17 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS CHINA • 亚洲法律杂志-中国版 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM/CHINA YEAR AHEAD 2024 are encountering more and more legal issues in their economic lives. Although the number of lawyers is increasing rapidly, it is still far from meeting the legal services needs of the public. Therefore, the market for legal services is still huge. The key is how to help clients find lawyers suitable for them.” “The Chinese legal market will be full of challenges in 2024. At the same time, it will also be accompanied by opportunities. I believe that with continuous improvement in the domestic economy, the legal market will also turn the corner,” shares Zhu. Zhang Liguo of Grandway where capital market is the core business believes “there will be more business opportunities for capital market legal services in 2024” thanks to further improvement of the A-share capital market system, and the introduction of a slew of favorable measures to stimulate the capital market and boost investor confidence in 2023. Liu, on the other hand, remains very confident in the overall legal market. “The legal market in China enjoys promising development prospects and potential. With the continuous growth of the Chinese economy and the deepening of market-oriented reforms, the demand for legal services from enterprises and individuals continues to increase, and the legal market continues to expand. At the same time, the acceleration of technological development and digital transformation has prompted the legal industry to constantly innovate and upgrade, injecting new impetus into market development.” In addition, firm leaders have shared with ALB important plans and directions for their firms in 2024. In 2024, East & Concord plans to establish a regional “Chengdu-Chongqing office” by following the innovative structure of its GBA office “in response to the abundant business opportunities in the region. We look forward to the new office becoming a new growth pole for the firm,” says Wang. Grandway keeps close tabs on the Internet delivery of legal services amid the digital wave. “With government support for the digital upgrading of the 过去一年，中国经济的复苏之路 跌宕起伏：一季度，GDP增速为4.5% ，随后迎来二季度6.3%的高增长；但 到了三季度，增速回落至4.9%，其后 在四季度恢复至5%上下。过去几个 月，中国一系列内外政策调整为新的 一年带来乐观信号，但不确定性的阴 云并未完全散去。 年初，多家主流媒体将2024年 的关键词定为“信心”。这一年，能否 修复民营企业、外国投资者、消费者 等群体的信心至关重要，而身处时代 大背景中，中国律师事务所在2024年 的业务表现也将伴随着信心潮头，或 低或高。 岁末年初，律所纷纷盘点总结过 去一年的得失。天达共和律师事务所 主任汪冬律师坦言，天达共和在2023 年经历了第一季度的快速增长后，随 后三个季度的表现较为平平。全年 来看，律所营收增长约为12%左右， 但“增量主要得益于我们在2022年 底、2023年初吸纳了新合伙人”。 国枫律师事务所首席合伙人张 利国律师则指出：“2023年是中国资 本市场重大变革的一年。律师行业的 发展离不开大环境，过去一年整体来 讲行业还是比较困难。国枫作为一直 将资本市场作为核心业务的高度专 业化律所，基于政策变化及经济形势 的影响，2023年也经历了营收的同 比下降。” 天驰君泰律师事务所管委会主 任张合律师分享道，2023年天驰君 泰营收基本保持稳定，“在面临外部 环境挑战的情况下确保了稳步发展” 。协力律师事务所主任祝筱青律师也 指出“稳定”是过去一年协力发展的 主色调，虽然个别专业领域受限于行 业和经济环境存在一定滞涨甚至下 降，“但总体上2023年的营收情况同 比稳中有升”。 过去一年，连越律师事务所的营 收也保持了稳中有进态势。面对市场 变化，连越及时调整了投入和支出， 主任刘涛律师告诉ALB：“我们在线 下活动和会议方面的投入有所减少， 随着数字化转型加速，也减少了在办 公设备方面的支出；但在青年律师培 养、专业化建设、品牌建设、文化建设 方面保障了投入的持续扩大。” 发展关键词 如果说未来几年都将如2023年般呈 现出不确定性与挑战，过去一年律所 发展的经验也将为未来提供智慧。就 legal industry, we will invest more in the research of AI in legal services to keep up with the times, and adapt to and embrace the challenges posed by new technologies and formats to the service models and methods of the entire legal industry,” shares Zhang Liguo. In the new year, Tiantai is committed to further optimizing its presence in different provinces across the country, and through cross-regional business integration, expanding its advantageous practice areas such as IP, tax, corporate affairs, banking and finance, criminal defense and dispute resolution to the whole country. 2024 marks the beginning of Guangdong Lianyue’s “second fiveyear plan.” “We will solidly push for high-quality development and strive to build the firm into a top large and strong full-service firm in South China,” says Liu. In addition, the firm will “focus on the development of the information industry in the GBA, attract and nurture cross-border talents, and continuously improve the level of cross-border legal services.” In the new year, Co-effort will continue to drive “scale” with “professionalism” and explore the model of full-time management positions. “In terms of practice areas, we will increase professional research and development and investment in digital economy, data security and new energy fields. At the same time, we will step up presence and cooperation in ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ countries and regions, striving to contribute our wisdom and strength to the overseas ventures of Chinese enterprises,” says Zhu. How firms develop in 2024 may lay the foundation for the coming years. “We think that the golden age of the legal services industry has passed,” admits Wang. “In the next three to five years, we will enter a relatively stable and even slightly downward market environment, and industry competition will gradually intensify. How to seize opportunities, strengthen internal management, and do a good job in existing business may be something that Chinese firms will need to deal with for a considerable period of time in the future.”
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