China Law & Practice Awards 2016: Finalists announced

Jul 28, 2016

The deals, firms and lawyers that made the cut this year for China's most elite legal awards

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The China Law & Practice Awards recognize excellence across the board, and this year’s list of finalists displays a flourishing pipeline of deals and outstanding law firm performances in one of the world’s most complex and lucrative markets.

The ceremony will take place on September 21, 2016 at the Park Hyatt, Beijing. Join us for the Awards’ 10-year anniversary as we honor the past year’s most groundbreaking transactions and the region’s leading lawyers and top legal teams.

Please contact Danny Collins at [email protected] / +44 20 7766 5241 to reserve your table.

All research and judging was conducted by the editorial teams of ALM’s China Law & Practice, The Asian Lawyer/The American Lawyer and Legal Week. If your firm is missing from any of the shortlisted deals, please email [email protected] explaining your role in the transaction.

Debt & Equity-linked Deal of the Year

Bank of China’s $3.55B four-currency bond Clifford Chance Jingtian & Gongcheng Kinstellar Linklaters

China Exim Bank’s $6B loan-backed MTN program Haiwen & Partners JunHe Linklaters Sidley Austin Walkers

Greentown China’s consent, exchange and new bond offering Davis Polk & Wardwell Jingtian & Gongcheng Maples and Calder T&C Law Firm White & Case

Ministry of Finance Rmb3B London panda bond Herbert Smith Freehills Linklaters

State Grid’s $2.1B dual-currency four-tranche bond Conyers Dill & Pearman Herbert Smith Freehills JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Linklaters

Energy & Natural Resources Deal of the Year

China Yangtze Power’s Rmb104B material asset restructuring Dentons Tian Yuan Law Firm

Hai Duong BOT power plant Guantao Law Firm King & Wood Mallesons VILAF Watson Farley Williams

Maamba coal power plant financing Clifford Chance

Pakistan wind power project financing JunHe Kabraji & Talibuddin Linklaters Shearman & Sterling

Silk Road Fund’s $1.2B Russian LNG project Baker Botts Herbert Smith Freehills Prolegis

Equity Deal of the Year

China Huarong Asset Management $2.5B IPO Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Haiwen & Partners King & Wood Mallesons Kirkland & Ellis

China Merchants Rmb12B share exchange and listing JunHe Shu Jin Law Firm

China Re $2B IPO Haiwen & Partners King & Wood Mallesons Slaughter and May Sullivan & Cromwell

Dali Foods $1.15B IPO Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Jingtian & Gongcheng King & Wood Mallesons Maples and Calder Shearman & Sterling

Focus Media $7B backdoor listing Fangda Partners Jingtian & Gongcheng

Finance Deal of the Year

Bank of Dalian $2.3B restructuring financing Guantao Law Firm Haiwen & Partners

Beijing Enterprises-EEW €2.5B acquisition financing Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Mayer Brown JSM

Norilsk Nickels Rmb5B syndicated revolving credit facility Hogan Lovells

Weetabix $1.3B term loan B refinancing Latham & Watkins Linklaters

WuXi Pharma $1.1B LBO financing Clifford Chance Fangda Partners Maples and Calder Weil, Gotshal & Manges

M&A Deal of the Year

Alibaba’s $4.4B acquisition of Suning Fangda Partners King & Wood Mallesons Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Sullivan & Cromwell

COSCO and China Shipping’s $15B restructuring Commerce and Finance Law Offices Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Grandall Law Firm Haiwen & Partners JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Paul Hastings Slaughter and May

Ctrip and Qunar’s $3.4B merger Commerce & Finance Law Offices Han Kun Law Offices Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Ropes & Gray Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Walkers

HP and Tsinghua’s $4.5B partnership Allen & Overy AnJie Law Firm Fangda Partners Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Zhong Lun Law Firm

JP Morgan and Tencent’s $6.9B investment in Postal Savings Bank Clifford Chance Davis Polk & Wardwell Haiwen & Partners Baker & McKenzie

Real Estate & Construction Deal of the Year

China Xintiandi’s sale of Corporate Avenue 1, 2 & 3 Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Maples and Calder Mayer Brown JSM

Cindat’s $571M acquisition of New York hotels Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Global Law Office Haiwen & Partners Haynes and Boone Hunton & Williams Sidley Austin

GLP’s CLF II Fund Morrison & Foerster Walkers WongPartnership

Shanghai Disney Resort Baker & McKenzie Guantao Law Firm Jin Mao Partners Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Zhong Lun Law Firm

TMT Deal of the Year

Bona Film $1B privatization Conyers Dill & Pearman Davis Polk & Wardwell Han Kun Law Offices Kirkland & Ellis Maples and Calder Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Shearman & Sterling Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

China Tower $36.5B restructuring Commerce & Finance Law Offices Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Haiwen & Partners Sullivan & Cromwell

Qihoo 360 $9.4B privatization Broad & Bright Conyers Dill & Pearman Fangda Partners Jingtian & Gongcheng Kirkland & Ellis Latham & Watkins Maples and Calder Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

WuXi Pharma $3.3B privatization Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Conyers Dill & Pearman Fangda Partners O’Melveny & Myers Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Sullivan & Cromwell Walkers Weil, Gotshal & Manges Willkie Farr & Gallagher Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Zhong Lun Law Firm

Youku $5.6B privatization Conyers Dill & Pearman Fangda Partners Kirkland & Ellis O’Melveny & Myers Shearman & Sterling Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom TransAsia Lawyers Walkers

Outbound Deal of the Year

Bohai Leasing’s $7.6B acquisition of Avolon Sidley Austin Weil, Gotshal & Manges

ChemChina’s $7.8B acquisition of Pirelli Covington & Burling Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer King & Wood Mallesons JunHe Pedersoli e Associati

Chinese consortium’s $1.9B acquisition of OmniVision Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Zhong Lun Law Firm

Dalian Wanda’s $3.5B acquisition of Legendary Irell & Manella Latham & Watkins Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Sullivan & Cromwell

Aviation Firm of the Year

China: Global Law Office Han Kun Law Offices JunHe King & Wood Mallesons

International: Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Mayer Brown JSM

Banking & Finance Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Global Law Office JunHe Llinks Law Offices King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Eversheds Kirkland & Ellis White & Case

Capital Markets Firm of the Year

China: Haiwen & Partners Jingtian & Gongcheng JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Tian Yuan Law Firm Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Clifford Chance Davis Polk & Wardwell Herbert Smith Freehills Kirkland & Ellis Linklaters

Competition Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Han Kun Law Offices JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Herbert Smith Freehills Linklaters

Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year

China: East & Concord Partners Fangda Partners JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Herbert Smith Freehills Kirkland & Ellis Kobre & Kim Linklaters

Energy Firm of the Year

China: DaHui Lawyers Jincheng, Tongda & Neal King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Eversheds Herbert Smith Freehills

Healthcare & Life Sciences Firm of the Year

China: Global Law Office Han Kun Law Offices JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Yingke Law Firm Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Baker & McKenzie Covington & Burling Shearman & Sterling Sidley Austin

Insurance Firm of the Year

China: AnJie Law Firm Haiwen & Partners Jincheng, Tongda & Neal JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy DLA Piper Herbert Smith Freehills Mayer Brown JSM

Intellectual Property Firm of the Year

China: Chang Tsi & Partners Fangda Partners King & Wood Mallesons Lifang & Partners Wan Hui Da Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Hogan Lovells Mayer Brown JSM Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe

Labor & Employment Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Global Law Office Han Kun Law Offices King & Wood Mallesons River Delta Law Firm Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Baker & McKenzie DLA Piper Eversheds Herbert Smith Freehills Simmons & Simmons

M&A Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Han Kun Law Offices JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Kirkland & Ellis Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Private Equity & Venture Capital Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Han Kun Law Offices Jingtian & Gongcheng JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft Clifford Chance Kirkland & Ellis Morrison & Foerster Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett

Projects & Infrastructure Firm of the Year

China: Global Law Office Guantao Law Firm JunHe Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Clifford Chance Eversheds Hogan Lovells

Real Estate Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners King & Wood Mallesons Llinks Law Offices Zhong Lun Law Firm Yingke Law Firm

International: Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Paul Hastings Sidley Austin

Regulatory & Compliance Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Global Law Office Jingtian & Gongcheng King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Covington & Burling Herbert Smith Freehills Linklaters Mayer Brown JSM Steptoe & Johnson

Shipping & Maritime Firm of the Year

China: Global Law Office King & Wood Mallesons Wang Jing & Co Yingke Law Firm Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Herbert Smith Freehills Mayer Brown JSM Watson Farley & Williams

Tax Firm of the Year

China: JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Baker & McKenzie DLA Piper

TMT Firm of the Year

China: Fangda Partners Global Law Office Han Kun Law Offices King & Wood Mallesons TransAsia Lawyers Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft Hogan Lovells Mayer Brown JSM Paul Hastings Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Trade Firm of the Year

China: Global Law Office King & Wood Mallesons Jincheng Tongda & Neal JunHe Zhong Lun Law Firm

International: Baker & McKenzie Covington & Burling Sidley Austin Steptoe & Johnson

Up-and-coming Firm of the Year

DaHui Lawyers FenXun Partners River Delta Law Firm Jin Mao Partners

Hong Kong Firm of the Year

Deacons Oldham Li & Nie Wilkinson & Grist Woo Kwan Lee & Lo

Macau Firm of the Year

DSL Lawyers MdME Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortes Advogados Riquito Advogados

Taiwan Firm of the Year

Formosa Transnational Formosan Brothers Lee and Li Tsar & Tsai

Japan Firm of the Year

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Nishimura & Asahi

Korea Firm of the Year

Bae Kim & Lee Kim & Chang Lee & Ko Shin & Kim

Australia Firm of the Year

Allens Clayton Utz Gilbert + Tobin Minter Ellison

Southeast Asia Firm of the Year

Allen & Gledhill Rajah & Tann Rodyk & Davidson WongPartnership

Offshore Firm of the Year

Appleby Conyers Dill & Pearman Harney Westwood & Riegels Maples and Calder Walkers

East China Firm of the Year

Co-effort Law Firm (Shanghai) Llinks Law Offices (Shanghai) Zhejiang T&C Law Firm (Hangzhou) Zhejiang Zeda Law Firm (Hangzhou)

North China Firm of the Year

Deheng Law Group (Qingdao) Heng Xin Law Office (Dalian) Jilin Gongcheng (Changchun) Winners Law Firm (Tianjin)

South China Firm of the Year

Geenen Foreign Legal Service Center (Guangzhou) Guangda Law Firm (Guangzhou) Guanghe Law Firm (Shenzhen) S&D Partners (Shenzhen)

West and Central China Firm of the Year

Help Reaching Law Firm (Xi’an) Hubei Luojia Law Firm (Wuhan) Solton & Partners (Chongqing) Tahota Law Firm (Chengdu)

Pro Bono Initiatives of the Year

Baker & McKenzie Hogan Lovells JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Latham & Watkins Zhong Lun Law Firm

Competition Lawyer of the Year

Fay Zhou (Linklaters) Feng Yao (Broad & Bright) Francois Renard (Allen & Overy) Janet Hui (JunHe) Susan Ning (King & Wood Mallesons) Stephen Crosswell (Baker & McKenzie)

Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Lawyer of the Year

Brenda Horrigan (Herbert Smith Freehills) Dong Chungang (Jingtian & Gongcheng) Ing Loong Yang (Latham & Watkins) Liu Yuwu (King & Wood Mallesons) Xing Xiusong (Global Law Office) Yang Peiming (Llinks Law Offices)

Dispute Resolution: Litigation Lawyer of the Year

Liu Lingyun (King & Wood Mallesons) Thomas So (Mayer Brown JSM) Xi Zhou (JunHe) Xu Bangwei (Jingtian & Gongcheng) Yang Wantao (Zhong Lun Law Firm)

Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year

Allen (Jun) Wang (Yingke Law Firm) Huang Hui (Wan Hui Da Law Firm & IP Agency) Simon Tsi (Chang Tsi & Partners) Xie Guanbin (Lifang & Partners) Zhaohui (Zoe) Wang (JunHe)

Labor & Employment Lawyer of the Year

Carol Zhu (Zhong Lun Law Firm) Jiang Junlu (King & Wood Mallesons) Jingbo (Jason) Lu (River Delta Law Firm) Johnny Choi (DLA Piper) Wei (Will) Huang (Han Kun Law Offices)

Private Client Lawyer of the Year

Han Chen (Han Kun Law Offices) Peter Ni (Zhong Lun Law Firm) Richard Norridge (Herbert Smith Freehills) Richard Weisman (Baker & McKenzie)

Real Estate & Construction Lawyer of the Year

Bernie Liu (Llinks Law Offices) Harry Du (King & Wood Mallesons) Ren Yanling (Tian Yuan Law Firm) Richard Kim (Allen & Overy) Wang Jihong (Zhong Lun Law Firm)

Regulatory & Compliance Lawyer of the Year

Gao Jun (Gary) (Zhong Lun Law Firm) Eric Carlson (Covington & Burling) Philip Qu (TransAsia Lawyers) Simon Hui (Baker & McKenzie) Sun Shiqi (Jingtian & Gongcheng)

Tax Lawyer of the Year

David Liu (FuJae Partners) Nancy Lai (Baker & McKenzie) Roberta Chang (Hogan Lovells) Tony Dong (King & Wood Mallesons)

Rising Star Lawyer of the Year

Xi Liao (Linklaters) Xu Hui (Covington & Burling) Zheng Lu (Baker & McKenzie) Ying (Gloria) Xu (Han Kun Law Offices) Yang Wang (Simpson Thacher & Bartlett)

China Dealmaker of the Year

Dafei Chen (Han Kun Law Offices) David Yu (Llinks Law Offices) Liu Yan (Tian Yuan Law Firm) Wang Jihong (Zhong Lun Law Firm) Xu Ping (King & Wood Mallesons) Yu Yongqiang (JunHe)

International Dealmaker of the Year

Jay Ze (Eversheds) Jeanette Chan (Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison) Katie Sudol (Simpson Thacher & Bartlett) Ni Jiahua (Clifford Chance) Timothy Stratford (Covington & Burling)

In-house Team of the Year: Chinese Company

Air China Alibaba Baosteel Midea Tencent

In-house Team of the Year: Chinese Financial Institution

Anbang Insurance CCBI CDB Huarong Asset Management

In-house Team of the Year: International Company

3M Eli Lilly China GE China Johnson & Johnson Medical

In-house Team of the Year: International Investment Bank

BNP Paribas Citibank Goldman Sachs JP Morgan

Grand Prize: Most Innovative Firm of the Year

Baker & McKenzie Han Kun Law Offices Fangda Partners TransAsia Lawyers

Grand Prize: China Firm of the Year

Fangda Partners Han Kun Law Offices Jingtian & Gongcheng JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Zhong Lun Law Firm

Grand Prize: International Firm of the Year

Baker & McKenzie Clifford Chance Hogan Lovells Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Grand Prize: Firm of the Decade (10-year Anniversary Special Award)

Baker & McKenzie Hogan Lovells JunHe King & Wood Mallesons Mayer Brown JSM Zhong Lun Law Firm

Outstanding Achievement Award

Professor Jiang Ping