what we think

In the Greater China 2026 edition of the Legal500, the firm and its lawyers were once again recognized across a number of categories:

Regulatory / Compliance

Labor / Employment

Commercial and Corporate/M&A

This recognition reflects a practice built around senior, hands-on experts and consistent execution for multinational and transnational clients operating in China.

Regulatory / Compliance

The regulatory and compliance practice is led by Qiao Peng, a seasoned compliance professional and former global compliance director at AstraZeneca who started her career as a prosecutor. Qiao gives the team a practical understanding of how multinational organizations operate internally and where compliance exposures typically arise. The group focuses on anti-bribery and anti-corruption (ABAC), industry-specific regulatory frameworks, internal investigations, compliance audits, and continuous compliance management for the Chinese subsidiaries of global companies.

Recent projects include internal FCPA-aligned investigations following whistleblower reports, multi-city compliance audits for healthcare and industrial companies, and regulatory risk assessments connected to major restructuring or market-entry decisions. The practice regularly advises on remediation plans, employee training, distributor and third-party reviews, and interactions with authorities in sensitive cases.

Labor & Employment

R&P's employment law team is anchored by Robin Tabbers and Maarten Roos, who routinely support European and North American clients on the full life cycle of employment in China. Leading specialist partner Eric Yuan focuses on labour disputes, litigation strategy, and settlement negotiations, while Legal500 recognizes associate Stacey Wu for her work on employment documentation, staff handbooks, compliance checks, and restructuring support. Together, the team offers comprehensive coverage, from strategic restructuring to day-to-day risk control.

According to the Legal 500, the practice is noted for restructuring and liquidation-related mass lay-offs, compliance-driven investigations, terminations, compensation negotiations, and management of labour conflicts. It also handles a steady flow of routine employment issues, providing consistent guidance to HR and management teams.

One recent representative case was the phased closure of a client's Shanghai and Shenzhen operations, implementing a multi-stage communication and negotiation plan with key employees, and achieving favourable settlement outcomes while maintaining operational continuity. The team frequently advises on senior-level exits, complex non-compete enforcement, cross-border secondments, data-related employment issues, and investigations arising from internal or regulatory compliance concerns.

Commercial, Corporate and M&A

In the latest edition, partner Kathleen Cao is recognised as an elite lawyer in Shanghai for her work in commercial, corporate, and M&A matters. Her experience strengthens the interface between employment, compliance, and transactional work, ensuring aligned advice during restructuring, acquisitions, and corporate governance updates.

The team delivers integrated transactional support, advising international corporate clients on market entry, cross-border and domestic M&A, joint ventures, and restructuring.  Their expertise extends across due diligence (legal, tax, accounting), deal structuring, governance, and liquidation. Other key professionals include Rogier van Bijnen, Maarten Roos, Robin Tabbers, Koen Naber and Fabian Knopf.

The team is notably attuned to the cultural, regulatory, and strategic complexities foreign investors face in China. They guide clients through negotiations with Chinese counterparts, and design transaction structures that align with both international standards and local regulatory constraints.

What they say

Across practices, R&P China Lawyers is consistently commended for its combination of deep China-specific legal expertise and a clear, solutions-driven approach. Clients highlight swift communication, multilingual capabilities, and the ability to provide practical, operationally relevant advice supported by a team of specialists who collaborate seamlessly:

• 'A great mixture of a practical, solutions-driven approach and a deep knowledge of Chinese laws.'
• 'Communication is swift and can be in multiple languages.'

For more information about our services or to discuss how we can assist your business, please contact us at [email protected], or reach out to your usual contact at R&P China Lawyers.