4 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS CHINA • 亚洲法律杂志-中国版 MAY 2024 The Shanghai Lawyer Credit Information System suggests that only 14 Guangdong-based law firms have offices in Shanghai as of 2023, and none of the 55 law firms with 100 or more practicing lawyers in Shanghai come from South China. However, this may be changing. In December 2023, Shanghai released Measures to Develop Strong Law Firm Brands and Build Shanghai into an International Legal Service Center, which delineates the city’s plan to build a lineup of law firm brands by attracting and cultivating comprehensive and boutique firms with brand awareness, professional expertise, and quality services. Driven by these incentives and their desire to settle in the Yangtze River Delta region, South China law firms may emerge as a force to be reckoned with. Thanks to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, South China law firms are growing and embarking on a more ambitious journey toward Shanghai and the broader Yangtze River Delta. 借助粤港澳大湾区的发展东风，华南律所品牌不断成熟，并逐渐展开更具“野心”的全国性布局： 长三角及上海成为了他们目的地之一。 BY CHARLIE WU 作者：吴卓言 NEXT STOP: SHANGHAI 向东去！华南律所加速长三角布局 China Commercial Law Firm, one of the top law firms in Shenzhen, opened its Shanghai office in late March. Managed by executive director Wu Bo, the opening of the new office is a significant milestone for the firm as it enters the second phase of its expansion. The launch of their Shanghai office, marking the 48th location in China and the first in the Yangtze River Delta after establishing a presence in Hangzhou, Nanjing, Hefei, and Yangzhou, suggests the firm’s deliberate and cautious strategy in entering more entrenched traditional markets. Over the past year, the Yangtze River Delta has seen a somewhat diminished export-oriented economy, with the legal sector facing a number of obstacles. Nonetheless, Wu maintains a strong sense of optimism regarding Shanghai’s potential for development. “China is in a critical period of economic recovery and transformation and upgrading, and the foundation for recovery still needs to be reinforced due to internal and external factors combined. Data show that the economic aggregate of the Yangtze River Delta region exceeded 30 trillion yuan in 2023, and the year-on-year growth of all four YRD provinces in the first quarter of this year exceeded 5%, which is ample proof of the region’s economic vitality,” Wu notes. For legal services, changes and challenges promise opportunities. “In recent years, the Yangtze River Delta region has implemented a series of policies and measures to optimize and upgrade the legal service industry, promote integrated legal services and BIG STORY
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