Greater China Region China Employment (PRC Firms)

King & Wood Mallesons fields a large bench of specialist labour lawyers that are widely recognised and praised for their deep knowledge and understanding of the needs of foreign investors and multinationals. The team is also well equipped to advise domestic entities and state-owned enterprises. It provides a full gamut of labour and employment services covering compliance, litigation and arbitration. The law firm remains a counsel of choice for large employee settlement and transfer projects arising from heavyweight M&A deals and restructuring. Its key clients include China Merchants Group, Walmart and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Zhong Lun Law Firm boasts a group of highly experienced employment lawyers and offers well-rounded expertise in employment law, with a depth of knowledge of HR management. The team is frequently engaged by both international and domestic companies and large state-owned enterprises in a variety of industries including finance, energy, pharmaceuticals, technology and telecommunications. The law firm handles large redundancy projects and disputes relating to compliance and non-compete agreements. It also assists clients with compliance reviews and investigations. Its key clients include Cummins (China) Investment, NVIDIA China and China Oil & Gas Pipeline Network (PipeChina).

AnJie Broad Law Firm's vibrant employment department is recognised for its experience acting on dispute resolution and advisory work. The team handles mass layoff projects and labour issues arising from corporate transactions and restructurings. It is especially skilled in employment cases involving trade secret and unfair competition issues. The law firm also assists with formulating compliance policies and systems, as well as compliance investigations. Its clientele includes domestic and international entities from various industries, such as technology, manufacturing and financial services. Its key clients include Citigroup, CBRE China and BOE Technology Group.

Baohua Law Firm is a Shanghai-based boutique that is known for its vast expertise in handling contentious matters arising from employment disputes. The team is regularly engaged by both international and multinational clients to handle their local labour needs. The practice is well versed in providing counsel on employee handbooks and contracts, and closely follows labour regulation and law changes. The law firm also assists on regulatory compliance and related investigation matters. It represents clients in a variety of industries ranging from the automotive sector to the pharmaceutical and technology industries. IBM, Oracle and Abbott are examples of its clientele.

The well-regarded DeHeng Law Offices houses an employment team with core expertise in regulatory compliance, HR management and dispute resolution. The team is regularly engaged by domestic and international clients and state-owned enterprises from a range of industries including financial services, TMT and pharmaceuticals. The full-service law firm with employment lawyers based in multiple cities across the country. Its key clients include China Datang Group Nenghua Investment, CNOOC Energy Development and Xinhua Asset Management.

River Delta Law Firm is a pre-eminent employment law boutique that houses a deep bench of practitioners with considerable expertise in employment law and HR management issues. The team is a popular choice with a wide variety of international and domestic corporate entities. It offers additional expertise in contentious labour issues and is familiar with litigation and arbitration proceedings. The law firm also advises on employee settlement and relocation mandates and HR policy revision. Its clientele includes Trane Air Conditioning System (China), Pall (China) and MFS Insurance Brokers (Shanghai).

The robust employment team at Fangda Partners is recognised in the market for handling litigation and corporate work for international companies. The team regularly advises on mass layoff projects, labour disputes relating to non-compete agreements and employees' misconduct, as well as relevant investigations. It also handles non-contentious work, including employee stock ownership plan agreements, HR policies and employment contracts. In addition to its representation of multinationals, the team also advises domestic clients on labour issues. The firm's key clients include Intel, Hilton and Coller Capital.

The robust employment team at Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm assists domestic companies from a wide range of industries with a variety of employment matters, including work in the mining, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Its client roster also includes major state-owned firms. The team is regularly mandated on arbitration proceedings in connection with terminations and employee transfer projects. The practice also provides advice on employment contracts and labour issues arising from corporate transactions. Its recent clients include Minmetals Yingkou Medium Plate, RRS Supply Chain Technology and China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group.

Dentons China possesses an established practice with specialists offering advice on a range of employment law work. The team is experienced in handling disputes concerning terminations, overtime pay and bonus schemes. It also handles human resources management matters and labour issues arising out of transactions and outsourcing arrangements. The law firm represents a diverse range of clients including domestic and foreign entities, as well as state-owned enterprises. Its key clients include Guangzhou Toyota Motor, IKEA and GAC Group.

Global Law Office houses a recognised team with a notable offering on contentious and non-contentious employment mandates. The team is skilled in handling labour disputes involving termination and non-compete issues. The law firm also assists on layoff and transfer projects and human resources matters as well as advising a host of domestic and international entities from the technology, automotive and pharmaceuticals sectors, among others. Its key clients include HP, Volkswagen and Johnson & Johnson.

PW & Partners houses an established team advising on a range of employment matters. The Guangdong-based group ably assists with non-contentious and dispute work, covering workplace injury, employee misconduct and resettlement plans. The team attracts regular mandates from domestic and foreign entities in the food and beverages, manufacturing and chemical industries, such as Goertek, Mars Wrigley Confectionery (China) and Mead Johnson.

Tahota Law Firm is a Western China-based group offering expertise in a range of employment matters. The team advises on labour disputes concerning employee misconduct and terminations, in addition to employee transfer and layoff projects. Its client portfolio includes a number of state-owned enterprises and Western China-based domestic entities, such as Chengdu Techcent Environment, China Construction Eighth Engineering Division and Chengdu Airport Public Transport.

TransAsia Lawyers fields a broad employment practice offering advice on the full spectrum of employment matters, including compliance and contract review. The team is noted for its work acting on behalf of foreign corporations, as well as its particular expertise in handling litigation.