26 Asian Legal Business | February 2025 offices in recent years and how it has navigated them. The firm notes that legal service demand among corporate clients has fluctuated, with significant shifts in payment willingness and capabilities. Additionally, due to its proximity to Beijing, Tianjin faces dual challenges of talent and client attrition. Many Tianjinbased businesses tend to seek legal services in Beijing due to its higher economic activity levels. To adapt to these pressures, SGLA has actively pursued new business opportunities in the region. For example, its Dalian office has been expanding into high-end legal services, advising on Dalian Urban Construction Investment Group’s mid-term note issuance in 2024 and working on Northeast China’s first on-exchange public data product transaction. The firm has also been involved in major restructuring cases, broadened its government and state-owned enterprise client base to align with national development strategies. With ongoing economic transformation and innovation, law firms in the Circum-Bohai region remain confident in their ability to support the region’s industrial upgrading and innovationdriven growth. SGLA observes that the region’s next phase of economic momentum will come from traditional industries, such as manufacturing and shipping, evolving into high-end manufacturing and green energy. This transition will drive demand for intellectual property, data compliance, and related legal services. Additionally, stricter environmental regulations and the rise of the green economy present opportunities in environmental law consulting and carbon trading legal services. Meanwhile, technological advancements in the digital economy and AI are creating increasing legal demand in data compliance and cybersecurity. Kangda also believes that the firm will benefit from the region’s evolving business environment. To stay ahead, the firm plans to enhance both litigation and non-litigation capabilities in the CircumBohai market. In the future, its focus will sionals and impressive revenue figures. The firm shares with ALB that SGLA was co-founded by several former members of the SGLA Alliance, with its Dalian office transitioning from Liaoning Fada Law Firm and the Tianjin office formed by key teams from a former alliance member and Tianjin Junhui Law Firm. The firm notes that the Circum-Bohai Sea region is a core economic hub in northern China, with a strategic location that connects Northeast China, North China, and Northeast Asia. Moreover, the national strategy of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, combined with the Circum-Bohai economic zone plan, provides a strong environment for SGLA to expand its market and enhance its regional services. Kangda Law Firm makes its first appearance in the 2025 Circum-Bohai ranking, with Jiang Qingqing from its Jinan office also named a rising lawyer. Kangda currently has four offices in the region — in Shenyang, Tianjin, Heze, and Jinan —with a total team size of nearly 100 professionals. Despite its lean structure, the firm has achieved strong revenue growth. Kangda tells ALB that its approach in the Circum-Bohai region is driven by flexibility and market needs. Each of its four offices was established based on a deep analysis of local legal service demand. These offices operate with efficient, specialized teams that tailor their services to local market dynamics, avoiding homogeneous competition. The Circum-Bohai region has traditionally maintained an industry-heavy economic structure, resulting in strong demand for conventional legal services. However, law firms are now actively exploring new opportunities to align with emerging economic trends. Beyond its traditional litigation services, Kangda has successfully expanded into non-litigation areas, such as corporate compliance, intellectual property, M&A, and restructuring. The firm has also made strides in renewable energy and fintech sectors. SGLA highlights the development challenges faced by its Circum-Bohai be on coordinated regional development, exploring emerging legal sectors, and optimizing firm management. The firm aims to strengthen its traditional legal expertise, expand into new practice areas, and enhance collaboration with external institutions. In terms of management, Kangda closely monitors policy trends, attracts top legal talent, and continuously refines business processes and quality control. “We also emphasize ongoing learning and professional development to provide superior legal services for its clients,” says the firm. 2025年初，中国各省市过去一年GDP数 字相继公布，其中环渤海地区三省一市 取得了较受瞩目的成绩。 环渤海地区的发展动能可以概括为“ 创新”“变革”两个关键词。其中，该地区 目前拥有5座GDP万亿级城市，在当前 的经济发展格局中，体现出愈发重要的 引领作用。 具体来看，山东省GDP位列全国第 三，稳坐环渤海第一把交椅，去年经济增 速为4.6%；天津作为直辖市，去年GDP增 长为5.1%，房地产、能源、科创、旅游都是 城市发展亮点。 河北省去年GDP增速为5.2%，其发 展最大亮点在于：唐山市于去年跻身万 亿城市之列，在钢铁工业实现绿色转型 的同时也积极探寻“向海发展”，增强作 为北方第一大港口的实力。最后，辽宁省 去年GDP增速为5.1%，其中投资是经济 增长的重要驱动因素之一。 如果说上述宏观经济变化给法律服 务市场带来了更多新机会，其也同时呼 求律所加速革新业务领域，打造更现代 化、综合性、国际化的服务能力。 今年的ALB China环渤海榜单分为 三部分。其一是律所部分，上榜律所共25 家，5家为新上榜（道可特、海华永泰、康 达、兰迪、辽宁卓政）；其二是律师新星部 分，共20位作为该市场中坚力量的律师 上榜，16位工作于外地品牌律所、4位工 作于本土律所；第三是2025年新增的客 户首选律师部分，共10位由客户推举而 出的律师上榜。 中联律师事务所今年上榜了环渤海 律所，其大连办公室孙庭超律师同时上 榜律师新星，大连的另两位律师黄哲、孙 平则获评客户首选律师。 2025 ALB China Regional Ranking: Circum-Bohai Sea Area
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