10 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS CHINA • 亚洲法律杂志-中国版 JANUARY 2024 COVER STORY hub) development plans. According to them, the legal services industry should sharpen comprehensive competitiveness by focusing on the characteristics of regional economic development. Indeed, SGLA’s Dalian office is better positioned to expand this regional market by adhering to the principles of “service, innovation, pragmatism and expansion,” and by taking the creation and development of professionalism, teamwork and upscaling as breakthroughs. Li observes that prompted by new business models, some of his peers in the circum-Bohai sea area are already actively expanding into new practice areas, such as legal services related to big data compliance, ESG and online livestreaming. “These relatively cuttingedge areas are not the monology of legal professionals in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In fact, many lawyers in Qingdao are in this space and have achieved good results.” NEW DEMAND The lawyers interviewed have all recognized changing legal needs of clients in tandem with the development and transformation of the environment. Wang Yongli says that, like most other parts of the country, firms in the circum-Bohai sea area have experienced a wave of mergers and onboarding in recent years, but clients’ demand for “one-stop” legal services is quietly changing. “Instead of blindly pursuing branded, full-service firms, clients have gradually become more rational and have turned their attention to the quality of the legal services provided by firms. They value the professionalism of firms and lawyers more. Some local group companies no longer package all their relevant legal matters to one single law firm when purchasing legal services, even if that firm is their perennial legal advisor. They tend to choose firms and lawyers specializing in different fields based on the nature of different legal services. “In the past year, the demand for legal services from corporate clients served by SGLA’s Dalian office has become more comprehensive. Clients may require the involvement of lawyers for administrative law, tax law, labor law and corporate law in one single service project. So they have greater needs for a firm to be able to provide comprehensive services and integrate resources,” says Qu Zhiyong. “Clients not only need lawyers to provide legal support, but also need them to create deal-making opportunities.” Pan Bo adds that to adapt to the new trends in client demand, the Dalian office is committed to continuously deepening its practice areas and expanding into emerging, cutting-edge fields from the perspectives of upscaling, specialization, branding and internationalization. Li notices two major changes in client demand. “First, the demand for legal services has shifted from the backend to the frontend. Clients no longer go to lawyers only after disputes arise. Instead, they place greater emphasis on risk control and compliance. As such, lawyers can get involved in a client’s business a lot earlier, which, on the one hand, helps lawyers understand and grasp the entire business process, and on the other hand, creates conditions for them to discover more business opportunities.” “Second, the business directions of clients have changed, prompting adjustments to the legal services fields of lawyers. Many clients who previously invested in real estate or traditional manufacturing are moving towards cultural fields, online livestreaming sales, high-end technology, etc. Accordingly, lawyers who previously specialized in real estate or traditional litigation also need to leverage the Internet, big data and even new legal knowledge dissemination channels to enrich and innovate their legal services,” says Li. Wang Qun shares similar observations. “Clients are more focused on risk prevention in their legal services needs, and have become more cautious in certain new projects and investments. There is growing demand from enterprises in the collection of accounts receivable.” In response, Wincon set up a debt collection business center last September, pooling together professional lawyers to share rich experience in debt collection and provide clients with more professional services. RISING LAWYERS 环渤海地区律师新星 An Zhou 安洲 King & Wood Mallesons 金杜律师事务所 Chen Xiaojun 陈晓军 Wincon Law Firm 文康律师事务所 Cui Shouxu 崔守旭 Jointide Law Firm 众成清泰律师事务所 He Lin 何琳 Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm 金诚同达律师事务所 Jiang Tao 姜涛 Zhong Lun Law Firm 中伦律师事务所 Li Meng 李猛 Liaoning Think Tank Law Firm 辽宁智库律师事务所 Li Xiuchao 李修超 Beijing DHH Law Firm 北京德和衡律师事务所 Liu Zhiwei 刘志伟 Liaoning Yipin Law Firm 辽宁壹品律师事务所 Ma Ming 马明 Join & High Law Office 四方君汇律师事务所 Meng Fanling 孟凡玲 Long An Law Firm 隆安律师事务所 Ren Huajie 任华杰 AllBright Law Offices 锦天城律师事务所 Song Jian 宋健 Ray & Young Law Firm 睿扬律师事务所 Song Zhenxiang 宋祯祥 Tahota Law Firm 泰和泰律师事务所 Wang Sicong 王思聪 Wang, Wu, Yang & Ma Law Firm 辽宁同方律师事务所 Wang Yongli 汪永利 Wang Jing & Co. Law Firm 敬海律师事务所 Xu Jianlei 徐建蕾 W&H Law Firm 炜衡律师事务所 Xu Wei 徐伟 Dacheng Law Offices 大成律师事务所 Yang Lizhong 杨礼仲 DeHeng Law Offices 德恒律师事务所 Yang Zhilei 杨志磊 Beijing Docvit Law Firm 北京市道可特律师事务所 Zheng Dongdong 郑东东 Grandall Law Firm 国浩律师事务所
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