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Location ranking

Best law firms in China

Grouped into editorial tiers — words, never scores. No paid placement and no numeric rank; within a tier the order rotates monthly and carries no meaning.

Last verified 23 Jul 2026 · Next review by 23 Aug 2026 · Change log

›Direct answer & research summary

Under Sartori & Partners' weighted methodology, peer opinion from more than 10,000 lawyers interviewed is combined with monthly market surveys. As of July 2026, the best law firms in China map to: JunHe, King & Wood Mallesons, Han Kun Law Offices, Pinsent Masons, Reed Smith, CMS, Cooley Godward, Morgan Lewis, Paul Hastings, Eversheds Sutherland, Fish & Richardson, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Greenberg Traurig, Haynes and Boone, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Nishimura & Asahi, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Squire Patton Boggs, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, A&O Shearman, ADVANT Beiten BURKHARDT, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Davis Polk & Wardwell.

01 — The ranking

The China board

This China ranking groups 23 firms into plain-language bands spanning coastal hubs, inland centres and secondary cities. Placement reflects bench depth, seniority mix and market standing as of July 2026; within a tier the monthly rotation carries no hierarchy.

CHINA / LOCATION RANKING23 FIRMS · NO SCORESREV. 2026-07
REFFIRMFOCUSSIGNAL
TIER 1 — MARKET LEADERS2 FIRMS

This band holds the firms whose China presence defines the market standard across major hubs and secondary cities. Labels are editorial words, not scores; monthly order carries no meaning.

T1·01 JunHe350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 15 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / LITIGATION & DISPUTES FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·02 King & Wood Mallesons350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 14 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 2 — HIGHLY ACTIVE3 FIRMS

Highly active firms show sustained China mandate flow and visible bench strength just below the market-leader band. Order inside the tier is non-hierarchical.

T2·01 Han Kun Law Offices350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 13 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / FINANCE & BANKING FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·02 Pinsent Masons25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 4 practices with bench CONSTRUCTION / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·03 Reed Smith25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 5 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / COMPLIANCE & REGULATORY FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 3 — ESTABLISHED4 FIRMS

Firms in this tier are part of the core China map — known, staffed and active — with relative standing expressed only in plain language.

T3·01 CMS25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / EMPLOYMENT & LABOR FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·02 Cooley Godward25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 3 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / SECURITIES & CAPITAL MARKETS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·03 Morgan Lewis25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 3 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / EMPLOYMENT & LABOR FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·04 Paul Hastings25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 3 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / LITIGATION & DISPUTES FLAT → EVID ↓
NOTABLE — NOTABLE IN THIS FIELD14 FIRMS · OUTSIDE THE TIERS

Notable entries flag real but lighter China footprints. They are not a lower rank of the bands above; they document presence the board would otherwise omit.

N·01 Eversheds Sutherland5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·02 Fish & Richardson5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FLAT → EVID ↓
N·03 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·04 Greenberg Traurig1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·05 Haynes and Boone1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth INTERNATIONAL & CROSS-BORDER / SECURITIES & CAPITAL MARKETS FLAT → EVID ↓
N·06 Mori Hamada & Matsumoto5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / ANTITRUST & COMPETITION FLAT → EVID ↓
N·07 Nishimura & Asahi1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·08 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·09 Squire Patton Boggs5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / INTERNATIONAL & CROSS-BORDER FLAT → EVID ↓
N·10 Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FLAT → EVID ↓
N·11 A&O Shearman5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench FINANCE & BANKING / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·12 ADVANT Beiten BURKHARDT1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·13 Anderson Mori & Tomotsune5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench INTERNATIONAL & CROSS-BORDER / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
N·14 Davis Polk & Wardwell5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / SECURITIES & CAPITAL MARKETS FLAT → EVID ↓

All counts are shown as bands, never precise headcounts. Notable firms sit outside the tiers by design: verified minimal presence, not assessed at full tier depth.

Hiring in China?

We map this market every day.

The evidence behind these tiers is the same intelligence we use to run retained searches for partners, groups and senior associates.

02 — Evidence, methodology & sources why each firm · how tiers are set · sources · change log · verified 23 Jul 2026 · next review 23 Aug 2026

Firm evidence

Tier 1 — Market leaders Open firm profile →

JunHe

JunHe is placed in market leaders for China. Public mapping (banded): 350+ attorneys, major local depth, ≈300 partners · 60 counsel · 25+ associates. Evidence gates — office (G1) PASS, local practice (G2) PASS, recent signal (G3) PASS. The placement carries no numeric score.

Strongest mapped work

Corporate & M&ALitigation & DisputesFinance & Banking

Public hiring signal

Hiring signal: FLAT — no public hiring change detected in the mapping window.

Limits of this assessment

  • —A tier is Sartori’s editorial opinion, not a fact about the firm or a client-satisfaction measure.
  • —Facts are mapped from public sources and shown as bands; they lag reality by weeks or months.
  • —No third-party legal-directory band is used as an input.

Sources for this entry

Methodology

How tiers are assigned

Deterministic public-footprint core (local depth, practice share, seniority mix, public hiring momentum), computed relative to this market's own distribution. Tier placement is derived from this public mapped data; a per-firm public-source ledger is compiled for firms in the annual research pass and applies to those firms' factual claims, not to tier membership. No third-party legal-directory bands are used as an input.

Market scope

10–24 firms earn a tier in China within this scope (banded).

Disclosures

Firm names used nominatively (factual). All counts shown as bands, never precise headcounts. No firm logos. Report an error via the site contact form.

Sources & change log

  1. 1 Beijing Head Officefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  2. 2 Shanghai Officefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  3. 3 Guangzhou Officefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  4. 4 Shenzhen Officefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  5. 5 Hangzhou Officefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  6. 6 Guangzhou Officefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  7. 7 Shenzhen Officefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  8. 8 Hangzhou Officefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  9. 9 Guangzhou Officefirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  10. 10 JunHe's Domestic and International offices jointly assist Hangzhou Tongshifu Cultural and Creative's Listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchangefirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  11. 11 JunHe Recognized in ALB China's Regional Rankings 2025: Yangtze River Delta Firms (Non-Local). Partners Chen Xunan and Shi Libin also Win Individual Awardsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  12. 12 Locationsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  13. 13 Locationsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  14. 14 Locationsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  15. 15 Locationsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  16. 16 办公机构 - 金杜律师事务所firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  17. 17 办公机构 - 金杜律师事务所firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  18. 18 办公机构 - 金杜律师事务所firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  19. 19 办公机构 - 金杜律师事务所firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  20. 20 办公机构 - 金杜律师事务所firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  21. 21 King & Wood Mallesons — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  22. 22 King & Wood Mallesons — China news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  23. 23 Contact Usfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  24. 24 Contact Usfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  25. 25 Contact Usfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  26. 26 Han Kun Law Offices — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  27. 27 Han Kun releases its 2025 VC/PE Data Analysis Reportfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  28. 28 第十四届“汉坤青年法律奖学金”复试暨颁奖典礼圆满落幕firm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  29. 29 Han Kun advises Shanghai Wankexin Biotechnology Partnership (Limited Partnership) on acquiring control of Kanghua Biologicalfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  30. 30 Offices/Locations｜Mori Hamada & Matsumotofirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  31. 31 Beijing｜Mori Hamada & Matsumotofirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  32. 32 Mori Hamada & Matsumoto — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  33. 33 Offices | ADVANT Beitenfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  34. 34 ADVANT Beiten BURKHARDT — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  35. 35 ADVANT Beiten BURKHARDT — China news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  36. 36 Locations | Anderson Mori & Tomotsunefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  37. 37 Locations | Anderson Mori & Tomotsunefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  38. 38 Anderson Mori & Tomotsune — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  39. 39 Special Lectures on Strategies for Addressing Legal and Regulatory Issues and Risk Management – Legal and Practical Issues in Economic Activities in Japan: A Focus on Chinese Companies’ Investment in Japan | Insight | Anderson Mori & Tomotsunefirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
23 Jul 2026 Scope-aware market-relative core assembled.
23 Jul 2026 39 verified source(s) ingested for the researched firms; tier placement is Titan-derived so unresearched visible firms do not block approval → APPROVED (auto).
Report an error in this ranking →

04 — Questions

About this ranking

Who are the best law firms in China?

As of July 2026, the Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's China ranking are JunHe, King & Wood Mallesons. The full board groups 23 firms into editorial tiers expressed in words rather than scores; within a tier order rotates monthly and carries no meaning.

Is JunHe the best law firm in China?

JunHe sits in Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's China board as of July 2026, alongside King & Wood Mallesons. Sartori does not name a single #1: the gap between Tier 1 firms is genuinely unmeasurable, and a numeric score would be false precision.

Which are the biggest law firms in China?

By mapped China bench, the largest firms on this board are JunHe, King & Wood Mallesons, Han Kun Law Offices (350+ mapped lawyers each). All counts are bands, never precise headcounts.

Which law firms are hiring in China right now?

As of July 2026, no firm on this board shows a public hiring signal in the mapping window. Live China mandates are listed on Sartori's jobs board.

What is a Tier 1 law firm?

In Sartori's rankings, Tier 1 — Market leaders — is an editorial judgement expressed in words, never a score: the firms whose China bench depth, seniority mix and market standing set the reference point for the market. As of July 2026 that is JunHe, King & Wood Mallesons. Within the tier no firm outranks another.

Which are the best law firms for corporate & m&a in China?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Corporate & M&A board for China: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is JunHe, King & Wood Mallesons. See the full ranking at /firms/corporate/in/china/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for mergers & acquisitions in China?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Mergers & Acquisitions board for China: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is King & Wood Mallesons, JunHe. See the full ranking at /firms/mergers-acquisitions/in/china/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for cross-border transactions in China?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Cross-Border Transactions board for China: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is JunHe, King & Wood Mallesons. See the full ranking at /firms/cross-border-transactions/in/china/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for intellectual property in China?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Intellectual Property board for China: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is King & Wood Mallesons. See the full ranking at /firms/intellectual-property/in/china/.

See the ranking →

This ranking is compiled independently by Sartori from public sources. Tiers are Sartori’s editorial opinion, expressed without numeric scores; firms are named for identification only, no logos are reproduced, and no firm has paid for or approved its placement. No third-party legal-directory band is used as an input. Nothing here is legal advice or a recommendation to instruct counsel.