More Chinese law firms looking for overseas work

More Chinese law firms have established branches overseas to provide legal services to Chinese enterprises setting up abroad.

Chinese companies, especially small and middle-sized ones, have extended their business overseas as China's economy has become stronger in the past few years, according to Li Mingquan, a lawyer in London.

In the process, Chinese enterprises have met legal difficulties that often could have been avoided if they had been given better legal advice before they entered the market, said Li, who has worked for the Ying Ke Law Firm in Britain for more than 15 years.

In 2010, the firm launched a legal project to help Chinese enterprises before they extend overseas.

"We help the companies research the foreign investment environment and partners' qualifications, as well as inform them how to register in Britain and draft legal documents," she said.

"The service can reduce misunderstanding and unnecessary trouble for Chinese companies that are unfamiliar with foreign legal procedures and language," she added.

The Ying Ke Law Firm has more than 4,000 lawyers and has set up offices worldwide, including in the United States, France and Germany. It continues to upgrade its legal services to adapt to the legal demands of different countries.

In Beijing, the Jing Shi Law Firm is also considering extending its business to Europe, "because lots of European nations have established good commercial ties with China and need our energetic economy", said Liu Honghui, who is in charge of the firm's international office.

The increase in foreign-related cases has also raised the requirements for Chinese judges.

In 2013, Chinese courts tackled 5,272 family cases involving foreigners, mostly divorces, custody and property rights matters, a rise of 26 percent year-on-year, the Supreme People's Court said.

Moreover, Chinese maritime courts handled 11,224 marine cases last year, according to the Supreme People's Court. It added that foreign-related marine disputes heard in China have involved 73 countries and regions, including Japan, Britain and the United States.

Ensuring the quality of case hearings and improving the judicial image have become more important, the top court said.

(China Daily 06/03/2015 page5)