Fangda Partners‘ sizeable group has significant experience in corporate investigations, government enforcement matters (both administrative and criminal), compliance programmes and policies, and related contentious matters. The firm is also home to specialists in anti-bribery and corruption, cyber security, data protection, sanctions and export control, as well as environmental protection, advertising law, securities regulations, state secrets, unfair competition, and criminal matters. Splitting her time between Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, Kate Yin is an expert in government enforcement work, internal investigations and regulatory compliance; and the workload of Benjamin Miao in Shanghai also encompasses regulatory issues and investigations. Other mainland China names to note are Yanjun Zhuang, Derrick Zhao, Yingjie Kang and Lei Yang, along with Yujin Liu.

King & Wood Mallesons has an enviable market reputation for its expertise in transnational regulatory investigations and corporate compliance management. The practice covers an array of investigations, ranging from those conducted by US regulators under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, along with investigations brought by multilateral development banks (MDBs), and Chinese administrative enforcement bodies and criminal prosecution authorities. The team is co-led by Beijing-based Wei Wu, a specialist in anti-commercial bribery, corporate compliance risk assessments, MDB investigations, compliance programmes, and corporate crisis management; and highly-rated compliance expert Harry Liu in Shanghai. Also in Beijing, Junfeng Chang has notable experience in compliance investigations, while Xiaodan Xu and Yuanyuan Zhu are other key team members. Han Yang departed the firm in November 2023.

The ‘excellent team’ at FenXun Partners has notable experience in compliance-related internal and external investigations. The group’s expertise covers anti-bribery, fraud, conflicts of interest, advertising and pricing law, health and safety at work, and environmental protection. The practice also assists with compliance due diligence in both transactional and non-transactional contexts, along with regulatory issues, risk assessments, compliance programmes, cross-border work and enforcement issues. Clients also notably benefit from the firm’s joint operation with Baker McKenzie. Vivian Wu heads the firm’s investigations, compliance and ethics team in Beijing; and in Shanghai, ‘top expert’ Henry Chen is an expert in bribery, corruption, money laundering, unfair competition, customs, data protection, and cybersecurity. Chen also advises on employee misconduct, fraud and whistleblower allegations.

Global Law Office covers the gamut of regulatory and compliance work, including risk assessments, compliance policies, reporting, training, investigations, and defence-side matters. In addition to assisting multinational and Chinese entities with compliance issues, the practice regularly assists academies, governmental bodies and state-owned companies with the education and certification of in-house and external compliance practitioners. In Shanghai, Alan Zhou is an expert in corporate investigations, anti-corruption and regulatory compliance; Lai Wang focuses on financial and duty crime, corporate criminal compliance, risk control, data compliance, anti-money laundering, cooperate compliance systems, and risk alert mechanisms; and Jacky Li assists with regulatory compliance and corporate and government investigations. Over in Beijing, Weiwei Gu is particularly focused on anti-bribery investigations.

Consistently sought out by multinational and domestic companies, Haiwen & Partners is experienced in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, conflicts of interest, data protection and antitrust. The practice also comprises experts in economic sanctions, export control, anti-money laundering, customs, and compliance-related dispute resolution. Heading up the regulatory team from Beijing, Jianyuan Yang, who is ‘great at solving difficult problems’, is an expert in anti-corruption, data compliance, internal investigations and due diligence. Also in Beijing, Dan Wu assists with a range of regulatory filings, her experience including a cybersecurity review for an overseas listing. Notable growth for the team includes the late 2023 recruitment of Shuaqi Yuan, a specialist in international trade and sanctions, from Perkins Coie LLP’s Washington DC office.

Han Kun Law Offices is known for assisting multinationals and foreign-invested businesses with regulatory compliance. The team also conducts internal reviews and investigations; its track record includes representing multinationals’ subsidiaries during PRC-related anti-bribery, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK bribery investigations. Shanghai-based Michelle Gon is ‘a respected lawyer in the compliance market’; David Tang's wide-ranging practice includes corporate compliance and data protection; Weiheng Jia advises on anti-bribery, business ethics, unfair competition, and data security and protection; Jolie Yan advises on white-collar matters, investigations, anti-corruption, data security, and regulatory compliance; and Zhaojun (Sophie) Shi focuses on regulatory and governmental affairs, anti-bribery, FCPA issues, anti-monopoly, and related risk assessments and investigations. In Beijing, Chen Ma is a veteran antitrust practitioner.

With ‘outstanding expertise in compliance investigations’, JunHe’s regulatory and compliance practice covers cross-border data transfers, data privacy, and cybersecurity and information legislation. The team also assists with digitisation, environmental, and health and safety compliance. In Shanghai, Leon Liu acts in white-collar matters, along with government and internal investigations; Lei Wu's track record includes compliance investigations and commercial bribery cases; David Tang is an economic sanctions and export control specialist; and Lingyun He handles corporate investigations. Also in Shanghai, Carol Sun is ‘a trusted legal partner for clients’, in relation to cross-border investigations, white-collar crime, and China data security and national security compliance. Beijing-based Yingling Wei advises automotive, telecoms, pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer product clients on antitrust compliance.

‘A go-to law firm for PRC-related matters’, Zhong Lun Law Firm is routinely mandated to establish compliance systems. It also assists with multi-jurisdictional investigations, and advises on sanctions imposed by multilateral financial institutions. In addition to advising regulatory bodies, the practice acts for central enterprises, multinationals and large private companies from the construction aviation, energy, food, pharmaceutical and natural resources sectors. In Beijing, Xiangwen Liu is experienced in regulatory compliance; Xuan Jang is ‘incredibly smart’; and Baosheng Zhang, Ruixuan Li, Jinshu Zhu and Qiang Xiao all specialise in securities compliance. Over in Shanghai, Jim Qiu acts for pharmaceutical, medical device and online medical businesses; and Gary Gao is ‘superb’. Shenzhen-based Eric Yan advises on the establishment of compliance management systems.

DaHui Lawyers' practice covers cross-border and domestic regulatory issues, liaising with government agencies, obtaining regulatory approvals, and developing strategies to overcome regulatory obstacles. The team was recently notably active in company law and data protection matters, as well as regulatory investigations. Beijing and Shanghai-based Richard Ma is a TMT specialist; and in Shanghai, Joanna Jiang advises on market entry and regulatory matters; Cloud Li assists with employment and compliance issues; and Zhengwei Yang's practice covers compliance and investigations.

Dacheng houses experts in anti-bribery law and anti-fraud investigations, as well as export control, economic sanctions, cybersecurity, data governance, and compliance management systems and auditing. In Beijing, Liping Yan is director of the firm’s corporate compliance legal service centre; and Kaiming Cai‘s wide-ranging practice includes data compliance. Over in Shanghai Litong Chen is a former Asia-Pacific compliance director of Ford Motor (China); while Ma Hongwei is a key member of the compliance and risk management practice group.

Jingtian & Gongcheng's compliance practice focuses on corporate investigations, anti-corruption, fraud and commercial bribery. Heading up the team from Guangzhou, Guanghui Zhu specialises in corporate investigations and anti-corruption. In Beijing, Siyuan Liu assists with securities-related compliance; and Qingdong Fan is a corporate investigations and anti-corruption expert. Another name to note for Beijing is Feng Zhao, whose practice covers securities compliance, anti-bribery, internal investigations, litigation and criminal compliance; while in Shanghai, Shiqi Sun ‘proposes creative ideas and response strategies’.

Llinks Law Offices fields specialists in anti-corruption, cybersecurity, data protection, antitrust, and trade control and investment regulation. The practice also assists with the regulatory side to employment law, IP and environmental protection. In Shanghai, David Pan's track record includes advising pharmaceutical, healthcare, education, tourism, advanced manufacturing and retail clients on anti-corruption compliance programmes in China; and Patrick Gu assists with labour and employment-related matters, such as anti-bribery, anti-corruption, trade secrets and white-collar crime. Nigel Zhu is another experienced practitioner.

Sector specialisms for Topcom China Law Offices range from advanced manufacturing, food and agricultural products, to healthcare, industrial automation, automotive and e-commerce. The practice’s scope of expertise covers compliance governance, import and export trade compliance, anti-bribery, anti-corruption, government investigations, litigation, white-collar crime, and cross-border data transfer. In Shanghai, the track record of James Jiang, a February 2023 recruit from Yuanda China Law Offices, includes high-profile government and corporate investigations. Other key compliance figures are Feng Cheng and Joyce Xie.

Yuanda China Law Offices is experienced in the compliance aspects of employment, white-collar crime, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and cross-border government investigations. Through its exclusive strategic alliance with US-based international law firm Winston & Strawn LLP, the team’s expertise extends to foreign regulatory regimes impacting Chinese and China-based corporations with multi-jurisdictional business interests. In Shanghai, John Huang's broad practice includes regulatory compliance; while Andy Pan's sector expertise encompasses clean energy vehicles, semiconductors, healthcare, telecoms, entertainment, and consumer products.

Zhao Sheng Law Firm is notably experienced in financial markets regulatory work, as well as the regulatory side to financial services-related transactions. For matters involving multiple jurisdictions, clients further benefit from the firm’s joint operation office with Linklaters. Richard Gu leads the team from Shanghai, where Colette Pan specialises in the regulation of mainland China’s financial markets and financial services; and Ying Zhou (promoted to partner in November 2023) is structured finance and derivatives head. Eric Liu recently departed the firm.