Hainan steps up effort to build high-end lawyer team

China's southernmost island province of Hainan has stepped up its effort to bring in high-end lawyers in recent years as it strives to grow into a free trade port featuring a law-based business environment.

Rapid development

Since an innovative overhaul by the provincial judicial department of its regulation on lawyers last September, the province has seen a rapid expansion of its lawyer team. 

Between last September and this June, 57 new law firms were brought in or set up on the island, a surge of 40.7 percent. Also during that period of time the province gained 275 new lawyers, of whom five are from Hong Kong, 26 have an overseas education background, and 11 have overseas law practicing experience. 

Currently, the province has 41 law firms capable of providing foreign-related services, of which two are joint ventures with Hong Kong-based law firms and 28 are branches of renowned domestic firms. The arrival of these high-end firms has taken the quality of Hainan's lawyer team to a whole new level.

Talent cultivation

With the support of the provincial judicial department, law firms across the province have been busy with bringing in new blood and developing new services.

Beijing-based Jingshi Law Firm, for instance, has so far replenished its branch in Haikou, the province's capital, with 17 local lawyers. In addition, a dozen or so legal practitioners are expected to join the branch soon.

Guohao, another large Beijing-based law firm, has set up a legal research center in the province which focuses on providing professional legal services to support the building of the free trade port.

By establishing a joint-venture law firm with a Hong Kong law firm, Shenzhen-based China Commercial Law Firm is now building a professional legal team aligned with the port's development.

Upgrading services

Law firms in the province are also committed to the building of a law-based business environment.

The locally-based Dongfang Guoxin Law Firm, for example, is actively involved in the legislative work revolving around the construction of the free trade port.

King &Wood, a prestigious Beijing-based law firm, is also drawing on its talent pool to contribute to the improvement of Hainan's legal environment. 

Aimed at taking root in industries including air and marine transport, real estate, healthcare and tourism, Wintell, a Shanghai-based law firm, plans to provide enterprises in those industries with premium legal services.

Serving as legal counsels to several government agencies of the province, the Haikou branch of Beijing-based Zhonglun Law firm is sparing no effort in helping the government attract investment in addition to offering legal services.

"Lawyers will certainly play a significant role in the great cause of turning Hainan into a free trade port," said Chen Wenbin, deputy head of the provincial judicial department.