The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > China > Dispute resolution: Litigation: foreign firms

Clifford Chance LLP operates an integrated litigation practice across its Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai offices. One client remarks that it has 'a great team, led by a partner with a team of associates that has substantial experience'. The firm has had a presence in Greater China for more than 40 years and has built a strong senior litigation team both in Hong Kong and on the mainland that focuses on complex corporate and financial services litigation, insolvency, tech-related disputes, employment matters and tax litigation. Lei Shi in Shanghai leads the mainland China litigation team and is triple-qualified in the PRC (non-practicing), Hong Kong and New York. He represents Chinese clients in litigation in Hong Kong and international clients in relation to PRC litigation. Ling Ho is head of litigation in Hong Kong and head of the Greater China intellectual property practice. The 'hands-on, user friendly' Donna Wacker is among the other notable practitioners in Hong Kong.

DLA Piper focuses mainly on advising Chinese companies on international disputes, among which are shareholder disputes, high-value defaulted loans, insurance matters and securities litigation. It also handles high-value private client litigation. Many of its cases arise from the banking and finance, trading, investment, professional services, real estate, technology, energy and mining, shipping, construction, education and food production sectors. The practice has nine partners across its Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing offices. Kevin Chan in Hong Kong is Asia practice head for litigation and regulatory work. In the same office, Harris Chan acts for ultra-high-net worth individuals, executors, trustees, wealth advisors, fiduciaries and family offices in high-value litigation. In late 2019, the firm hired  Stephen Wong from Stevenson, Wong & Co to add expertise in compliance and regulatory matters. Lawyers in the mainland office, including newly promoted partner Xiaoshan Chen in Shanghai, also handle commercial litigation and insurance disputes.

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP is a key player in high-stakes litigation involving Chinese companies. In its mainland offices, it has substantial expertise in fraud investigations, asset recovery and tracing, fund and shareholder disputes, borrower default actions, and offshore and onshore restructurings and liquidations. In the PRC, the firm represents multi-national corporations with Chinese operations, as well as leading Chinese companies requiring support with cross-border disputes involving anti-trust litigation, product liability, IP, environmental and securities law. Hong-Kong-based restructuring and insolvency partner Kelly Naphtali, and regulatory and compliance specialists Cori Lable and, in Shanghai, Tiana Zhang lead the eight-partner practice. Also in Shanghai, litigation partner Jodi Wu is recommended for government enforcement actions, internal investigations, compliance matters and cross-border litigation.

Norton Rose Fulbright has a broad litigation practice in Hong Kong and mainland China that is 'very efficient, client-focused and commercial'. Its work encompasses not only commercial disputes, often involving Chinese manufacturers, but also estate litigation for high-net-worth families and individuals. The firm also represents financial Institutions and asset managers in disputes and regulatory matters, as well as acting for real estate, building services and construction companies. Shipping cases and insurance claims also feature prominently in its caseload. The firm also generates work through its presence on the Law Society of Hong Kong’s Professional Indemnity Scheme. Camille Jojo leads the practice from Hong Kong, where Alfred Wu (who is 'pragmatic, diligent and trustworthy') and Philip Nunn focus on construction disputes, Jim James handles matters in sectors such as aviation and energy, and counsel Daniel Ng represents banks, financial institutions and corporates in contentious matters. All work closely with the firms offices in Beijing and Shanghai.

Latham & Watkins LLP plays a prominent role in many areas of litigation involving Hong Kong and mainland China, not least anti-trust and competition law, complex cross-border bankruptcy and insolvency litigation, anti-corruption and anti-bribery cases, export controls and sanctions-related matters, and general commercial litigation. It is particularly strong in investigation and enforcement work, which includes local matters brought by the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, as well as cross-border matters involving international regulators such as the US Securities and Exchange Comission (SEC). Practice head Hui Xu in Shanghai and Hong Kong-based Catherine McBride frequently handle contentious regulatory, anti-corruption and antitrust matters. Solicitor advocate Ing Loong Yang in Hong Kong is well know for his arbitration work but also handles China-related litigation including shareholders’ disputes, joint venture and technology licensing cases.

The China disputes practice at Jones Day is best known for its work in commercial arbitrations, but it also has a presence in regulatory investigations  and sanctions-related litigation. It handles matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and a range of anti-corruption and antitrust cases. Peter Wang, who works in both the Hong Kong and Shanghai offices, leads the China anti-trust and litigation practices. Haifeng Huang, who works in Hong Kong and Beijing, covers disputes involving IP, unfair competition and technology licenses.

Morrison & Foerster is known for high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional disputes in sectors such as technology, energy, chemicals, construction, manufacturing, telecommunications, private equity and real estate. The litigation practice is led from Hong Kong by Timothy Blakely who focuses on government and internal investigations and complex commercial litigation, as does key partner Sarah Thomas. Its scope spans the entire Asia region, with the Beijing and Shanghai offices playing a key role in cases involving Chinese companies and multi-national entities with local interests. The firm's work spans commercial and IP disputes, investigations and compliance and privacy crisis response.

Stephenson Harwood frequently advises on large, complex and multi-jurisdictional disputes relating to PRC. 'The firm provides flexible and practical solutions', notes one client. The practice is led from Hong Kong by Ivan Ng, whose work focuses on shareholders disputes, contractual disputes, letters of credit disputes and insolvency matters. In the same office, Jamie Stranger handles corporate insolvency, commercial litigation, fraud and professional liability, and senior associate Emily Li has experience in advising PRC and international clients on shareholders disputes matters. Evangeline Quek is the managing partner of the Shanghai office and focuses on trade and shipping matters, which frequently involves cross-border litigation concerning companies in PRC and Taiwan. The firm has an association with Chinese law firm Wei Tu Law Firm in Guangzhou.

'Its approach to litigation is comprehensive and professional, considering issues from the client's perspective', says a client of White & Case LLP. The firm has a relatively small team on the ground in China, but its key lawyers work closely with other offices in the firm's regional and global network, principally the Hong Kong practice led by Melody Chan, to advise Chinese clients on cross-border disputes. Bingna Guo leads the mainland PRC practice from Beijing. The regional litigation group grew in 2019 and 2020 with the addition of white-collar specialists in counsel James Hsiao in Hong Kong from Sidley Austin and, in Beijing, associate Mark Chu from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and legal consultant Terrence Zhang from JunHe LLP. The firm also handles both inbound and outbound cases arising from finance transactions and corporate acquisitions.

Bird & Bird focuses on litigation in highly regulated industries including automotive, aviation, financial services, life sciences, media, entertainment, retail, technology and communications. Based predominantly in Hong Kong, the practice acts for both international and Chinese clients in cross-border matters, notably in the Hong Kong courts. Some of its work is firmly rooted in mainland China,such as its work for a PRC state-owned enterprise in a substantial claim of debt made against a Chinese individual. Andrew Robinson and new arrival from Norton Rose Fulbright Michael Chik in Hong Kong lead the practice, in which the firm's Beijing and Shanghai offices play an essential role.

Eversheds Sutherland joins the ranking having invested heavily in recent years in its litigation practice in Hong Kong, which works closely with its Shanghai and Beijing offices to advise on cross-border regulatory and administrative disputes, financial services cases and a range of commercial litigation. Mark Hughes took over as head of litigation and dispute management for Asia in 2020, taking over from Mark Yeadon. Both remain key practitioners in the Hong Kong office, where Rachael Shek handles banking litigation, Adam Ferguson deals with contentious competition law matters and John Siu focuses on regulatory matters.