Researchers
Details of researchers are now available.
To learn more about the team behind our research, please visitMeet The Legal 500 Team.
Dates and deadlines
The research schedule and guidelines for The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025 edition are now below.
Client referees deadline: Monday 10 June 2024
Editorial submission deadline: Monday 10 June 2024
Follow-up research will start on Monday 1 July 2024
Publication for China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan: Mid-November 2024
Publication for the Asia Pacific guide: Mid-January 2025
The template documents you will need to send submissions are here:
Submission Template
Submission Template – Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Regional Bar and Arbitration Counsel
Submission Template – India, Sri Lanka Bars
Submission Template – Arbitrators
Submissions Template – India City Focus
Client Referee form – Law Firms NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
Client Referee form – The Bar NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
Client referee form – Arbitrators NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
To send your submissions to us, please visit submissions.legal500.comand follow the onscreen prompts to send us new documents.
Login details have been sent to all firms – if you have not received your login or have problems accessingsubmissions.legal500.com, please get in touch via our FAQ page.
Guidelines and supporting information
Law firm guidelines
亚太指南申报资料大纲
The Bar guidelines
Arbitrator guidelines
Frequently asked questions
Referees explained
Law firms practice area definitions
Practice areas
Regions and practice areas we are researching for Asia Pacific 2025 include:
LAW FIRMS:
AUSTRALIA
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets: debt
- Capital markets: equity
- Capital markets: securitisation
- Competition and trade
- Corporate and M&A
- Data protection and cyber security
- Dispute resolution: litigation
- Dispute resolution: arbitration
- Dispute resolution: class actions
- Energy (transactions and regulatory)
- Environment and planning
- Fintech and financial services regulatory
- Infrastructure projects and construction
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- IT and telecoms
- Labour and employment
- Labour and employment: workplace health and safety (WHS)
- Media and entertainment
- Native title
- Natural resources (transactions and regulatory)
- Project finance
- Real estate
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Tax
- Transport: aviation
- Transport: shipping
- White-collar crime
BANGLADESH
- Banking and finance
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property – NEW
- Tax
BRUNEI
- Leading firms
CAMBODIA
- Leading firms
CHINA
- Antitrust and competition: PRC firms
- Antitrust and competition: Foreign firms
- Banking and finance: PRC firms
- Banking and finance: Foreign firms
- Capital markets: PRC firms
- Corporate and M&A: PRC firms
- Corporate and M&A: Foreign firms
- Data protection: PRC firms
- Data protection: Foreign firms
- Dispute resolution: Arbitration – PRC firms
- Dispute resolution: Litigation – PRC firms
- Dispute resolution: Arbitration – Foreign firms
- Dispute resolution: Litigation – Foreign firms
- Fintech: PRC firms
- Fintech: Foreign firms
- Insurance: PRC firms
- Insurance: Foreign firms
- Intellectual property: Contentious – PRC firms
- Intellectual property: Non-contentious – PRC firms
- Intellectual property: Foreign firms
- Investment funds: PRC firms
- Investment funds: Foreign firms
- Labour and employment: PRC firms
- Labour and employment: Foreign firms
- Life sciences and healthcare: PRC firms
- Life sciences and healthcare: Foreign firms
- Private equity: PRC firms
- Private equity: Foreign firms
- Private wealth: PRC firms
- Projects and energy: PRC firms
- Projects and energy: Foreign firms
- Real estate and construction : PRC firms
- Real estate and construction: foreign firms
- Regulatory/compliance: PRC firms
- Regulatory/compliance: Foreign firms
- Restructuring and insolvency: PRC firms
- Restructuring and insolvency: Foreign firms
- Shipping: PRC firms
- Shipping: Foreign firms
- Tax: PRC firms
- Tax: Foreign firms
- TMT: PRC firms
- TMT: Foreign firms
- WTO/international trade: PRC firms
Regional coverage
- Other notable firms in Beijing
- Other notable firms in Shanghai
- Guangdong Province: Guangzhou and Shenzhen
- Zhejiang Province: Hangzhou
- Jiangsu province: Nanjing
- Shaanxi Province: Xi’An – NEW
- Sichuan province: Chengdu including Chongqing
HONG KONG
- Antitrust and competition
- Asset finance (including aviation and shipping finance)
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets: Debt
- Capital markets: Equity
- Commercial, corporate and M&A: Independent Hong Kong law firms
- Construction
- Corporate (including M&A)
- Data Protection and cyber security
- Dispute resolution: : Litigation
- Dispute resolution: International arbitration
- Domestic and international corporate tax
- Fintech and financial services regulatory – NEW
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- Investment funds
- Labour and employment
- Offshore law firms
- PRC firms in Hong Kong
- Private equity
- Private client and family
- Projects and energy
- Real estate
- Regulatory: white-collar, compliance and investigations – AMENDED
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Shipping
- Structured finance and securitisation
- TMT
INDIA
- Antitrust and competition
- Aviation (including aerospace and defence)
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Data protection
- Dispute resolution: litigation
- Dispute resolution: arbitration
- Fintech and financial services regulatory
- Foreign firms
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- PATMA: Patent and trade mark attorneys
- Labour and employment
- Life sciences and healthcare
- Private client
- Private equity funds (including venture capital) – RENAMED
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Shipping
- Tax
- TMT
- WTO/international trade
- White-collar crime
City focus – Bengaluru: Leading firms
City focus – Chandigarh: Leading firms
City focus – Chennai: Leading firms
City focus – Hyderabad: Leading firms
City focus – Jaipur: Leading firms
City focus – Kochi: Leading firms
City focus – Kolkata: Leading firms
City focus – Mumbai
- Banking and finance
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property
- TMT
- Real estate and construction
City focus – NCR (Delhi, Gurugram and Noida)
- Banking and finance
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property
- Real estate and construction
- TMT
City focus – Pune: Leading firms
INDONESIA
- Aviation
- Antitrust and competition
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Foreign firms
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction – RENAMED
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Shipping
- Tax
- TMT including Fintech – RENAMED
JAPAN
- Antitrust and competition: International firms and joint ventures
- Antitrust and competition: Independent local firms
- Banking and finance : International firms and joint ventures
- Banking and finance: Independent local firms
- Capital markets: International firms and joint ventures
- Capital markets: Independent local firms
- Corporate and M&A: International firms and joint ventures
- Corporate and M&A: Independent local firms
- Dispute resolution: International firms and joint ventures
- Dispute resolution: Independent local firms
- Fintech: International Firms and joint ventures
- Fintech: Independent Local firms
- Intellectual property: International firms and joint ventures
- Intellectual property: Independent local firms
- Investment funds: Foreign firms
- Investment funds: Independent local firms
- Labour and employment: International firms and joint ventures
- Labour and employment: Independent local firms
- Private wealth: Independent local firms
- Projects and energy – International firms and joint ventures
- Projects and energy – Independent local firms
- Real estate and construction: International firms and joint ventures
- Real estate and construction: Independent local firms
- Restructuring and insolvency: International firms and joint ventures
- Restructuring and insolvency: Independent local firms
- Risk management and investigations: Independent local firms
- Shipping: Independent local firms
- Tax: International firms and joint ventures
- Tax: Independent local firms
- TMT: international firms and joint ventures
- TMT: independent local firms
LAOS
- Leading firms
MACAU
- Leading firms
MALAYSIA
- Antitrust and competition
- Banking and finance including Islamic Finance – RENAMED
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Fintech and financial services regulatory – NEW
- Foreign firms
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment
- Law firms in Sabah and Sarawak
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Shipping
- Tax
- TMT – RENAMED
MONGOLIA
- Leading firms
MYANMAR
- Corporate and M&A
- Foreign desks
- Projects and energy – RENAMED
NEW ZEALAND
- Banking and finance
- Competition law
- Construction
- Corporate and M&A
- Data protection and cyber security
- Dispute resolution
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- Investment funds
- Labour and employment
- Projects and resource management (including environment)
- Real estate
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Tax
- TMT
- Transport (rail, road, air and sea)
NEPAL
- Leading firms
PAKISTAN
- Banking and finance (including Islamic finance)
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Insurance
- Intellectual property – NEW
- Labour and employment
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Tax
- TMT
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
- Leading firms
PHILIPPINES
- Antitrust and competition
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Foreign firms
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment (including immigration) – RENAMED
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Tax
- TMT
- Transport – AMENDED
SINGAPORE
- Asset finance: Foreign firms
- Antitrust and competition: Local firms
- Banking and finance: Foreign firms
- Banking and finance: Local firms
- Capital markets: Equity and debt – Foreign firms
- Capital markets: Equity and debt – Local firms
- Capital markets: Structured finance, derivatives and securitisation – Foreign firms
- Capital markets: Structured finance, derivatives and securitisation – Local firms
- Construction: Local firms
- Corporate and M&A: Foreign firms
- Corporate and M&A: Local firms
- Data protection and cyber security: Foreign firm – NEW
- Data protection and cyber security: Local firms – AMENDED
- Dispute resolution: Local firms
- Energy: Foreign firms
- Fintech and financial services regulatory: Foreign firms
- Fintech and financial services regulatory: Local firms
- Insurance: Foreign firms
- Insurance: Local firms
- Intellectual property: Local firms
- International arbitration
- Labour and employment: Foreign firms
- Labour and employment: Local firms
- Offshore law firms
- Private equity and investment funds: Foreign firms– RENAMED
- Private equity and investment funds: Local firms – RENAMED
- Private wealth and family law: Foreign firms
- Private wealth and family law: Local firms
- Projects: Foreign firms
- Projects and energy: Local firms
- Real estate: Local firms
- Restructuring and insolvency: Foreign firms
- Restructuring and insolvency: Local firms
- Shipping: Foreign firms
- Shipping: Local firms
- Start-up and venture capital: Foreign firms
- Start-up and venture capital: Local firms
- Tax: Local firms
- TMT: Foreign firms
- TMT: Local firms
- White-collar crime: Foreign firms
- White-collar crime: Local firms
SOUTH KOREA
- Antitrust and competition : Local firms
- Banking and finance : Local firms
- Capital markets: Local firms
- Capital markets: Foreign firms
- Corporate and M&A: Local firms
- Corporate and M&A: Foreign firms
- Dispute resolution: Local firms
- Fintech and financial services regulatory
- Insurance: Local firms
- International arbitration
- Intellectual property: Local firms
- Intellectual property: Foreign firms
- Labour and employment: Local firms
- Projects and energy: Local firms
- Projects and energy: Foreign firms
- Real estate: Local firms
- Regulatory: White-collar, compliance and investigations – RENAMED
- Shipping: Local firms
- Shipping: Foreign firms
- Tax: Local firms
- TMT: Local firms
SRI LANKA
- Banking, finance and capital markets – RENAMED
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment
- Private client, wills and probate
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Shipping
- Tax
TAIWAN
- Antitrust and competition
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Data protection
- Dispute resolution
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- Intellectual property: Prosecution
- Labour and employment
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Shipping
- Tax
- TMT
THAILAND
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Customs and international trade
- Dispute resolution
- Dispute resolution: International arbitration
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Transport
- Tax
- TMT
VIETNAM
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Data protection
- Dispute resolution: Litigation
- Dispute resolution: Arbitration
- Foreign desks
- Insurance
- IP: International firms
- IP: Local firms
- Labour and employment
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Shipping and aviation
- Tax
- TMT
REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION
REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION – ARBITRATORS
(use the Bar template)
THE BAR:
AUSTRALIA BAR
- Commercial disputes
- Competition
- Construction, infrastructure and property
- Crime and regulatory (including white-collar)
- TMT and IP
HONG KONG BAR
- Administrative and public law
- Commercial disputes
- Competition
- Construction and property
- Family and private client
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment
- Regulatory, investigations and crime
INDIA
- Senior advocates
NEW ZEALAND
- Commercial disputes
SRI LANKA
- Lead counsel
REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION – THE BAR
This section continues on from The English Bar in Asia section in previous years, but is now equally open to self-employed barristers across Asia such as those at the Hong Kong, Australian and New Zealand Bars, as well as those in chambers outside Asia with commitment to practice in Asia over and above their fellow subject matter specialists.
- Commercial
- Construction, energy and infrastructure
- Shipping and commodities