China

We have been in China for more than three decades. We use our know-how, experience, and full-service capability to get the best possible results for clients.

Our view has always been that if you want to succeed in China then you have to know China well. We've had a Hong Kong office since 1980 and we were the first international law firm to open an office in Beijing in 1985, followed by our Shanghai office in 1993. We have since built a full-service capability - our team includes lawyers in corporate/M&A, capital markets, banking and finance, real estate, employment, intellectual property, competition/antitrust, anti-corruption, dispute resolution and financial regulatory. We find that international and Chinese clients value this on the ground commitment because it delivers results. They can see that our in-China capability is built on the solid know-how that comes from more than three decades of experience.

We work with international and Chinese clients

Chinese clients know that we understand their business culture and that our international network gives them the reach and depth to make the most of international opportunities, whether it's an investment in a new energy project, expanding into a new market, or raising capital in foreign markets.

Greater China and beyond – China Desks

All three of our Greater China offices (Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai) often work together on inbound and outbound deals, and our Hong Kong office has a dedicated mainland China team.

We have also established the China Desks, a cross-practice network of over 60 lawyers with mainland China experience within the firm, to make sure that Chinese clients get the full benefit of our global network. These China Desk lawyers give clients a first point of contact in their own jurisdictions. We have desks in Africa, the Americas, the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the Middle East.

Recent highlights

Directory and client comments

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025

Band 1 in Aviation: Finance (International Firms)
Band 1 in Banking & Finance (International Firms)
Band 1 in Banking & Finance: Leveraged & Acquisition Finance (International Firms)
Band 1 in Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms)
Band 1 in Corporate/M&A: The Elite (International Firms)
Band 1 in Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (International Firms)
Band 1 in Dispute Resolution: Litigation (International Firms)
Band 1 in FinTech Legal (International Firms)
Band 1 in Investment Funds: Hedge funds (International Firms)
Band 1 in Projects & Infrastructure (International Firms)
Band 1 in Restructuring/ Insolvency (International Firms)

Legal 500 Asia Pacific, China

Tier 1 in Antitrust and Competition: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Banking and finance: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Dispute Resolution, Arbitration: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Dispute Resolution, Litigation: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Fintech: foreign firms
Tier 1 in Investment Funds: Foregin Firms
Tier 1 in Private Equity: Foreign Firms

IFLR 1000 Asia Pacific, China

Tier 1 in Banking: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Capital markets: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Project Development: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Private Equity: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in Project Finance: Foreign Firms
Tier 1 in M&A: Foreign Firms

Client comments

"The Clifford Chance team is fantastic. They're very knowledgeable and responsive and able to handle complicated and unique transactions."
"Their quality of work is very high and they have quick turnaround times."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Aviation: Finance (International Firms)

"They possess a very deep and up-to-date understanding of lending structures in the key APAC jurisdictions."
"They are simply the best. I can always rely on the team to draft documents thoroughly and pick out and resolve contentious points."
"Clifford Chance reliably provides Rolls-Royce-type service for everything from the simple to the complex."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 - Banking & Finance (International Firms)

"Whether it's navigating intricate regulatory environments or addressing multifaceted challenges, their insights and recommendations are always well informed and actionable."
"The firm has a stable and experienced team amid a challenging market backdrop. They are experienced in handling complex transaction structures, especially for capital instruments."
"A professional team with in-depth knowledge and unparalleled capability to execute deals with limited precedent."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms)

"The synergy between Clifford Chance's antitrust teams around the world is very good, professional and efficient. The team always puts the needs of customers first."
"Their fast and accurate responses to customer needs and ability to reach regulatory authorities in different regions helped us solve many difficult technical problems in a timely manner."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Competition/ Antitrust (International Firms)

"They have offices all over the world, so they have a great network. They understand our working style and risk appetite and we find it pleasant working with them."
"Clifford Chance has a big team comprising experts in many areas, offering high performance at peak times in the project."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Corporate/M&A: The Elite (International Firms)

"They are diligent, creative, and aggressive when required but not pointlessly so. They're among the finest I've ever worked with."
"The strength of the team is not only the individual competence of the lawyers but also the profound understanding of the business and the proactive support they provide."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2024 – Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (International Firms)

"I rate them highly. They are always easy to work with and very accessible and quick to respond."
"Clifford Chance are very diligent, knowledgeable of the relevant law and court process and proactive in case management. Their hard work has helped reduce the pressure our company faced."
"They are a lean and effective team with very little duplication and the ability to deliver in a very tight timeframe. They are top of the class in terms of technical skills and knowledge."

Chamber & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Dispute Resolution: Litigation (International Firms)

"It's a lean team who are effective and able to deliver on a very tight timeline. They are the top of the class in terms of technical skills and knowledge."
"They are always easy to work with, very accessible and quick to respond."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Financial Services (International Firms)

"They demonstrate a strong commitment to client needs, providing personalised and strategic advice promptly."
"The team provides great service and is very responsive during the whole process."

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2025 – Investment Funds: Hedge Funds (International Firms)

"The Clifford Chance team can recognise the problems quickly and precisely, point them out and provide ways to solve them.

Chambers & Partner, Greater China Region 2025 – Projects & Infrastructure (International Firms)

"The team advised in a timely manner on various issues across different jurisdictions. It's a complex liquidation across different countries and the team was able cover all our questions."
"When you're doing these cross-border transactions you need international sophistication and local resources, and they have all of that."
"The team has the right capability in that it is a mix of finance-minded people with contentious experience and the right language capability."

Chambers & Partner, Greater China Region 2025– Restructuring/Insolvency (International Firms)

Awards

Our China practice frequently wins industry awards from various independent legal publications for its extensive experience and ever-growing prominence.

As an acknowledgement of our market-leading position in China, we have been awarded:

Antitrust and Competition: Foreign Firms Firm of the Year
Legal 500 China Awards 2024
Fintech: Foreign Firms Firm of the Year
Legal 500 China Awards 2024
International Firm of the Year
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2024
China Practice of the Year
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2024
M&A Team of the Year
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2024
Securitisation and Structured Finance Team of the Year
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2024
Specialist Award: Financial Services Regulatory – International
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2024
International Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business China Law Awards 2024
International Private Equity Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business China Law Awards 2024
International Regulatory Compliance Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business China Law Awards 2024
Asia Pacifc Law Firm of the Year
Chambers Asia Pacific and Greater China Region Awards 2023
China (International Firms) Corporate & Finance Firm of the Year
Chambers Asia Pacific and Greater China Region Awards 2023
International Law Firm of the Year
China Law and Practice Awards 2022, 2023
Competition International Firm of the Year
China Law and Practice Awards 2022, 2023
Debt And Equity-Linked Capital Markets Team of the Year
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2023
Specialist Award: Financial Services Regulatory – International
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2023
Capital Markets Firm of the Year
China Law and Practice Awards 2023