China Business Law Journal – November 2025

The pendulum swings

Legal reform in China has often moved with caution, but when the pendulum swings, it can do so with surprising force. For decades, Chinese businesses embroiled in cross-border conflicts have turned to offshore arbitration centres for reliability and neutrality. Now, Beijing is re-engineering the system to deliver those same assurances at home, with reforms that promise greater party autonomy, procedural clarity, and global alignment.

In this issue’s cover story, Rewriting the arbitration playbook, we explore the sweeping revision of China’s Arbitration Law, a long-anticipated shift that signals the country’s ambition to recast its role in cross-border dispute resolution.

For in-house counsel, the implications are immediate. It’s a moment to reassess risk strategies, re-evaluate jurisdictional preferences, and reconsider how disputes are best resolved. The pendulum is swinging toward a more open, more credible arbitration environment, one that demands a fresh playbook for navigating commercial conflict.

The same forces of change are reshaping China’s regional legal markets, albeit in more uneven ways. In Heat and chill, we focus on Chengdu and Chongqing, two cities once seen as legal boomtowns on the rise. Today, that optimism is tempered by economic headwinds and shifting client expectations. Law firms in the region are being tested on their ability to adapt, balancing national development goals with the pragmatic realities of a market in transition. The result is a legal landscape where momentum flickers, but opportunity remains for those agile enough to seize it.

This balancing act, between ambition and uncertainty, was front and centre at the CBLJ Forum Shanghai 2025. Under the theme “Seizing emerging opportunity, managing global risk”, more than 500 legal professionals gathered to exchange ideas and confront hard truths. Corporate leader attendees spoke candidly about compliance pressures, geopolitical friction, and the growing need for strategic legal foresight. What emerged was a strong consensus: In-house counsel must become not just legal stewards, but business navigators in an increasingly volatile world.

That spirit of leadership is honoured in our In-House Impact Awards 2025, where we spotlight legal work, and in-house teams and individuals that have pushed boundaries, delivered results, and strengthened their organisations from within. From transformative deals to culture-building initiatives, this year’s winners reflect the evolving mandate of in-house legal departments. Our Lifetime Achievement Award recipients further remind us that enduring impact is measured not just in milestones, but in mentorship, integrity, and long-term vision.

Finally, we turn to the private practice lawyers driving innovation and client success in The A-List 2025-26: Growth Drivers. These professionals don’t just respond to change, they anticipate it. With deep sector expertise and strategic insight, they are the advisers companies turn to when the stakes are highest. As the pendulum swings towards a more dynamic legal era, these lawyers are helping shape what comes next.