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International companies
Foreign-invested enterprises, regional headquarters and smaller cross-border businesses that need contracts, employment, compliance and dispute support in China.
Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm · International Client Desk
Legal clarity for international clients in Shanghai.
English-speaking legal counsel for foreign companies, executives and families navigating business, property and personal matters in China. Based in Jing'an, available around the clock.
No obligation A first call to understand your position Email a legal question
International by designEnglish-first advice for clients from abroad
Jing'an, Shanghai33F, SOHO Donghai Plaza
7×24 telephoneAnswered day and night
Shanghai
31.2304° N / 121.4737° E
Jing'an · 33F · Tongren Road
International Client Desk
33F, SOHO Donghai Plaza
299 Tongren Road, Jing'an
English-speaking adviceMeetings, documents and updates
Jing'an, Shanghai33F, SOHO Donghai Plaza
7×24 telephone lineAnswered day and night
Business & personalSixteen practice areas
The firm
A Shanghai practice built around clients from elsewhere.
Our first task is to make the situation understandable.
How we approach a matterYou may be new to the city, managing a Chinese subsidiary from abroad, or resolving a personal matter that spans two legal systems.
Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm advises international clients who need a clear view of their position in China. We explain the process in English, coordinate Chinese-language work, and keep the scope and cost visible before the matter moves forward.
Our work covers corporate and commercial questions, employment and immigration, property, intellectual property, family matters and disputes. Where a matter crosses borders, we help you coordinate the Shanghai steps and the implications at home.
More about the firm
Who we advise
In Shanghai, on business or in life.
International clients rarely arrive with a neat legal question. They arrive with a situation that touches work, family, property and time.
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Executives & assignees
Senior staff and their families relocating to Shanghai: work permits, employment terms, housing and the legal questions that come with settling in.
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International families
Marriage, divorce, children, property and succession where one or more family members hold a foreign passport or live outside China.
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Entrepreneurs & investors
Founders and private investors entering the market, structuring a Chinese entity, protecting intellectual property or planning an exit.
Practice areas
One firm for the questions that cross your desk.
From market entry to family matters, our work is organised around the situations international clients actually face in Shanghai.
Corporate & Commercial
Contracts, shareholders’ arrangements, governance and day-to-day commercial questions for foreign-invested companies in China.
ExploreForeign Investment & Market Entry
Practical support on choosing and setting up a Chinese entity, from business scope and registered capital to post-establishment changes.
ExploreMergers & Acquisitions
Buying, selling or reorganising a business in China, with the legal, employment and regulatory work coordinated around the transaction.
ExploreCross-Border Trade & Distribution
Distribution, agency, supply and international sale arrangements, including the payment and delivery terms that matter when something goes wrong.
ExploreTax & Customs
How tax and customs positions affect a structure, a transaction or a dispute, working alongside your accountants and advisers.
ExploreEmployment & Labor
Hiring, contracts, workplace policies, termination and disputes involving local and foreign employees in China.
ExploreImmigration & Work Permits
Work permits, residence permits and visa questions for executives, employees and accompanying family members.
ExploreFamily & Matrimonial
Marriage, divorce, children and property where a family lives across China and another jurisdiction.
ExploreOur wider work also covers mergers and acquisitions, tax and customs, cross-border trade, technology and data, estates, arbitration, debt recovery and compliance. In-person consultations are billed by the hour, with the basis confirmed in writing before the appointment.
Why Shengwo
Counsel that fits the way you work.
International clients do not need a longer list of legal services. They need a firm that can explain the position, coordinate the work and stay reachable.
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English-first communication
Advice, drafts and meeting notes in clear English. Chinese-language filings, correspondence and negotiations are handled within the same matter.
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One desk across matters
A lease, an employment question and a family issue can sit with one firm, so the context does not have to be rebuilt each time.
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Shanghai-specific knowledge
We work with the courts, authorities, landlords, employers and counterparties that shape how a matter actually moves in this city.
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Scope and fees before work
We set out what is included, who will handle it and how fees are calculated, so you can decide before the matter begins.
How it works
A clear path from first call to next step.
No one should have to guess what happens after they instruct a lawyer. The sequence below applies to most new matters.
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First conversation
Tell us what happened, what has been agreed so far and any deadlines. We will identify what needs attention first.
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Scope and fee proposal
We confirm the work, the documents required, the likely sequence and the fee basis in writing.
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Work plan
A named contact coordinates the matter, with updates at agreed points and Chinese-language steps handled for you.
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Decision or resolution
You receive a practical recommendation, the documents to act on and a clear view of what comes next.
News & insights
All news & insights
Practical notes for international clients.
Opening a Bank Account in China: A Practical Guide for Foreign Companies
Chinese banks apply enhanced due diligence to foreign-invested companies. Preparation and consistency across documents matter more than the choice of bank.
Read the noteRepatriating Profits from a WFOE: Dividends, Tax and Documentation
A WFOE can pay dividends to its foreign shareholder after tax, but the board resolution, audited accounts, tax clearance and withholding position all need to line up.
Read the noteSetting Up a WFOE in Shanghai: A Practical 2026 Checklist
What foreign founders should prepare before incorporation, and the steps that commonly cause delay after the paperwork begins.
Read the noteProbation, Notice and Severance in China Employment Contracts
Chinese labour law limits probation length, requires notice or a statutory ground for termination, and calculates severance by service years and salary.
Read the noteWork Permits and Visas for Foreign Employees in China
The main stages from a job offer to a residence permit, and the employer obligations that continue after arrival.
Read the noteChanging Employer or Role on a China Work Permit
A change of employer, position or work location can require a new or amended work permit. The sequence matters, and starting work before the approval is a compliance risk.
Read the note