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Introduction
With more than 30 million residents, Chongqing is the largest of the four directly-administered municipalities in China. As the central government has issued numerous policy initiatives to encourage economic development and foreign investment in Western China, the presence of professional services firms has also grown. In this market, Solton & Partners Law Firm is widely recognized as having the most comprehensive and mature legal services capabilities in Chongqing. Solton has over 50 lawyers providing legal services to securities companies, foreign invested enterprises, large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises and government entities.
Solton's main practice areas include corporate (including banking, finance, securities and insurance), intellectual property, litigation and arbitration, foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade and real estate and construction.
Awards and Recognition
Solton was awarded Outstanding National Law Firm status by the Ministry of Justice and the All China Lawyers' Association (ACLA) and was named as a finalist for Best Firm in Western China in the 2008 Asian Legal Business awards. Solton has also been recognised as an Outstanding Chongqing Law Firm by the municipal government and is consistently listed in the Asia Pacific Legal 500.
Representative Clients
Representative clients of Solton include Coca-Cola, Ericsson, Hutchison Industrial Co., Ltd, British American Tobacco China, B&Q, Carrefour China, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of East Asia Ltd., Bank of China, China Construction Bank, China Agricultural Bank, Chongqing Bank, Southwest Securities Co., Ltd., Chongqing International Trust and Investment Co., Ltd., Chongqing Department Store Share Co., Ltd., Chongqing International Trust Investment Co., Ltd., Chongqing Development and Investment Co., Ltd., Yamaha Motorcycle Co., Ltd., Duravit, Chongqing Jianshe Group Co., Ltd., Lifan Industrial Group Co., Ltd., Chongqing Zongshen Motorcycle Group Co., Ltd., Chongqing Loncin Industry Group Co., Ltd. and the Chongqing Steel and Iron Research and Design Institution.
Founding and Offices
Solton was established in 1995 by lawyers returning from receiving post-graduate degrees in law overseas and was the first partnership established as a private law firm in Western China.
Qualifications and Background of Lawyers
Solton's lawyers can use a variety of working languages to suit the needs of their increasingly diverse international client base. The firm has seven lawyers who use English as a working language and lawyers who speak Japanese, Russian and German. Solton has four lawyers who have received L.L.M. degrees abroad and a number of others who have received certification for professional training in the UK and Italy.
Government Relations
Solton serves as counsel for a number of government entities, including the Sichuan Communications Bureau, the Chongqing Information Industry Bureau, the Chongqing Foreign Trade & Economic Relations Commission, the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Land Resources and Housing Management, and the Chongqing Tourism Bureau. Solton has also been invited to participate in local legislative consultations and arbitrations by the Standing Committee of the Chongqing People's Congress, the Chongqing Municipal Government and the Chongqing Arbitration Committee.
In addition to serving as counsel for a number of government entities, Solton has one partner who is also a member of the National People's Congress and two partners who are members of the Chongqing People's Political Consultative Council. Solton's lawyers are also active in a variety of professional associations, including one member certified as arbitrator by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, three members certified as arbitrators by the Chongqing Arbitration Commission, twenty-one members of the Chongqing Lawyers' Association, and one member of the ACLA serving on the Intellectual Property Committee.
Main Practice Areas
Corporate
Solton's Corporate Practice Group advises clients on a wide range of matters from public listings, bond issuances, asset reorganizations and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings and shareholder restructurings.
Key partners in the Corporate Practice Group of Solton include Ma Yun, Zhang Xiaoming, Cui Junrong and Zheng Tian (See bios of key partners below).
Representative corporate matters include:
- Advised Chongqing International Trust Investment Co., Ltd. on its share transfer of Chongqing-Fuling Expressway, which involved a subject amount of RMB 6 billion
- Advised Chongqing Development & Investment Corporation on issuing bonds and preparing an IPO raising RMB 2 billion
- Advised Southwest Security Co., Ltd. on a RMB 2 billion shareholder restructuring
- Advised Chongqing Commercial Bank on a foreign investment of RMB 1 billion
- Advised Chongqing Three Gorges Bank on a project which involved a subject amount of 2 billion
- Advised Bank of China's introducing strategic investors outside China.
Intellectual Property
Solton's intellectual property rights practice group consists of four lawyers, with a focus on patents, trademarks, IP litigation and other legal affairs relating to intellectual property.
Key partners in Solton's Intellectual Property Rights Practice Group include Zhang Li and Wu Jialing (See bios of key partners below).
Representative intellectual property matters include:
- Acted for Chongqing Loncin Industry Group Co., Ltd. on patent infringement in Guangdong Province's People's High Court, which involved a subject amount of RMB 40 million
- Acted for Chongqing Zongshen Motorcycle Group Co., Ltd. on patent infringement, which involved a subject amount of RMB 100 million
- Acted for Hong Kong Joeone Co., Ltd. in a series of trademark infringement litigations, which involved a subject amount of RMB 200 million
- Acted for the Chinese Academy of Science's Lanzhou Branch on material technology infringement, which involved a subject amount of RMB 30 million
- Acted for Chongqing Motorcycle Association on patent infringement, which involved a subject amount of RMB 40 million.
Litigation and Arbitration
The firm's Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group has an established track record of success in representing clients in the areas of economic litigation, administrative proceedings, business arbitration and negotiations.
Key partners in Solton's Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group include Chang Yongchun, Wu Yuqiu and Xu Hairen (See bios of key partners below).
Representative contentious matters include:
- Advised Chongqing Incubator Technology Company on a dispute over a high-tech service contract, which involved a subject amount of RMB 80 million
- Acted for Southwest Securities Co., Ltd. on a financing dispute which involved a subject amount of RMB 100 million
- Acted for Chongqing Electric Power Corporation on an electricity supply dispute, which involved a subject amount of RMB 40 million
- Acted for Chongqing Jiujiu Machinery Co., Ltd. in arbitration against Allied Pacific Motor Sdn. Bhd., on an international trade matter, which involved a subject amount of RMB 15 million
- Acted for the Chongqing Bureau of Land and Resources on administrative land development-related litigation.
Real Estate and Construction
Solton's real estate and construction practice group has experience advising clients on a number of the largest real estate projects in the region. The group advises clients on a variety of issues relating to real estate and construction projects, including title searches and registration of land use rights, the acquisition and transfer of land use rights, property management and regulatory compliance. In addition to representing clients on real estate and construction projects, the practice group has often served as counsel for the Chongqing Land and Resources Bureau.
Key partners in the Real Estate and Construction Practice Group of Solton include Yuan Fei and Pen Yao (See bios of key partners below).
Representative real estate and construction matters include:
- Advised Chongqing Zhongluquan Group Co., Ltd. on its Zhongluquan Villa project, which involved a subject amount of RMB 2.0 billion
- Advised Chongqing Huapu Bridge Project Co., Ltd. on its Yu'ao Daqiao project, which involved a subject amount of RMB 1.2 billion
- Advised Chongqing Yuneng Group Co., Ltd., on its International New City project, which involved a subject amount of RMB 1.5 billion
- Advised Chongqing Communication and Tourism Group Co., Ltd. on its tourist development project which involved a subject amount of RMB 800 million.
- Advised Yunnan Hongta Group Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of Xiandai Square, which involved a subject amount of RMB 100 million
FDI and International Trade
Supplementing the firm's Corporate Practice Group, the FDI and International Trade Practice Group focuses on issues of PRC law of particular application to inbound foreign investment. The practice group often assists foreign investors in establishing a variety of investment vehicles, including representative offices, joint ventures and wholly foreign owned enterprises. The practice group also has experience working on a variety of international trade related issues, including advising on market entry and regulatory licensing, technology transfers, insurance, letters of credit disputes, customs declarations and tariffs, and anti-dumping disputes.
Key partners in the FDI and International Trade Practice Group of Solton include Zou Xiaoli, Li Li, and Zhang Tao (See bios of key partners below).
Representative FDI and international trade matters include:
- Advised Yangtze River Acetyls Co., Ltd. (BP's JV in Chongqing) on the construction of phase 2 and 3, which involved a subject amount of RMB 1.7 billion
- Advised Chongqing Zongshen Motorcycle Group Co., Ltd. on a matter which involved Vietnam customs authorities, with a subject amount of RMB 25 million
- Advised Chongqing Minerals Import & Export Co., Ltd. on equipment export and service contracts, which involved a subject amount of RMB 80 million
- Advised Chongqing Commercial Bank's introduction of a foreign strategic investor
- Advised the transfer of flue gas desulphurization technology between Chongqing Yuanda Environment Protection Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Japan
- Advised Chongqing New Century Cruiser's cooperation with Viking River Tour in regard to marketing overseas passenger liner tours
- Advised on the equity transfer of Zhonghai Fund Management Company for LCF Rothchild Group
- Acted for Chongqing Jiujiu Machinery Industrial Co., Ltd. in the litigation and arbitration of an international trade dispute with Allied Pacific Motor Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia.
Biographies of Key Partners
Ma Yun, a leading partner in the firm's Corporate Practice Group, advises clients on securities regulations, as well as trust and M&A transactions, and is ranked as one of the Top 100 Reputable Practising Lawyers by the Chongqing Lawyers' Association. Mr. Ma received an L.L.B. from Northwest University of Politics and Law and has been qualified to practice law since 1993.
Zhang Xiaoming, a leading partner in the corporate practice group, specializes in dealing with complex corporate issues. Mr. Zhang graduated from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1988 and qualified to practice in 2001.
Cui Junrong, a leading partner in the corporate practice group, specializes in advising clients on corporate governance issues, finance and insurance. Ms. Cui received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1997 and an L.L.M. from the same law school in 2002. Ms. Cui has been practicing law since she qualified in 1992.
Zheng Tian, a leading partner in the firm's Corporate Practice Group, specializes in advising clients on corporate issues and administrative proceedings. Mr. Zheng graduated from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1982 and qualified in 1994.
Zhang Li, a leading partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group, provides advice to clients on a full range of IP matters, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and other related issues. Ms. Zhang has been licensed to practice law since 1995 and is ranked as one of the Top 100 Reputable Practising Lawyers by the Chongqing Lawyers' Association. Ms. Zhang received a B.S. in High Molecule Chemical Engineering from Dalian Science and Technology University in 1983 and studied PRC patent law at Lanzhou University in 1984. She was one of the first patent agents in Chongqing, receiving her patent agent qualification in 1986
Wu Jialing, a leading partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group, specializes in advising clients on intellectual property-related issues. Ms. Wu received an L.L.M. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 2000 and qualified to practice that year.
Chang Yongchun, a leading partner in the firm's Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group, specializes in commercial disputes. Mr. Chang received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1992 and qualified to practice law that same year. He has been recognized within the profession as one of the Top 100 Reputable Practising Lawyers by the Chongqing Lawyers' Association.
Wu Yuqiu is a leading partner in the Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group. Ms. Wu received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1988, qualified to practice that year and went on to receive an L.L.M. from the same institution in 2001. She focuses her practice on advising clients on commercial arbitration and litigation and particularly on representing clients in administrative proceedings before the local government. She is ranked as one of the Top 100 Reputable Practising Lawyers by the Chongqing Lawyers' Association.
Xu Hairen, a leading partner in the Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group, specializes in commercial disputes. Mr Xu received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 2000 and qualified to practice next year.
Yuan Fei, a leading partner in the Real Estate and Construction Practice Group advises clients on real estate development projects and property management. He received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1996, and qualified to practice PRC law in 1995.
Pen Yao, a leading partner in the Real Estate and Construction Practice Group, specializes in advising clients on real estate development projects and property management. Ms. Pen received a B.A from Chongqing Normal University in 1991, and received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1997. Ms. Pen has been qualified to practice law since 1996,
Zou Xiaoli, a leading partner in the firm's FDI and International Trade Practice Group, advises clients on FDI, M&A and a wide variety of international trade related issues. Mr. Zou received an L.L.B. from Yuzhou University in 1985 and an L.L.M. from Nihon University in Japan. Mr. Zou has been qualified to practice law since 1987 and has been recognized by the Chongqing Lawyers' Association as one of the city's Top 20 Lawyers.
Li Li, a leading partner in the firm's FDI and International Trade Practice Group, specializes in dealing with FDI, international trade and other foreign-related issues. Ms Li received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1993 and received an L.L.M. from the same school in 1999. Ms. Li has been qualified to practice law since 1994 and was ranked as one of the Top 10 Excellent Young Lawyers by the Chongqing Lawyers' Association in 2007.
Zhang Tao, a leading partner in the firm's FDI and International Trade Practice Group, specializes in dealing with FDI, international trade and other foreign-related issues. Ms. Zhang received an L.L.B. from Southwest University of Politics and Law in 1989 and received a B.A. in Economics from the University of International Business and Economics in 1999. Ms. Zhang has been qualified to practice law since 1990.
Contact Solton Law Firm
Chongqing Office
12/F, Enrich International Plaza
No. 168, 3rd Zhongshan Road, Yuzhong District
Chongqing, 400015
Tel: +86 23 6363 1830
Fax: +86 23 6363 1834