in its divestment of customers and employees in China to DBS Bank. May Qian and Richard Gu are key contacts in Shanghai.

In line with the firm’s sector focus, the team at Simmons & Simmons has particular expertise advising clients in the finance, media and telecommunications, utilities, transport, pharmaceutical, and leisure industries. Despite Matthew Durham’s departure to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, which leaves the team without a senior lawyer based full-time in China, highly regarded Hong Kong-based practice head Fiona Loughrey continues to advise key clients on their operations in China.