In order to thoroughly implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and to strengthen the construction of foreign-related rule of law, the Office of the Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee for Rule of Law and the Municipal Bureau of Justice released three handbooks, including the ‘Guangzhou Foreign Lawyers’ Sub-discipline Directory’. The Directory of Foreign Lawyers in Guangzhou has a catalogue designed according to the field of practice, from which readers can quickly search for foreign lawyers of the corresponding specialties according to their needs, thus achieving accurate matching of supply and demand.

Sun Jianhui, Liang Xiaofeng and Qin Hailing of Guangdong NEO-ARK Law Firm are the three lawyers selected in the ‘Guangzhou Foreign Lawyers Sub-discipline Directory’, and the selected sub-disciplines are as follows:

Recently, Asia Law Bulletin (‘ALB’), an international authoritative legal media, announced the shortlist of ‘2024 ALB China Regional Market Legal Awards: South China & Central China’. Based on the excellent performance and good reputation, Guangdong NEO-ARK Law Firm was shortlisted for the ‘South & Central China Real Estate & Construction Law Firm of the Year Award’, and attorney Huang Jianqiu, Director and Senior Partner of NEO-ARK Law Firm, was shortlisted for the ‘South & Central China Managing Partner of the Year Award’.

For two consecutive years, NEO-ARK and NEO-ARK lawyers have been shortlisted in the ALB list, which fully demonstrates NEO-ARK's professional strength, client recognition and industry influence. In the future, NEO-ARK Firm will continue to forge ahead, constantly improve its professional standards and service quality, and continue to provide clients with all-round, multi-level and professional quality legal services.

2024 ALB China Regional Market Legal Awards: South China & Central China Legal Awards focus on 7 provinces and autonomous regions in South China and Central China, namely Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan Province, Henan Province, Hubei Province and Hunan Province, attracting more than 760 nominations from more than a hundred law firms and corporate legal teams that have achieved outstanding results in the legal services market in South China and Central China. The award covers 30 legal practice areas.

On 18 October 2024, Yu Ting Yu of NEO-ARK Law Firm was invited to Guangdong Israel Institute of Technology (GIIT) to give a lecture on Chinese labour contract law to foreign professors and project managers of the university. The lecture was conducted in full English and aimed to help expatriate faculty and staff of Guangdong-Israel Institute of Technology (GIIT) to better understand and apply the laws and regulations of China's labour law.

The seminar was held in the conference room of the Innovation Centre of Guangdong Israel Institute of Technology (GIIOT) and was attended by about 40 expatriate professors and project leaders. Attorney Yu Yuting introduced the core contents of the Labour Contract Law with her rich professional knowledge and practical experience. Using the story of Company A and employee Ben, Ms. Yu explained in depth the rights and obligations and considerations of the labour contract from signing, performance to termination.

Combined with practical cases, attorney Yu analysed the problems and solutions that may be encountered at different stages of the labour contract, which enabled the staff to have a more intuitive understanding of the practical application of China's Labour Contract Law.

In addition, for the target and theme of this seminar, attorney Yu especially stressed the importance of teacher ethics education, and combined with the legal perspective, he also talked about the relevant legal provisions on sexual harassment and job offences. He called on legal practitioners and educators to work hand in hand to maintain the harmony and stability of the campus environment.

The lecture ended with a Q&A session, in which professors raised legal issues they encountered in their projects or in their lives, and attorney Yu gave professional answers and legal advice.

After the lecture, there was a warm response from the audience, and Guangyi faculty and staff expressed that they had benefited a lot from the lecture. The seminar not only deepened their understanding of China's labour contract law, but also provided strong legal protection for their future work and project promotion.

Guangdong NEO-ARK Law Firm has always been committed to providing professional and efficient legal services to our clients. The success of this seminar not only demonstrated the profound knowledge of NEO-ARK Law Firm in the field of labour law, but also further highlighted the importance and commitment of NEO-ARK Law Firm to the promotion of legal literacy.

On 30 May 2024, Asian Legal Business (‘ALB’), a Thomson Reuters publication, announced the ‘2024 ALB China Regional Market Rankings: Rising Stars in South China’. ‘Our senior partner, attorney Liang Xiaofeng, was honoured as a ‘Rising Star Lawyer in South China’ for his outstanding business ability and high quality client reputation.

Asian Legal Business (ALB), a cutting-edge legal magazine owned by Thomson Reuters, is one of the most influential legal media in the world, aiming to provide clients and readers with cutting-edge legal business information and professional ratings of law firms. The selection of the Rising Stars of South China lawyers is based on a number of aspects such as major achievements, significant transactions or cases represented, major work in the past 12 months, the candidate's major clients, awards won by the candidate, client reviews and colleague reviews.

On 19 April 2024, Huang Zhe, Deputy Dean of the Law School of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Fan Cong, Deputy Secretary of the Law School, Fan Liping, retired professor of the Law School and senior consultant of the Firm, and Liu Minghong, alumnus of the Law School and senior partner of the Firm, as well as 5 postgraduates of the Law School and 20 students of the Class of 2023 Law Innovation Class of International Organisations, went to Nansha to carry out a research activity on rule of law in relation to foreign affairs with support of the Judicial Bureau and the Political and Legal Committee of Nansha District and other units of Nansha District. Political and Legal Committee and other units support.

Led by Professor Jiang Baoguo of the Law School and lawyer of Golden Bridge Stuart Kwong (Nansha) Associated Law Firm (hereinafter referred to as ‘Associated Law Firm’), the students visited the Foreign Legal Service and Assistance Centre, the exhibition hall of Xinhua Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Youth Creative Centre, and the Centre for the Identification of Extraterritorial Laws respectively.

Afterwards, led by Huang Zhiyong, Director of the Affiliated Firm, and Ding Ziyong, Director of the External Exchange and Cooperation Committee, the Firm visited the Affiliated Firm and held in-depth discussions and exchanges on the topics of ‘practice and business of foreign lawyers’ and ‘cross-border co-operation among lawyers of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area’. The exchange and opening up of lawyers' business in the Greater Bay Area and the integrated development of legal services will accelerate the integration of the Greater Bay Area and gradually promote the high-quality development of China's legal service industry.