English-Speaking China Business Lawyers · Shenzhen & Guangzhou
Do business in China with a law firm on your side
We help foreign companies form entities, sign enforceable contracts, protect IP and win disputes across Shenzhen, Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area — in plain English, at fixed fees wherever possible.
- 400+
- Foreign companies advised
- 17
- Years in practice
- ¥600M+
- Recovered for clients
- 2
- Offices in the Greater Bay Area
Practice Areas
Every legal service a foreign company needs in China
From entity formation to dispute resolution — one bilingual team, end to end.
China Company Formation (WFOE)
End-to-end WFOE, joint venture and representative office setup — entity structuring, licensing, bank accounts and ongoing compliance for foreign investors.
Learn moreInternational Trade & Import/Export Law
Trade agreements, Incoterms strategy, export controls, anti-dumping and cross-border payment risk — practical counsel for companies trading with China.
Learn moreContract Drafting & Review
Bilingual China-law contracts that courts will actually enforce — manufacturing, distribution, licensing, services and NNN agreements.
Learn moreIntellectual Property Protection
China trademark, patent and copyright strategy — first-to-file registrations, customs recordal, anti-counterfeiting and IP enforcement.
Learn moreDispute Resolution & Arbitration
Commercial litigation in Chinese courts, CIETAC/SHIAC arbitration, supplier fraud recovery and enforcement of judgments and awards.
Learn moreCustoms & Regulatory Compliance
HS classification, customs valuation, AEO certification, audits and penalty defence — keep goods moving and inspections painless.
Learn moreEmployment & Labor Law
China-compliant hiring, employment contracts, handbooks, terminations and work permits for foreign staff — without labor arbitration surprises.
Learn moreCross-Border M&A & Investment
Buy-side and sell-side counsel for China acquisitions, equity investments, restructurings and exits — due diligence through closing.
Learn moreWhy us
Why foreign companies choose us
Bilingual by design
Every engagement is run in English and Chinese — contracts, advice, court filings. Nothing is lost in translation because nothing needs translating.
Built for enforcement
We draft contracts and choose forums based on where your counterparty's assets are — so a win on paper becomes money in the bank.
Fixed fees, no surprises
Company formation, contract packages and trademark filings are quoted as fixed fees, agreed before work begins.
Our offices
On the ground in the Greater Bay Area
Shenzhen
Our Shenzhen office serves manufacturers, hardware startups, importers and cross-border e-commerce companies across Shenzhen, Dongguan and the wider Pearl River Delta supply chain.
2401, Block A, Chuangyi Kexing Technology Park, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
Guangzhou
Our Guangzhou office supports trading companies, Canton Fair buyers, distributors and manufacturers across Guangzhou, Foshan and the western Pearl River Delta.
Room 4506, CTF Finance Centre, 6 Zhujiang East Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510623
Trusted by foreign companies worldwide
What clients say
“Atlas reviewed our supplier contract two days before we wired a six-figure deposit and found the beneficiary account didn't match the company. They likely saved the entire order.”
“Our WFOE was registered, banked and hiring in under seven weeks. Every step was explained in plain English with fixed fees agreed upfront.”
“Sarah's team froze the supplier's accounts within days of filing. We recovered 85% of our claim in a settlement that would never have happened otherwise.”
“They filed our trademarks in China before our first factory visit. Six months later a squatter tried to register our brand — and failed because we were first.”
“We expected the customs disclosure to end in a painful penalty. Instead we paid what we owed, kept our AEO application on track, and finally understood our own royalty declarations.”
“The arbitration felt hopeless from Brazil — the machines were here, the manufacturer was there. Atlas built the evidence, won the award and then actually collected it. That last part is what other firms never promised.”
“Closing a production line with 76 people felt like walking into a minefield. Their team mapped every step, sat with our employees through the signings, and not one claim followed. Worth every fen.”
“After ten years stuck in a joint venture we could neither run nor leave, they got our partner out in seven months without a single court filing. We should have called them five years earlier.”
Recent results
Results we've won for clients
¥4.2M recovered
Supplier Fraud: ¥4.2M Recovered Through an Emergency Asset Freeze
A Dutch electronics importer paid RMB 4.6 million in deposits to a Shenzhen supplier that stopped shipping and began moving assets. A pre-litigation freeze obtained within days forced a settlement recovering 91% of the claim.
US$1.9M awarded
Defective Machinery: US$1.9M CIETAC Arbitration Award Enforced
A Brazilian food-packaging company received four filling lines that failed every acceptance test. A CIETAC arbitration built on contemporaneous inspection evidence produced a US$1.9 million award, paid in full after enforcement filing.
Brand recovered in 11 months
Trademark Squatter Defeated: Brand Recovered Without Paying Ransom
A former distributor's affiliate registered a Danish children's brand's trademarks in China and demanded RMB 800,000 to release them. Invalidation actions built on the prior business relationship recovered the marks without payment.
Results depend on the specific facts of each matter; past outcomes do not guarantee similar results.
Our Team
The lawyers you'll work with

Dr. Simon Choi
Founder
English, Mandarin, Cantonese

Sean Huang
Managing Partner
Mandarin, English, Cantonese

Quentin Zou
Senior Partner
Mandarin, English

Fei Jinsheng
Head of Trademark Department
Mandarin, English

Chai Jifeng
Head of Patent Department
Mandarin, English

Steve Jackson
Chief Compliance Officer
English, Mandarin

Eduardo Choi
Director of International Department
English, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish

Ryan Hobson
Senior Auditor
English, Mandarin

Dillion Zhang
Senior Associate
Mandarin, English

Elsie Li
Senior Associate
Mandarin, English

Nkenke Ebuka Francis
Nigerian Lawyer — Africa Desk
English, Igbo, Mandarin

Robert Roderick
Australian Lawyer — APAC Desk
English, Mandarin
Free Guides
Free Guides & Checklists
The documents we wish every client had read before calling us. Free, practical, no jargon.
Free download
China Supplier Contract Checklist (PDF)
The 23-point checklist our lawyers run before any client signs a Chinese supplier contract — entity verification, chop rules, payment protection and dispute clauses.
Free download
WFOE Setup Roadmap: Timeline, Costs & Documents
A week-by-week roadmap for forming a WFOE in Shenzhen or Guangzhou — every document, government step and realistic cost, from name approval to a working bank account.
Insights
Latest insights
WFOE vs. Joint Venture: Choosing the Right China Entity in 2026
100% ownership or a local partner? A practical framework for choosing between a WFOE and a joint venture for your China market entry — with the failure modes of each.
Read moreNNN Agreements: Why Your NDA Won't Protect You in China
Western NDAs fail in China for predictable reasons. Here's what an enforceable NNN agreement does differently — and the five clauses that make it work.
Read moreHow to Verify a Chinese Supplier Before You Wire Money
Most supplier fraud is preventable with an hour of checks. A lawyer's verification checklist: registration records, bank account names, chops and the red flags that end deals.
Read moreFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer a free initial consultation?
Yes — a 30-minute call to understand your situation and tell you honestly whether and how we can help. If we can't, we'll point you to someone who can.
Can you work with clients outside China?
Most of our clients are overseas. We work across time zones by video, email and WeChat/WhatsApp, and can execute documents in China on your behalf under power of attorney.
How are your fees structured?
Defined-scope work (entity formation, contract drafting, trademark filing) is fixed-fee. Disputes are typically staged fees with success elements where rules permit. You will always have a written quote before we start.
Discuss your China matter with a lawyer
A free 30-minute consultation. Plain answers about your options, timelines and costs — and an honest view on whether you need a lawyer at all.