Allen & Overy LLP‘s wide-ranging international arbitration practice covers heavyweight disputes relating to energy and construction projects, TMT and insurance. The team also acts in substantial IP, banking and finance, metals, mining, automotive and M&A-related arbitrations. It also offers enviable investment treaty and public international law expertise, and is able to represent clients in the PRC courts in enforcement and other international arbitration-related proceedings, through its joint operation with Lang Yue Law Firm. The group is led by Shanghai-based Jane Jiang, a senior member of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), who is both England and Wales and Hong Kong-qualified. Jiang’s recent experience includes representing a Chinese media and entertainment company in a Hong Kong-seated arbitration. Joanne Lau specialises in international commercial and investment treaty arbitrations from the firm’s Hong Kong office, which houses White & Case‘s former Greater China dispute resolution head Melody Chan, who joined the firm in February 2023.

Fielding a sizeable on-the-ground arbitration practice from Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is able to represent clients during the entire lifecycle of China-related disputes. The team’s expertise ranges from the pre-action advisory stages to obtaining interim measures and enforcing awards in the Hong Kong and PRC courts. The practice also greatly benefits from its joint operation with Shanghai law firm Kewei Law Firm, where Hew Kian Heong heads up the construction and infrastructure disputes practice. In Hong Kong, Greater China arbitration head Simon Chapman KC is an international arbitration and cross-border disputes specialist; public international law and cross-border dispute resolution practitioner Antony Crockett leads the firm’s global business and human rights practice; and Justin D’Agostino, May Tai and Kathryn Sanger all have longstanding arbitration expertise. Over in Mainland China, Michelle Li specialises in substantial construction disputes, while Helen Tang focuses on commercial arbitrations.

Clifford Chance LLP fields a ‘fantastic team with a truly specialised arbitration practice‘ that routinely acts for international clients involved in disputes involving Mainland China. The team is also sought out by Chinese clients that are involved in conflicts at global levels. Working across the firm’s Beijing and Shanghai offices, Lei Shi, who specialises in international arbitration (particularly PRC-related matters), ‘has a deep understanding of Mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas markets‘, and counsel Feifei Yu, who splits her time between the Mainland China and Hong Kong offices, is an arbitration expert who regularly handles China-related disputes. In Hong Kong, Thomas Walsh is particularly focused on post-M&A, private equity and tech-related matters, and Cameron Hassall, who maintains a practice in both Greater China and Sydney, specialises in energy and infrastructure, corporate, M&A, private equity, aviation and banking disputes.

Clyde & Co LLP‘s dispute resolution and arbitration group in Mainland China has a strong reputation in the market for its sector expertise in insurance, infrastructure, transportation, marine, aviation, and trade and commodities. Clients particularly benefit from the firm’s onshore Chinese law capability, as a result of its joint law venture with Chinese law firm Westlink Partnership. Working across the firm’s Shanghai and Singapore offices, Ik Wei Chong, who leads the dispute resolution practice in China, focuses on commercial and investment disputes involving China and the ASEAN region, and Nicholas Lum in Shanghai routinely acts in both international and local arbitrations.

Pinsent Masons‘ ‘outstandingly bright lawyers‘ are best known for handling disputes concerning commercial and finance-related transactions, along with large and technologically-advanced infrastructure and energy projects. Appointed Hong Kong office head in May 2023, Alvin Ho is ‘a great team leader‘; Dean Lewis‘ track record includes numerous Asia Pacific-related infrastructure project arbitrations; and Nicholas Turner acts in international arbitrations across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The next line of Hong Kong practitioners includes Karah Howard, who is ‘superb with clients‘, and Mohammed Talib, who also focuses on the infrastructure sector. Raised to the partnership during 2023, Rachel Turner is the principal Shanghai contact.