Asia Pacific Submissions – The Legal 500

Researchers

Details of researchers are now available.

To learn more about the team behind our research, please visit Meet The Legal 500 Team.

Dates and deadlines

The research schedule and guidelines for The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025 edition are now below.

Client referees deadline: Monday 10 June 2024

Editorial submission deadline: Monday 10 June 2024

Follow-up research will start on Monday 1 July 2024

Publication for China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan: Mid-November 2024

Publication for the Asia Pacific guide: Mid-January 2025

The template documents you will need to send submissions are here:

Submission Template
Submission Template – Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Regional Bar and Arbitration Counsel
Submission Template – India, Sri Lanka Bars
Submission Template – Arbitrators
Submissions Template – India City Focus
Client Referee form – Law Firms NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
Client Referee form – The Bar NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
Client referee form – Arbitrators NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in other format as it may not be compatible with our system.

To send your submissions to us, please visit submissions.legal500.com and follow the onscreen prompts to send us new documents.

Login details have been sent to all firms – if you have not received your login or have problems accessing submissions.legal500.com, please get in touch via our FAQ page.

Guidelines and supporting information

Law firm guidelines
亚太指南申报资料大纲
 The Bar guidelines
Arbitrator guidelines
Frequently asked questions
Referees explained
Law firms practice area definitions

Practice areas

Regions and practice areas we are researching for Asia Pacific 2025 include:

LAW FIRMS:

AUSTRALIA

Banking and finance
Capital markets: debt
Capital markets: equity
Capital markets: securitisation
Competition and trade
Corporate and M&A
Data protection and cyber security
Dispute resolution: litigation
Dispute resolution: arbitration
Dispute resolution: class actions
Energy (transactions and regulatory)
Environment and planning
Fintech and financial services regulatory
Infrastructure projects and construction
Insurance
Intellectual property
IT and telecoms
Labour and employment
Labour and employment: workplace health and safety (WHS)
Media and entertainment
Native title
Natural resources (transactions and regulatory)
Project finance
Real estate
Restructuring and insolvency
Tax
Transport: aviation
Transport: shipping
White-collar crime

BANGLADESH

Banking and finance
Corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Intellectual property – NEW
Tax

BRUNEI

Leading firms

CAMBODIA

Leading firms

CHINA

Antitrust and competition: PRC firms
Antitrust and competition: Foreign firms
Banking and finance: PRC firms
Banking and finance: Foreign firms
Capital markets: PRC firms
Corporate and M&A: PRC firms
Corporate and M&A: Foreign firms
Data protection: PRC firms
Data protection: Foreign firms
Dispute resolution: Arbitration – PRC firms
Dispute resolution: Litigation – PRC firms
Dispute resolution: Arbitration – Foreign firms
Dispute resolution: Litigation – Foreign firms
Fintech: PRC firms
Fintech: Foreign firms
Insurance: PRC firms
Insurance: Foreign firms
Intellectual property: Contentious – PRC firms
Intellectual property: Non-contentious – PRC firms
Intellectual property: Foreign firms
Investment funds: PRC firms
Investment funds: Foreign firms
Labour and employment: PRC firms
Labour and employment: Foreign firms
Life sciences and healthcare: PRC firms
Life sciences and healthcare: Foreign firms
Private equity: PRC firms
Private equity: Foreign firms
Private wealth: PRC firms
Projects and energy: PRC firms
Projects and energy: Foreign firms
Real estate and construction : PRC firms
Real estate and construction: foreign firms
Regulatory/compliance: PRC firms
Regulatory/compliance: Foreign firms
Restructuring and insolvency: PRC firms
Restructuring and insolvency: Foreign firms
Shipping: PRC firms
Shipping: Foreign firms
Tax: PRC firms
Tax: Foreign firms
TMT: PRC firms
TMT: Foreign firms
WTO/international trade: PRC firms

Regional coverage

Other notable firms in Beijing
Other notable firms in Shanghai
Guangdong Province: Guangzhou and Shenzhen
Zhejiang Province: Hangzhou
Jiangsu province: Nanjing
Shaanxi Province: Xi’An – NEW
Sichuan province: Chengdu including Chongqing

HONG KONG

Antitrust and competition
Asset finance (including aviation and shipping finance)
Banking and finance
Capital markets: Debt
Capital markets: Equity
Commercial, corporate and M&A: Independent Hong Kong law firms
Construction
Corporate (including M&A)
Data Protection and cyber security
Dispute resolution: : Litigation
Dispute resolution: International arbitration
Domestic and international corporate tax
Fintech and financial services regulatory – NEW
Insurance
Intellectual property
Investment funds
Labour and employment
Offshore law firms
PRC firms in Hong Kong
Private equity
Private client and family
Projects and energy
Real estate
Regulatory: white-collar, compliance and investigations – AMENDED
Restructuring and insolvency
Shipping
Structured finance and securitisation
TMT

INDIA

Antitrust and competition
Aviation (including aerospace and defence)
Banking and finance
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Data protection
Dispute resolution: litigation
Dispute resolution: arbitration
Fintech and financial services regulatory
Foreign firms
Insurance
Intellectual property
- PATMA: Patent and trade mark attorneys
Labour and employment
Life sciences and healthcare
Private client
Private equity funds (including venture capital) – RENAMED
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Restructuring and insolvency
Shipping
Tax
TMT
WTO/international trade
White-collar crime

City focus – Bengaluru: Leading firms

City focus – Chandigarh: Leading firms

City focus – Chennai: Leading firms

City focus – Hyderabad: Leading firms

City focus – Jaipur: Leading firms

City focus – Kochi: Leading firms

City focus – Kolkata: Leading firms

City focus – Mumbai

Banking and finance
Commercial, corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Intellectual property
TMT
Real estate and construction

City focus – NCR (Delhi, Gurugram and Noida)

Banking and finance
Commercial, corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Intellectual property
Real estate and construction
TMT

City focus – Pune: Leading firms

INDONESIA

Aviation
Antitrust and competition
Banking and finance
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Foreign firms
Intellectual property
Labour and employment
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction – RENAMED
Restructuring and insolvency
Shipping
Tax
TMT including Fintech – RENAMED

JAPAN

Antitrust and competition: International firms and joint ventures
Antitrust and competition: Independent local firms
Banking and finance : International firms and joint ventures
Banking and finance: Independent local firms
Capital markets: International firms and joint ventures
Capital markets: Independent local firms
Corporate and M&A: International firms and joint ventures
Corporate and M&A: Independent local firms
Dispute resolution: International firms and joint ventures
Dispute resolution: Independent local firms
Fintech: International Firms and joint ventures
Fintech: Independent Local firms
Intellectual property: International firms and joint ventures
Intellectual property: Independent local firms
Investment funds: Foreign firms
Investment funds: Independent local firms
Labour and employment: International firms and joint ventures
Labour and employment: Independent local firms
Private wealth: Independent local firms
Projects and energy – International firms and joint ventures
Projects and energy – Independent local firms
Real estate and construction: International firms and joint ventures
Real estate and construction: Independent local firms
Restructuring and insolvency: International firms and joint ventures
Restructuring and insolvency: Independent local firms
Risk management and investigations: Independent local firms
Shipping: Independent local firms
Tax: International firms and joint ventures
Tax: Independent local firms
TMT: international firms and joint ventures
TMT: independent local firms

LAOS

Leading firms

MACAU

Leading firms

MALAYSIA

Antitrust and competition
Banking and finance including Islamic Finance – RENAMED
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Fintech and financial services regulatory – NEW
Foreign firms
Intellectual property
Labour and employment
Law firms in Sabah and Sarawak
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Shipping
Tax
TMT – RENAMED

MONGOLIA

Leading firms

MYANMAR

Corporate and M&A
Foreign desks
Projects and energy – RENAMED

NEW ZEALAND

Banking and finance
Competition law
Construction
Corporate and M&A
Data protection and cyber security
Dispute resolution
Insurance
Intellectual property
Investment funds
Labour and employment
Projects and resource management (including environment)
Real estate
Restructuring and insolvency
Tax
TMT
Transport (rail, road, air and sea)

NEPAL

Leading firms

PAKISTAN

Banking and finance (including Islamic finance)
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Insurance
Intellectual property – NEW
Labour and employment
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Tax
TMT

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Leading firms

PHILIPPINES

Antitrust and competition
Banking and finance
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Foreign firms
Intellectual property
Labour and employment (including immigration) – RENAMED
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Tax
TMT
Transport – AMENDED

SINGAPORE

Asset finance: Foreign firms
Antitrust and competition: Local firms
Banking and finance: Foreign firms
Banking and finance: Local firms
Capital markets: Equity and debt – Foreign firms
Capital markets: Equity and debt – Local firms
Capital markets: Structured finance, derivatives and securitisation – Foreign firms
Capital markets: Structured finance, derivatives and securitisation – Local firms
Construction: Local firms
Corporate and M&A: Foreign firms
Corporate and M&A: Local firms
Data protection and cyber security: Foreign firm – NEW
Data protection and cyber security: Local firms – AMENDED
Dispute resolution: Local firms
Energy: Foreign firms
Fintech and financial services regulatory: Foreign firms
Fintech and financial services regulatory: Local firms
Insurance: Foreign firms
Insurance: Local firms
Intellectual property: Local firms
International arbitration
Labour and employment: Foreign firms
Labour and employment: Local firms
Offshore law firms
Private equity and investment funds: Foreign firms– RENAMED
Private equity and investment funds: Local firms – RENAMED
Private wealth and family law: Foreign firms
Private wealth and family law: Local firms
Projects: Foreign firms
Projects and energy: Local firms
Real estate: Local firms
Restructuring and insolvency: Foreign firms
Restructuring and insolvency: Local firms
Shipping: Foreign firms
Shipping: Local firms
Start-up and venture capital: Foreign firms
Start-up and venture capital: Local firms
Tax: Local firms
TMT: Foreign firms
TMT: Local firms
White-collar crime: Foreign firms
White-collar crime: Local firms

SOUTH KOREA

Antitrust and competition : Local firms
Banking and finance : Local firms
Capital markets: Local firms
Capital markets: Foreign firms
Corporate and M&A: Local firms
Corporate and M&A: Foreign firms
Dispute resolution: Local firms
Fintech and financial services regulatory
Insurance: Local firms
International arbitration
Intellectual property: Local firms
Intellectual property: Foreign firms
Labour and employment: Local firms
Projects and energy: Local firms
Projects and energy: Foreign firms
Real estate: Local firms
Regulatory: White-collar, compliance and investigations – RENAMED
Shipping: Local firms
Shipping: Foreign firms
Tax: Local firms
TMT: Local firms

SRI LANKA

Banking, finance and capital markets – RENAMED
Corporate and M&A
Dispute resolution
Intellectual property
Labour and employment
Private client, wills and probate
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Shipping
Tax

TAIWAN

Antitrust and competition
Banking and finance
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Data protection
Dispute resolution
Insurance
Intellectual property
Intellectual property: Prosecution
Labour and employment
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Shipping
Tax
TMT

THAILAND

Banking and finance
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Customs and international trade
Dispute resolution
Dispute resolution: International arbitration
Insurance
Intellectual property
Labour and employment
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Restructuring and insolvency
Transport
Tax
TMT

VIETNAM

Banking and finance
Capital markets
Corporate and M&A
Data protection
Dispute resolution: Litigation
Dispute resolution: Arbitration
Foreign desks
Insurance
IP: International firms
IP: Local firms
Labour and employment
Projects and energy
Real estate and construction
Shipping and aviation
Tax
TMT

REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION

REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION – ARBITRATORS

(use the Bar template)

THE BAR:

AUSTRALIA BAR

Commercial disputes
Competition
Construction, infrastructure and property
Crime and regulatory (including white-collar)
TMT and IP

HONG KONG BAR

Administrative and public law
Commercial disputes
Competition
Construction and property
Family and private client
Intellectual property
Labour and employment
Regulatory, investigations and crime

INDIA

Senior advocates

NEW ZEALAND

Commercial disputes

SRI LANKA

Lead counsel

REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION – THE BAR

This section continues on from The English Bar in Asia section in previous years, but is now equally open to self-employed barristers across Asia such as those at the Hong Kong, Australian and New Zealand Bars, as well as those in chambers outside Asia with commitment to practice in Asia over and above their fellow subject matter specialists.

Commercial
Construction, energy and infrastructure
Shipping and commodities