Lifang & Partners

About Lifang & Partners: Founded in 2002, Lifang & Partners is a full-service law firm with offices in major Chinese business hubs of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Haikou, as well as Seoul, South Korea. We provide a full range of award-winning legal services covering intellectual property, antitrust and competition law, securities and capital markets, dispute resolution, and more.

Lifang & Partners is a well-rounded and diverse team that provides one-stop, high value-added services. Many of our partners and lawyers attended top law schools in China and abroad. Some have worked in the central government, major regulatory commissions, the courts, or overseas in well-known international law firms or multinational companies. Through their exceptional educational backgrounds and rich practical experiences, they have enjoyed successful careers in their chosen fields of expertise. Chambers & Partners, The Legal500, Asian Legal Business, Managing Intellectual Property and China Business Law Journal have recommended several of Lifang & Partners' lawyers on multiple occasions.

Believing in service, loyalty, diligence, efficiency and professional excellence, we provide well-rounded transactional and dispute resolution services that combine our in-depth understanding of China's legal, social and economic development with rich practical experience and a solid understanding of the challenges facing our clients.

Areas of practice

Intellectual property: Lifang & Partners is one of the few go-to firms for high-profile intellectual property issues in China. Many of our qualified lawyers have also had a technical or scientific education. Additionally, some of them had previously worked in the Chinese Central Government and the courts before they embarked upon their careers in private practice. Such a blend of diverse academic achievements and rich career experiences help us to quickly understand our clients’ complex legal, business, and public policy challenges, allowing us to offer practical legal solutions. We encourage our lawyers to combine their academic knowledge with their practical experience to provide efficient, high-quality legal services.

Lifang & Partner’s intellectual property litigation team profoundly understands technology, possesses strong industry knowledge, and has a proven track record of success. As our clients’ businesses have traditionally focused on creating and marketing products rich in intellectual property, enforcing IP rights and defending against claims of infringement or misappropriation have always been critical components of our firm’s practice. Our litigation team aggressively and successfully pursues our clients’ interests in complex disputes over patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, unfair competition, and other matters.

Antitrust: Our antitrust team was established in 2007. Lifang & Partners is a pioneer of antitrust litigation, having represented in multiple landmark antitrust litigations. For instance, we represented China Netcom (now China Unicom) in the abuse of market dominance lawsuit, which was China’s first antitrust lawsuit following the enactment of the Antitrust Law of China (“AML”). We represented Qihoo in Qihoo 360 v. Tencent, the first antitrust case heard by the Supreme People’s Court. We represented Tetra Pak in an abuse of market dominance case, which is the first high-profile follow-on action in China following antitrust authority’s decision.

Moreover, we have acted in multiple antitrust litigations involving standard essential patents for our rich experience in both IP litigation and antitrust litigation, including a series of high-profile litigations between Huawei and Samsung. We participated in almost all the major SEP litigations in China. With our capability to handle both patent and FRAND issues, we can offer our clients optimized litigation strategies to maximize their interest.

Since 2012, our lawyers have substantially participated in several investigations by National Development and Reform Commission (“NDRC”), and now State Administration for Market Regulation (“SAMR”), as counsel to the antitrust authority, respondent, or complainant in different cases. We gained an in-depth understanding of the internal procedures and working style of the antitrust authorities. We participated in a number of landmark investigations such as the LCD panels cartel case, the first antitrust investigation in China, and the Qualcomm abuse of market dominance case, which results in the highest fine ever imposed in China.

Lifang & Partners is one of China’s first firms to be involved in merger control filings. Since 2007, our lawyers have been involved in many cases and have acquired extensive experience in merger control filings. We have handled more than one hundred merger control filings to date.

Compliance: With the increasing demand for legal services in compliance and regulatory from clients, Lifang & Partners has established a dedicated compliance team aiming at providing clients with comprehensive, one-stop, and professional compliance legal services.

Our compliance legal services cover data protection and cybersecurity, antitrust compliance, anti-bribery, anti-corruption and anti-fraud, import and export control and trade compliance, etc. The industries we serve include TMT, life sciences and healthcare, semiconductors, banking and finance, automotive, new energy, and more.

Dispute resolution: The resolution of commercial disputes through Chinese arbitration or litigation systems is becoming an increasingly attractive option for both foreign and domestic parties.

Our lawyers have a great depth of experience representing foreign and domestic clients in informal settlement negotiations and formal dispute proceedings. In relation to formal disputes proceedings, such experience includes administrative review proceedings, commercial arbitration, mediation, intellectual property hearings, international arbitration, and civil proceedings in the People’s Courts.

Shortly after engaging us, clients receive an in-depth analysis of the merits of their case. Thereafter, we ensure that clients are provided with regular updates on the progress of their case and an analysis of the final decision.

We have a proven record of providing quality services and delivering solid results to clients in a wide range of cases.

Criminal Law Services: In response to the increasing demand from our clients for criminal compliance legal services, Lifang & Partners established a dedicated criminal law team in 2019. Comprising over ten highly-experienced criminal law practitioners, our team boasts exceptional professionality and holds prestigious educational backgrounds at home and abroad, ensuring a solid theoretical foundation. With decades of experience, our criminal lawyers have successfully handled numerous complex cases, enabling them to possess an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of judicial proceedings and effectively identify dispute focuses.

Furthermore, our criminal law team has fostered comprehensive collaboration with departments specializing in civil and commercial litigation, capital markets and securities. This strategic integration of expertise maximizes the advantages of professional division and teamwork, providing our team with a distinct edge in handling cases related to anti-corruption and anti-bribery, economic crimes and occupational crimes in financial and securities sectors, as well as complicated criminal-civil matters.

Our criminal law team not only excels in criminal litigation but also provides expert legal guidance in criminal compliance for enterprises. By ensuring our clients' adherence to relevant laws and regulations, we help safeguard their business operations and promote a culture of legal compliance.

Capital markets and securities: The Lifang & Partners capital markets and securities team has a wealth of experience and has served as legal adviser to many issuers and underwriters at home and abroad. It has participated in the listings of several companies on the Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and New York stock exchanges. It has substantial experience working with preferred stocks, convertible bonds, asset securitization and other emerging businesses in China’s capital markets.

Lifang & Partners’ clients include Chinese and foreign state-owned companies, private enterprises, world-renowned multinational companies, and investment banks. We work with a broad range of industries including finance, energy, construction, transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, consulting, security, TMT, and other fields.

Venture capital investment and private equity funds: Lifang & Partners provides comprehensive legal services for private fund managers and private funds, including fund model design, internal control system construction, change of fund manager reporting, management of legal risks from operations, prevention and control of contract risks, and special legal risks prevention. We help our clients to fulfil their regulatory compliance obligations to the Fund Association and comprehensively clean up and prevent all kinds of legal risks that may occur.

Investments and mergers: Lifang & Partners’ securities and capital markets team has completed well-known and complex investment and M&A transactions on behalf of many publicly listed companies, state-owned enterprises, and private businesses. Other work handled by the team includes listed company reorganizations and mergers, cross-border acquisitions, overseas investment and M&A projects. During these transactions, our team has provided integrated services to clients using their in-depth understanding of the Chinese legal and regulatory environment, and the integration of their expertise in tax, finance, and business matters. We have a deep understanding of client needs and can always provide comprehensive solutions.

Bank and finance: With our lawyers’ professional expertise, sound experience, and high standards, Lifang & Partners’ legal services to the financial sector is well recognized, which include banking, trusts, insurance, funds and financial technology.

Lifang & Partners has provided services for insurance companies, state-owned commercial banks, foreign banks, city commercial banks, village banks, trust companies, and other financial institutions. Our services have involved international financing, syndicated loans, project financing, and financial litigation. Financial institutions, trust loans, bond underwriters and others retain us to provide daily legal advisory services. We offer the full range of legal services required by financial institutions related to the issuance, risk management, disposal and acquisition of distressed assets and financial derivatives.

Insurance and reinsurance: The Lifang & Partners insurance team comprises several experienced legal professionals. It has been focusing on providing legal services to the insurance industry for many years. Our legal services cover all fields of the insurance industry.

Construction and real estate: Construction and real estate have played an important role in the development of China’s economy. Lifang & Partners as a legal services provider takes an active role in the construction and real estate industries.

Our construction and real estate practice combines our knowledge of contract, corporate and property law with industry knowledge. Lifang & Partners has a group of excellent lawyers which form its professional real estate team. Based on profound legal knowledge and industry expertise, our real estate team provides legal services for banks, real estate funds, developers, contractors, project investors and the government. We can handle all aspects of a transaction including land development, project acquisition, engineering construction, real estate project financing, and property management.

Lifang & Partners’ real estate team works closely with our dispute resolution team on construction and real estate matters, enabling us to minimize the potential for disputes or to deal with them expeditiously, should they arise. We assist our clients to mitigate their risks and to achieve their commercial objectives.

Labour law: Human resource management and labour dispute resolutions are a significant component of business operation. Lifang & Partners understands the importance of labour law matters to clients and attaches great attention to this area of practice. Our labour law practitioners possess rich experiences, aim to provide high-quality legal services and maintain close relationships with relevant government administrations, judicial organs, experts and scholars.

Lifang & Partners is capable of providing clients with a comprehensive labour law services, including conducting compliance audits, suggesting improvements for labour relationships, establishing labour management systems, providing key staff with labour law training, managing employee placements in special commercial transactions, handling the employment of foreigners, and resolving labour disputes.

Legal Services Concerning Distressed Assets: Lifang & Partners has a distressed assets disposal team composed of more than 20 legal professionals. Most of the team have significant experience in enforcing judgments and disposing of distressed assets as employees of large financial institutions. They have provided long-term legal advisory services to many asset management companies and have rich practical experience in distressed asset disposal.

Lifang & Partners’ legal service team has been tracking and studying changes in laws and regulations in the fields related to the disposal of distressed assets for a long time, grasps the trend of regulatory policies, and meets the various legal service needs of clients in response to changes in the distressed assets market.

Lifang & Partners’ distressed assets legal service team provides daily legal counselling, asset due diligence, asset disposal proposals, transaction structure design, contract drafting, legal advice, debt settlement, negotiation, litigation and judgment execution. In the process of all-round, one-stop and whole process legal services, we comprehensively use various distressed assets disposal means, such as acquisition and transfer of distressed assets, asset replacement, debt restructuring, corporate restructuring, bankruptcy liquidation and judicial liquidation to help clients with distressed assets disposal needs to improve their disposal capacity, reduce investment risks and improve investment returns.

Debt Restructuring and Bankruptcy Liquidation: Corporate debt restructuring and bankruptcy liquidation are among the key practice areas at Lifang & Partners. Since 2018, Lifang & Partners has been deeply involved in a high-profile case of a listed company's bond default and subsequent debt crisis, which culminated in a successful bankruptcy reorganization in December 2020. Throughout this process, we accumulated practical experience in assisting listed companies in resolving debt crises and utilizing reorganization procedures for debt restructuring. Lifang & Partners has assembled a debt restructuring team with partners and senior lawyers from Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Shenzhen, and other locations, who have extensive experience in securities and capital markets, corporate and commercial disputes, and taxation. The debt restructuring team at Lifang is committed to providing comprehensive, efficient, and high-quality legal services to clients. This includes offering advice and assistance to distressed enterprises in managing debt crises, engaging in out-of-court negotiations, agreements, and discussions, conducting bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations through judicial proceedings, as well as resolving disputes arising from bankruptcy procedures.

Japan-related Legal Services: Lifang & Partners' Japanese business team consists of more than ten partners and attorneys from various offices in Beijing and Seoul, Korea, with some members having experience in well-known Japanese law firms. Based on its profound legal background and extensive practical experience, the team gives full play to its multi-language advantages in Chinese, Japanese and English. and with the help of its in-depth understanding of Japanese culture and Japanese enterprises, and relying on the strong overall resources of the whole firm, the team can assist its clients in dealing with a variety of legal matters at all stages relating to investment from Japan to China or vice versa, and we will assist them with all legal matters, ranging from establishment of a company, business management, compliance and cooperation governance, dissolution and liquidation, as well as M&A, IP right, antitrust, cybersecurity and data compliance, and dispute resolution, etc. At the same time, the Japanese business team will actively provide legal services for Chinese companies investing in Japan by utilizing its wide network of Japanese lawyers and the economic community.