China's Ministry of Justice has approved four foreign law firms to establish representative offices in the country, including three in Shenzhen, according to Announcement No. 1 of 2026 released last week.
The approvals were issued in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Law Firms in China, the ministry said.
The move marks the fourth consecutive year that Shenzhen has led Chinese cities in the number of newly approved foreign law firm representative offices, reinforcing the city's role as a key engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The newly approved Shenzhen offices are:
Starlight Legal Law Firm Shenzhen Representative Office (Australia)
Michalski Huettermann & Partner Patentanwaelte MBB Shenzhen Representative Office (Germany)
Licks Attorneys Shenzhen Representative Office (Brazil)
Logos of Starlight Legal Law Firm, Licks Attorneys and Michalski Huettermann & Partner Patentanwaelte MBB. The three firms have been approved to open representative offices in Shenzhen.
The ministry also approved the Legal Point Lawyers & Attorneys Zhengzhou Representative Office (Australia) in Zhengzhou.
The concentration of new offices in Shenzhen reflects a broader trend of international professional services gravitating toward the southern Chinese technology and business hub. Since 2023, authorities have approved 21 foreign law firm representative offices nationwide, 12 of which — about 57% — are located in Shenzhen.
Local authorities, including the Shenzhen Municipal Justice Bureau and the Qianhai Authority, attribute the growth in part to targeted promotion through platforms such as the Chinese-speaking Lawyers Conference and legal services expos. The initiatives aim to showcase Shenzhen's rule-of-law business environment and attract global legal service providers.
With the latest additions, Shenzhen's foreign-related legal services network now spans five continents — Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.
