Sidley is proud to have been named China’s “In-House Community Firm of the Year” for 2013 in the Regulatory/Compliance and Life Sciences categories of
Asian-MENA Counsel magazine’s
7th annual Representing Corporate Asia & Middle East Survey. It is the largest such survey in Asia and the Middle East region. The firm also received an honorable mention as “Most Responsive International Firm of the Year.”
Asian-MENA Counsel, a monthly legal publication for corporate counsel, based its award results on the votes and testimonials of more than 20,000 pre-qualified in-house lawyers and senior corporate executives. The survey features the views of in-house counsel as they weigh in on such topics as what most influences their selection of external counsel and which firms they most prefer.
“The results do not indicate which law firms have been the most active in any area,” according to the publication, “but rather those private practice teams whose service has been of high quality and who have been responsive to their clients’ needs beyond the norm.”
“Over the years, we have nurtured long-term relationships with our clients,” said Charles Allen, head of the Commercial Litigation practice. “We consistently strive to exceed the expectations of our clients and advise on solutions that make a difference to their business, which is why we are very pleased to have been recognized for this honor based on their input and the input of the business community.”
Such recognition stems in part from Sidley’s understanding of the impact of regulatory developments in China. The firm’s regulatory and compliance lawyers advise on a wide range of transactional and advisory matters for financial institutions, companies, governments and trade associations. Sidley has also earned a reputation for being a destination law firm for pharmaceutical, biological, medical device and food companies wishing to operate in China. The fully integrated life sciences practice serves multinational companies in every aspect of their Chinese business operations.
“The wave of enforcement action in China in recent months has meant that responsiveness and on-the-ground experience are crucial factors to Sidley’s clients and multinationals operating on the mainland,” said Yuet Ming Tham, a partner in the firm’s Arbitration, Litigation and Regulatory group, adding, “It’s necessary for companies to go beyond simply being reactive. Many companies are beginning to realize the need to take proactive measures by setting up strong compliance programs for operations in China.”
The Asian-MENA Counsel recognition continues the recent string of “best of” awards for Sidley’s office in China, including being named as International Firm of the Year for Dispute Resolution by
China Law and Practice (CLP). A bilingual journal dedicated to the business of law in China, CLP stated that the winning firms were judged on their professional accomplishments, as well as their influence on the legal market and contributions to the quality and development of China’s legal landscape.
