asialaw 2023 will be the 28th annual edition of a publication that reports on the most important matters, transactions and disputes in Asia. It provides a succinct and authoritative guide to the leading law firms and key individuals in the legal market.
In addition to the asialaw rankings guide, asialaw publishes awards shortlists and winners recognising the best firms in Asia, and highlights the best firms and lawyers delivering client service excellence in the region.
Currently asialaw provides up to date information and analysis of law firms in 23 jurisdictions, covering 28 practice areas and industry sectors. We accept submissions from firms based anywhere in Asia and will produce rankings and ratings for any jurisdiction which we have sufficient deal evidence and client feedback for. You can view a complete list of our practice area and industry sector definitions here.
Our researchers track legal market developments throughout the year to inform their research. If you have any relevant firm or deal/case news you would like us to consider for our research or online output, please contact our editor Kelsey Li: kelsey.li@delinian.com
To take part in our research simply:
February 14: asialaw 2023 research starts
March 9: asialaw research webinar
April 7: Deadline for research submissions and client referees list
March – June: Lawyer survey/Research interviews conducted
April – June: Client feedback survey
July – August: Finalise content and conclude research for asialaw
September: Online launch of asialaw 2023
September: asialaw Awards 2023
Please be advised we cannot accept research forms or client referees sent to us by email as it contravenes our GDPR policy.
In each jurisdiction, we have selected what we consider to be the most important and active industry sectors/practice areas in the market as the ranking categories.
You can see which sectors and practice areas are covered in your jurisdiction below.
BANGLADESH
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
BRUNEI
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Banking and financial services, Infrastructure, Real estate
CAMBODIA
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Industrials and manufacturing
CHINA
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private equity, Regulatory, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Industrials and manufacturing, Infrastructure, Insurance, Materials, Media and entertainment, Mining, Oil and gas, Pharmaceuticals and life sciences, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
HONG KONG SAR
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Construction, Corporate & M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private client, Private equity, Regulatory, Restructuring and insolvency
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Insurance, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
INDIA
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private equity, Regulatory, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation, Banking and financial services, Energy, Infrastructure, Insurance, Media and entertainment, Pharmaceuticals and life sciences, Real estate, Shipping, Technology and telecommunications
INDONESIA
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Labour and employment, Private equity, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Industrials and manufacturing, Infrastructure, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
JAPAN
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private equity, Regulatory, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Infrastructure, Insurance, Media and entertainment, Pharmaceuticals and life sciences, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
KAZAKHSTAN
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Energy, Infrastructure, Oil and gas
LAOS
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Banking and financial services, Infrastructure
MACAO SAR
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
MALAYSIA
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Labour and employment, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Infrastructure, Insurance, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
MALDIVES
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
MONGOLIA
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Mining
MYANMAR
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Banking and financial services, Energy, Infrastructure, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
PAKISTAN
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Energy, Infrastructure
PHILIPPINES
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Labour and employment, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Energy, Infrastructure, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
SINGAPORE
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private equity, Regulatory, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Infrastructure, Insurance, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
SOUTH KOREA
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private equity, Regulatory, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Industrials and manufacturing, Infrastructure, Insurance, Media and entertainment, Pharmaceuticals and life sciences, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
SRI LANKA
PRACTICE AREAS - General business law
TAIWAN
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Competition/antitrust, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Investment funds, Labour and employment, Private equity, Regulatory, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Insurance, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
THAILAND
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Labour and employment, Restructuring and insolvency, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Aviation and shipping, Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Industrials and manufacturing, Infrastructure, Insurance, Real estate, Technology and telecommunications
VIETNAM
PRACTICE AREAS - Banking and finance, Capital markets, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Intellectual property, Labour and employment, Tax
INDUSTRY SECTORS - Banking and financial services, Consumer goods and services, Energy, Industrials and manufacturing, Infrastructure, Real estate
Please note that the above ranking categories are based on the current edition of asialaw and are a work-in-progress that may change depending on market feedback. In smaller jurisdictions, the main category is General business law which covers all practice areas and sectors that have not been separated out.
A law firm’s ranking reflects its overall ability to service clients in each industry sector or practice area.
An individual lawyer’s ranking reflects their ability to service clients in each industry sector and also their practice area specialisms.
Our rankings are based on THREE key criteria:
In each research cycle, we ask firms to provide deal and case highlights from the previous 12 months.
Work evidence is the decisive factor we use to determine a firm’s ranking. For a firm to be ranked, it must have a strong track record of advising on matters relevant to our ranking categories. The same applies to the ratings of individuals; lawyers must have been working on significant deals and cases in some capacity to be rated.
We assess work evidence for complexity or innovation through criteria which varies according to the practice area and jurisdiction. When making an assessment of firm’s work we take into account the volume of complex work a firm does in an area. Firms that consistently have a high market share of complex deals and cases, relative to their jurisdiction and the practice area, are ranked highly, if we have sufficient supporting client feedback for the work.
Primarily firms submit deals to us via the research form. Our research team also monitors daily legal news and updates to complement this.
We also analyse statistical evidence of transaction values and volumes produced by external publications.
We speak to a wide range of corporate and in-house contacts as part of our Client Feedback Survey to get their opinions on the firms and lawyers they use.
We use client feedback to help us asses the quality of advice and service lawyers and firms are providing. We survey tens of thousands of corporate and in-house contacts provided to us by participating firms annually to ask their opinions on the firms and lawyers they use.
Client feedback is used in support of work evidence when determining a firm’s ranking or lawyer’s rating. What this means is good feedback alone will not ensure a firm or lawyer is ranked or rated – a firm or individual must be experienced in advising on significant transactional work.
When you submit you should try and provide referees for all the lawyers at the firm you feel should be rated. A lawyer working on significant deals/cases who receives a reasonable amount of good client feedback is more likely to be rated.
Increasing response rate of referees
Some ways we have found increase the number of referees who respond to our survey are:
During each research cycle, we conduct an online Lawyer Survey of lawyers to get their thoughts and feedback on the firms and lawyers in their markets. All partners and senior lawyers active in work relevant research to our ranking categories are invited to participate.
We conduct a significant number of phone and face-to-face interviews with practitioners, where we ask for feedback on firms and discuss trends. By discussing market trends we are able to gain a better understanding of what the most significant deals and cases in the market have been recently, which helps us assess work submitted to us.
Peer feedback can be beneficial for individual ratings as lawyers are well placed on recognising the leaders in their own practice areas.
Peer feedback is secondary to client feedback and we only take feedback into account where it is supported by work evidence.
Alongside our firm rankings, we also recognise the work of outstanding individuals. Our recommendations are based on the same three factors as our law firm rankings (outlined in the 'Firm ranking and lawyer rating criteria' section) and consist of the following categories:
Senior Statesman
Senior figures with strong track records who are still influential in the market.
Elite practitioner
True leaders of their field, these lawyers have an outstanding track record and are recognised as the standout performers in their country or practice area.
Distinguished practitioner
Lawyers who are highly regarded by their peers and possess a strong record and positive client feedback. These are lawyers that lead deals/cases.
Rising Star
'Ones to watch' lawyers who are building their reputations in the market and have the potential to become one of the leading lawyers in near future. These are lawyers that assisted on deals/cases.
Notable practitioner
Proven to be active in the market with positive feedback from peers and clients.
Every year, asialaw Awards select winners for the best firms, teams, lawyers as well as deals and cases in Asia over the past 12-18 months. The awards decisions will be based on the submissions and research for the asialaw 2023 28th edition.
There is no need for any separate awards submissions. Firms participate in asialaw annual research process will automatically be considered for the awards.
View asialaw Awards 2022/23 winners here.
The awards will be judged according to:
These categories honour the best firms and lawyers across Asia under the following categories:
Legal expertise awards:
1. Banking and finance firm of the year
2. Capital markets firm of the year
3. Competition/antitrust firm of the year
4. Corporate M&A firm of the year
5. Dispute resolution firm of the year
6. Intellectual property firm of the year
7. Labour and employment firm of the year
8. Regulatory firm of the year
9. Restructuring and insolvency firm of the year
10. Tax firm of the year
11. Banking and finance lawyer of the year
12. Capital markets lawyer of the year
13. Competition/antitrust lawyer of the year
14. Corporate M&A lawyer of the year
15. Dispute resolution lawyer of the year
16. Intellectual property lawyer of the year
17. Labour and employment lawyer of the year
18. Regulatory lawyer of the year
19. Restructuring and insolvency lawyer of the year
20. Tax lawyer of the year
Industry expertise awards:
1. Aviation and shipping
2. Banking and financial services
3. Energy
4. Infrastructure
5. Insurance
6. Real estate
7. Technology and telecommunications
While these awards will be regional, the nominees do not necessarily have to be from regional firms. National firms will be considered.
Jurisdictional Firms of the year
These awards will recognise the best firms in each of the 23 jurisdictions covered by asialaw. It is aimed at those who have displayed outstanding achievement in advising clients on local law matters, across a range of practice areas.
1. Bangladesh
2. Brunei
3. Cambodia
4. China
5. Hong Kong SAR
6. India
7. Indonesia
8. Japan
9. Kazakhstan
10. Laos
11. Macao SAR
12. Malaysia
13. Maldives
14. Mongolia
15. Myanmar
16. Pakistan
17. Philippines
18. Singapore
19. South Korea
20. Sri Lanka
21. Taiwan
22. Thailand
23. Vietnam
Editor’s choice awards
Impact cases and impact deals of the year
asialaw’s editors will convene to select a number of cases and deals which had a national, or even regional, impact over the year. There will be no shortlists for this category. All law firms and in-house on the deals selected will be honoured at the ceremony.
Best newcomer of the year
To be eligible for this award, editors will analyse any firm that has been set up in any jurisdiction in Asia in the last five years.
Asia firm of the year
This award will go to the firm, which has performed the best over all categories. Although it is likely to be a regional firm, domestic firms are considered. Editors are looking for a firm that has displayed outstanding achievement, and made a substantial impact, in advising clients on matters across a range of practice areas.
Client choice awards
Firm of the year
Practitioner of the year
The winners of these awards are selected using the objective data asialaw captured in the Client Feedback Survey during the 2023 edition research process. In the selection process, an average score will be generated for each firm based on the feedback your clients provide in the survey. The awards will go to the firm with the highest score under each Client choice awards category. There will be no shortlists for Client choice awards. All winners in this category will be honoured at the ceremony.
For more enquiries, please contact our team.
