With the evolution of the entire era, the legal profession is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Empowering through innovation and driving development through change to enhance the organizational strength and brand influence of law firms will be the main theme of the next era and the key to success.
Based on this, SUNHOLD Law Firm is now attempting to roll out the System of Local City Representatives in Various Regions (there are a total of 333 prefecture-level administrative regions in China, and we hope to cover one-third of the regions across the country between 2025 and 2026). Regarding the considerations of the trend of the times, the underlying logic, and the specific content of the Resident General Representative System of SUNHOLD Law Firm in various Prefecture-Level Cities, welcome to read the following article. It is just a personal opinion, and we hope that everyone can communicate more and discuss together.
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With the advent of the high-speed rail era and the Internet AI era, the uncertainties in the global economy continue to increase. China is facing the problem of widespread excess capacity in various industries, and enterprises are seeking new development opportunities. In this context, going global has become a key strategy for enterprises to break through difficulties and achieve long-term development. On the one hand, through the "going global" strategy, enterprises expand overseas markets and build a global cooperation network to obtain broader market space and resources. On the other hand, enterprises are also seeking deeper domestic cooperation, optimizing resource allocation, innovating business models, and exploring potential regional markets in order to acquire new competitive competitive in the intense market competition.
As a key service force in the development of the market economy, the legal profession is not only crucial for helping Chinese enterprises expand into international markets but also an important support for enterprises to develop deeply within the country.
For lawyers, especially those practitioners in first-tier and new first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, the rapid growth in the number of practitioners in the past two years has led to a high saturation level (the number of lawyers per 10,000 people in Beijing has exceeded 20, and the number of lawyers per 10,000 people in Shanghai is about 16, which is on par with developed countries). This has triggered more serious industry problems such as involution and low-price competition. There have even been cases where the legal fee was quoted at 1 yuan, which has had an impact on the environment of the legal profession and also had a significant impact on the development trajectory of the legal profession and the original rules.
For lawyers, in the current situation of an economic downturn and high market saturation, while it's important to grasp the business opportunities in the local market, it's even more important to expand the boundaries of services and build a cooperation network with surrounding cities and even across the country.
From the perspective of law firms, a key way to build a national business network is to achieve large-scale development, that is, to expand influence by establishing branches. However, with the evolution of the large-scale process, its negative impacts such as conflict of interests, taxation, and uneven quality of legal services have gradually emerged.
In this context, the challenges faced by the large-scale development of law firms include how to effectively manage branches to maintain professional and unified service quality (i.e., the minimum service quality), how to balance the profit distribution among branches in different regions, and how to maintain the overall image of the law firm's brand. Some law firms adopt the Brand joined model for large-scale development, directly absorbing local law firms. Under this model, the degree of closeness between branches and the headquarters is not high, resulting in uneven development levels. In addition, the management ability of large-scale law firms also faces challenges. Once a risky event occurs, it will affect the brand of the entire law firm, leaving the law firm facing huge public crisis and public opinion pressure.
Therefore, law firms and lawyers need to explore new cooperation models and business development strategies. As for SUNHOLD, as early as a few years ago, it had decided that except for the branches already established in cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Chengdu, and the upcoming SUNHOLD Hong Kong Office, SUNHOLD will not establish any other branches in China. We have always been actively carrying out diverse cooperation with lawyers across the country by practicing the development concept of "Lawyers are the best clients of lawyers, and law firms are the best partners of law firms." We break through the geographical limitations of law firms through cross-regional cooperation and broaden the boundaries of services.
Why do we always emphasize achieving cross-regional cooperation rather than cross-regional competition through a national network?
The goal of building a national cooperation network is not to compete for business with local law firms and lawyers - because the difficulty of competition is much higher than that of cooperation. Generally speaking, the trust and recognition of lawyers from other regions in the local market are difficult to compare with those of local lawyers. Typical examples are regions such as Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province. With the rapid development of local private enterprises, local lawyers have already gained a solid market foundation and customer trust. Law firms in Zhejiang, originating from Zhejiang and established by Zhejiang merchants, have benefited from the active development of Zhejiang's private economy, especially the remarkable achievements in fields such as advanced manufacturing and the digital economy, which have provided broad development space for local law firms. This model of close integration with local economic development gives Zhejiang law firms an irreplaceable advantage in serving local enterprises.
On the client side, these local high-quality law firms that have provided long-term services also have higher trust and response efficiency.
Originally, local law firms could already meet most of the local business needs. Now, with excess capacity, enterprises are actively seeking ways to expand. If an enterprise develops in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, can local lawyers still meet all of the enterprise's needs?
Not necessarily, but they can definitely meet the client's trust needs.
Local lawyers solve the trust problem, and cooperative lawyers solve problems such as resources and professionalism - this is the key to cooperation.
Trust and professionalism are the two major problems that every lawyer needs to solve when facing clients. If there is only trust but no professionalism, the quality of legal services cannot be guaranteed, which is why legal consulting companies often encounter problems. If there is only professionalism but no trust, even good products may not be known.
Therefore, based on this, SUNHOLD will vigorously promote the "the System of Local City Representatives in Various Regions of SUNHOLD Law Firm" in 2025. We hope to solve the problem of the mismatch between the supply and demand of market trust and professionalism, as well as the cooperation problem in the legal service market of second-tier cities, through the key "link", that is, the key role of "representatives in various cities and prefectures" - this is the basic consideration for introducing the "the System of Local City Representatives in Various Regions of SUNHOLD Law Firm"
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The General Representative System is to appoint full-time representatives in specific Prefecture-Level Cities to coordinate and manage the interaction and interconnection between SUNHOLD and the local legal service market, so as to promote in-depth cooperation and communication with local lawyers, achieve resource sharing, business expansion, and the enhancement of brand influence, and build a national legal cooperation network.
We have already made various attempts at this kind of cooperation. Whether it was the early Cloud Office, City Partners (Transform and Breakthrough: SUNHOLD Officially Launches the Cloud Office Plan), 24-hour open office, or SUNHOLD Priority Cooperation (Taking the Old Path Cannot Lead to New Places - Written on the Launch of the SUNHOLD Priority Cooperation Model | Industry Discussion), they are all consistent explorations of cooperation models among peers and across regions. Now, on the basis of the past, it has been further deepened into the "the System of Local City Representatives in Various Regions of SUNHOLD Law Firm".
We hope that through the system, we can achieve comprehensive cooperation and connection with more lawyers across the country in a shrinking economic market, and while ensuring service quality, avoid the risks of conflicts of interest and taxation brought about by large-scale development.
It mainly aims to achieve the following objectives:
1. Establish cooperative relationships with local excellent law firms to jointly meet the legal service needs of large enterprises across the country.
2. Achieve joint bidding. Many enterprises require large and comprehensive law firms as the bidding conditions, but in actual delivery, they need local lawyers to provide fast, convenient, and more cost-effective services. The response speed and timeliness of local law firms are more likely to be guaranteed, while lawyers from Shanghai can play a role in providing professional support. The joint efforts of both parties can provide more efficient and professional legal services for clients.
3. Achieve mutual learning of professional knowledge and improve the professional service level of the entire legal profession.
4. Respond quickly to the service needs of clients in other regions. In practice, the most common source of dissatisfaction for clients with lawyers is the response speed, which can lead to complaints.
Based on this, the Resident General Representative System of SUNHOLD in Various Prefecture-Level Cities will be far more powerful than establishing branches locally. We will cooperate with regional law firms and give priority to establishing good communication and coordination mechanisms with leading law firms in various regions. This is the original intention of establishing this system.
Currently, there are a total of 333 prefecture-level administrative regions in China (including prefecture-level cities, regions, autonomous prefectures, and leagues). Our goal is to cover at least one-third of the prefecture-level cities by December 31, 2026.
In order to better mobilize the enthusiasm of all colleagues in the SUNHOLD, the representative positions are now open to lawyers across the country.
The conditions for serving as a resident general representative in various cities and prefectures (meeting one of the following is sufficient):
1. Must be a partner of SUNHOLD Law Firm or meet the conditions for becoming a partner of SUNHOLD.
2. A senior lawyer who has worked in SUNHOLD for more than 10 years.
3. If a lawyer from another law firm who meets the conditions for becoming a partner of SUNHOLD intends to join this plan, considering the integrated management of the headquarters and branches of SUNHOLD, he/she only needs to transfer his/her practicing certificate to any office within the SUNHOLD system.
(Offices: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Xi'an, Hefei, Tianjin)
The representative in various cities is an important hub for SUNHOLD Law Firm in the local city, and its importance is no less than that of the branches of SUNHOLD. In addition to providing financial and resource support, the general representative also shoulders the heavy responsibility of promoting communication, division of labor, and mutual achievement between local lawyers and SUNHOLD lawyers. The specific responsibilities are as follows:
First, provide two-way empowerment for the local economy. Actively build a platform for cultural, economic, and industrial exchanges between SUNHOLD's offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, etc., and the local area. On the one hand, assist business entities operating in other regions to carry out business activities locally, providing them with comprehensive services such as investment promotion consulting, policy interpretation, and legal support, and promoting local economic development. On the other hand, provide strong support for local enterprises to develop in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, including professional services such as market research, business negotiation, and contract review, to achieve resource complementarity, advantage sharing, and two-way empowerment.
Second, serve as a key hub for professional exchange activities among law firms and lawyers. Organize professional exchange activities within the local legal profession, such as legal forums, seminars, case sharing sessions, business training, and other forms, and build a professional exchange platform. SUNHOLD's brand series of activities, such as the series of "SUNHOLD Lawyers Entering Local Areas," will be fully carried out in 2025. Through these activities of entering local areas, we can gain an in-depth understanding of the needs and characteristics of the local legal service market, expand the scope of business cooperation, achieve resource sharing and complementary advantages, and promote in-depth exchanges and cooperation between the two parties in legal practice, theoretical research, and business innovation. ("Ten Days, Ten Cities, Spring Journey": Three People Talk about the Innovation of Law Firm Operation, and the SUNHOLD Lecturer Group Starts Lecturing | The First Phase of the Activity Was Successfully Held in SUNHOLD Hefei and SUNHOLD Tianjin!)
Third, provide professional facilitation assistance for local lawyers. As a general representative, he/she undertakes the responsibility of providing comprehensive professional facilitation assistance for local lawyers to carry out business in cities where SUNHOLD has offices, including assisting in coordination, reception, office work, etc., and building a bridge for cooperation. (The offices of SUNHOLD in nine cities open the landmark meeting spaces for free to legal professionals across the country.)
Fourth, find law firms and lawyers that match SUNHOLD's values, concepts, and culture, establish close strategic cooperative relationships with them, and participate in the SUNHOLD priority cooperation plan of SUNHOLD Law Firm (Even Mountains and Seas cannot Distance People with Common Aspirations - Welcome lawyers across the country to join SUNHOLD!)
Fifth, strengthen cooperation with local excellent law schools and legal industry research institutions, and carry out linkage with local alumni associations (in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, etc.) of local universities. Through organizing academic lectures, seminars, moot courts, and other activities, promote the in-depth integration of legal theory and legal practice. At the same time, provide opportunities for lawyers to study theory and improve their business capabilities, and inject new vitality into the development of the law firm. (The Student Practice Group of the School of International and Public Affairs of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Held a Symposium with Beijing Alumni Representatives at the SUNHOLD (Beijing) Global Legal Service Center | SUNHOLD News)
Sixth, actively organize other activities that are conducive to exchanges among the legal profession, common development, and the improvement of SUNHOLD Law Firm's reputation and professional construction in the local area.
Under the existing development framework, we have been optimizing and upgrading this system and continuously updating it during the implementation process. Currently, this system has been proven to be feasible through the practice of lawyers within the firm. A typical example is Lawyer Sun Yongliang, the General Representative of SUNHOLD based in Anhui Province. Relying on the SUNHOLD Hefei Office, he has given full play to the advantages of the General Representative System Based in Various Cities and Prefectures. With a team of only 5 people, his business and cooperation have radiated across the entire province, and the annual revenue is nearly ten million yuan.
"Analogy individual strength is limited, cannot complete the important matter". In the post-pandemic era, the main theme is that cooperation is more important than competition.
Lawyers who are interested in joining this plan, or those who have any valuable ideas and suggestions, can scan the QR code below to fill out the form or contact SUNHOLD HR, Wang Xiaoyan, at 18221570369 (WeChat and phone number are the same). We look forward to working with more aspirants to cooperate and achieve mutual success!
