Han Kun: A New Generation Law Firm Growing with Clients
Established in 2004, Han Kun Law Offices emerged as a formidable player in China’s legal landscape, despite the presence…
Established in 2004, Han Kun Law Offices emerged as a formidable player in China’s legal landscape, despite the presence of established firms like Global Law Office (1984), King & Wood Mallesons, and Zhong Lun (early 1990s). This rapid rise prompts curiosity about its growth journey.
Founding and Early Challenges
Han Kun was founded with the ambition to create “The next generation firm” during a time when China’s commercial legal system was still developing. Despite a saturated market, Han Kun found its path by focusing on specific legal sectors. The founding partners were seasoned commercial lawyers from leading foreign and Chinese firms, and entrepreneurial pioneers. Their initial clients were mainly foreign enterprises, funds, and China’s first wave of high-growth companies.
The early days were not easy. Partners had to manage both market expansion and daily operations, while reconciling different visions and practices. The office was initially set up in the high-rent Oriental Plaza in Beijing, leading to substantial initial costs. As business picked up, they often had to take on the roles of mid-level and senior associates themselves, delivering high-quality, detailed, and swift services to earn clients’ trust. This period required significant endurance and courage.
Growth Stories: The Internet Industry and Legal Academia
Han Kun has a strong focus on the TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecommunications) sector, serving major internet companies like Tencent and Baidu. Their growth paralleled the expansion of these companies, from early financing to private equity, mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs. Han Kun also ventured into other industries like healthcare and electronics, though traditional SOE clients remained with firms like King & Wood Mallesons.
For aspiring legal professionals with limited industry exposure, Han Kun increased visibility through substantial scholarships, presentations, high starting salaries, and internships. In 2012, Han Kun established a scholarship providing 100,000 RMB annually to five students who had secured offers from foreign institutions but committed to returning to China. This initiative significantly boosted Han Kun’s reputation and attracted top talent.
Becoming Problem Solvers
Han Kun is known for its pragmatic culture, emphasizing client-centric service. They stress the importance of not only identifying problems but also providing comprehensive solutions. Clients value the practicality of whether something can be done, how to do it, the available options, their pros and cons, and the lawyer’s judgment and recommendations. Han Kun trains its lawyers to be problem solvers, offering practical solutions even amid legal uncertainties.
Growing with Clients
“Growing up with clients” is a core principle at Han Kun. As client needs evolve, so does Han Kun. Initially focused on investment and financing, they expanded into domestic and international capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and compliance issues. They have become leaders in fund establishment. From assisting a startup with Series A financing to supporting its growth into a listed company, Han Kun grows with its clients.
Learning and Adapting
To remain a growing law firm, Han Kun fosters a learning organization. In a rapidly evolving world, continuous and efficient learning is essential. Serving many startups, Han Kun maintains a startup mentality, with a strong sense of urgency and a commitment to excellence in every project. Inspired by Steve Jobs’ mantra, “Stay hungry, Stay foolish,” Han Kun encourages all staff to remain lifelong learners.
Corporate Management Model
Han Kun operates under a corporate management model with unified management and operations, creating a positive cultural atmosphere. This includes centralized management of all income, expenses, and distribution, and integrated operations across its offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong (currently a joint venture).
Recruitment, compensation, benefits, and career paths are also managed uniformly. This extends to professional positioning, collaboration, resource allocation, and training. The management structure is functionally divided into administrative, human resources, research, and marketing departments, ensuring seamless operations.
Han Kun’s distribution system combines performance-based and point-based allocation, ensuring integration across departments. Despite having no formal management committee, a finance team of senior partners oversees major financial decisions. Daily management is handled by a professional team, including research, marketing, HR, administration, and finance, ensuring efficient operations. In 2021, partner Li Zhuowei became the full-time CEO, further enhancing management efficiency.
Seizing Opportunities and Taking Action
Initially focusing on investment and financing, Han Kun seized opportunities in the burgeoning new economy sector. They served multinational companies and high-growth local firms, reflecting their “Growing up with clients” philosophy. This approach naturally extended their services to related areas.
In recent years, Han Kun has strengthened its multinational company business and compliance department, adding senior partners to handle complex issues like FCPA, antitrust, foreign exchange, labor law, and cross-border capital flows. As new economy and internet sectors evolve, so do compliance complexities.
Han Kun’s banking and finance department handles various transactions, including aircraft financing and leasing. The fund department, built by professional partners, has rapidly developed and is now a leader in investment fund law. Initially focused on overseas listings, Han Kun has shifted towards domestic capital markets and “red-chip” return projects.
Diverse Business Expansion
While known for non-litigation work, Han Kun’s litigation practice has grown, initially handling commercial disputes from non-litigation projects and expanding to its clients in investment, trade, and labor disputes. They also handle cases involving trade secrets, unfair competition, and intellectual property. Recently, they added a patent litigation team, strengthening their litigation capabilities.
Han Kun’s expansion aligns with economic development and client needs. They strive to earn clients’ long-term support through professional skills, service quality, and trust, seeking clients who value and respect their services.
Positioning as a Leading Comprehensive Law Firm
Today, Han Kun positions itself as a leading comprehensive law firm in China, focusing on complex domestic and international commercial transactions and dispute resolution. They are renowned for services in private equity, M&A, securities issuance and listing, investment funds/asset management, antitrust/competition law, banking and finance, aircraft financing, FDI, corporate compliance, data protection, private wealth management, intellectual property, bankruptcy and restructuring, and dispute resolution. Han Kun consistently ranks among the top law firms in the Asia-Pacific region.
