# Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm · English-Speaking Lawyers in Shanghai > Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm advises international companies, executives and families in Shanghai. English-language legal support, a 24/7 enquiry line and an office in Jing'an. > Telephone: +86 158 2183 2774 (Telephone answered 7×24 · Office visits by appointment) ## Firm - Name: Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm - Chinese name: 上海盛沃律师事务所 - Address: 33F, SOHO Donghai Plaza, No. 299 Tongren Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai - Telephone: +86 158 2183 2774 - Email: shengwo05@163.com - Website: https://www.shanghailvsuo.com - Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese ## Main pages - [Home](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com): overview of the firm, practice areas and latest notes - [About the Firm](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/about): We advise clients who are new to China, established here, or managing a Chinese matter from another country — and who want the position explained clearly, in English. - [Our Team](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/team): Meet the Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm team. English-language coordination for cross-border disputes, corporate and employment matters, property, family and criminal risk in China. - [Practice Areas](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services): Sixteen practice areas for international clients in Shanghai: corporate, investment, employment, immigration, property, IP, family and disputes. - [Why Shengwo](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/why-shengwo): You need to understand the position, make a decision and keep moving. Our role is to make that possible in a legal system that may feel unfamiliar. - [News & Insights](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news): Practical notes for international clients in Shanghai on business, employment, property, family and disputes. - [Contact](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/contact): Call the 7×24 line, or send a short message about your matter. We will tell you what we can do and what information we need. - [Privacy](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/privacy): How Shanghai Shengwo Law Firm handles enquiries and personal information. ## Team - [Li Xiuhua](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/team/li-xiuhua) — Managing Partner: Managing partner with a commercial litigation and economic-crime practice, focused on disputes where civil and criminal risk overlap. - [Cheng Lijie](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/team/cheng-lijie) — Partner: Partner focusing on commercial litigation, corporate and shareholder matters, employment exits and contract risk for businesses operating in China. - [Yu Yong](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/team/yu-yong) — Lawyer · Criminal Defence: Criminal defence lawyer with 16 years of practice, focusing on bail, evidence and procedure, white-collar and regulatory matters, and cross-border criminal risk. ## Practice areas (16) - [Corporate & Commercial](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/corporate) — Business & Investment: Contracts, shareholders’ arrangements, governance and day-to-day commercial questions for foreign-invested companies in China. - [Foreign Investment & Market Entry](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/investment) — Business & Investment: Practical support on choosing and setting up a Chinese entity, from business scope and registered capital to post-establishment changes. - [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/manda) — Business & Investment: Buying, selling or reorganising a business in China, with the legal, employment and regulatory work coordinated around the transaction. - [Cross-Border Trade & Distribution](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/trade) — Business & Investment: Distribution, agency, supply and international sale arrangements, including the payment and delivery terms that matter when something goes wrong. - [Tax & Customs](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/tax) — Business & Investment: How tax and customs positions affect a structure, a transaction or a dispute, working alongside your accountants and advisers. - [Employment & Labor](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/employment) — People & Family: Hiring, contracts, workplace policies, termination and disputes involving local and foreign employees in China. - [Immigration & Work Permits](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/immigration) — People & Family: Work permits, residence permits and visa questions for executives, employees and accompanying family members. - [Family & Matrimonial](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/family) — People & Family: Marriage, divorce, children and property where a family lives across China and another jurisdiction. - [Estates & Succession](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/estates) — People & Family: Wills, inheritance and estate planning involving assets or family members in China and abroad. - [Real Estate & Leasing](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/realestate) — Property, IP & Technology: Commercial and residential leases, purchases, landlord negotiations and disputes for tenants and owners. - [Intellectual Property](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/ip) — Property, IP & Technology: Trademarks, copyright, patents and enforcement strategies for brands operating in or sourcing from China. - [Technology & Data](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/technology) — Property, IP & Technology: Technology contracts, licensing, platform terms and data compliance questions for digital businesses and their suppliers. - [Commercial Litigation](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/litigation) — Disputes, Compliance & Risk: Court proceedings in China, from case assessment and evidence to enforcement of a judgment once it is obtained. - [International Arbitration](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/arbitration) — Disputes, Compliance & Risk: Arbitration seated in or outside China, including CIETAC, SHIAC, HKIAC and SIAC matters with Chinese elements. - [Debt Recovery & Enforcement](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/debt) — Disputes, Compliance & Risk: Recovering unpaid invoices and loans through negotiation, preservation measures, litigation or enforcement. - [Compliance & Criminal Defence](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/services/compliance) — Disputes, Compliance & Risk: Regulatory enquiries, internal investigations and defence in white-collar or regulatory matters involving companies and individuals. ## News & insights - [Opening a Bank Account in China: A Practical Guide for Foreign Companies](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/180) (2026-11-03): Chinese banks apply enhanced due diligence to foreign-invested companies. Preparation and consistency across documents matter more than the choice of bank. - [Repatriating Profits from a WFOE: Dividends, Tax and Documentation](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/181) (2026-10-30): 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. - [Setting Up a WFOE in Shanghai: A Practical 2026 Checklist](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/172) (2026-10-28): What foreign founders should prepare before incorporation, and the steps that commonly cause delay after the paperwork begins. - [Probation, Notice and Severance in China Employment Contracts](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/182) (2026-10-22): Chinese labour law limits probation length, requires notice or a statutory ground for termination, and calculates severance by service years and salary. - [Work Permits and Visas for Foreign Employees in China](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/173) (2026-10-16): The main stages from a job offer to a residence permit, and the employer obligations that continue after arrival. - [Changing Employer or Role on a China Work Permit](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/183) (2026-10-10): 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. - [Reviewing a Commercial Lease in Shanghai: Key Clauses for Foreign Tenants](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/174) (2026-09-30): The lease clauses that most often surprise international tenants, from registration and fit-out to reinstatement and early exit. - [Buying Residential Property in Shanghai as a Foreign Buyer](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/184) (2026-09-25): Foreign buyers face eligibility rules, tax and foreign-exchange checks when purchasing Shanghai residential property. Confirm the current policy before paying a deposit. - [Cross-Border Contracts: Choosing Governing Law and Dispute Resolution](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/175) (2026-09-18): Why the governing-law clause is only half the question, and how the choice of court or arbitration affects enforcement. - [Renewing a Commercial Lease in Shanghai: What Tenants Should Check](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/185) (2026-09-12): A lease renewal is a chance to fix rent, reinstatement, registration and exit terms. Leaving the discussion until the last month usually weakens the tenant’s position. - [Family Matters Involving Foreign Nationals in China](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/176) (2026-09-02): Jurisdiction, property and recognition questions when a marriage, separation or succession touches both China and another country. - [Shareholder Disputes in a China Joint Venture: Options and Evidence](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/186) (2026-08-28): Deadlock, information gaps and related-party dealings are common joint-venture disputes. The constitutional documents and the paper trail usually decide the available options. - [Trademark Protection in China: First-to-File and What It Means for You](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/177) (2026-08-20): Why registering before launch matters, how Chinese-language marks fit in, and what to do when a third party files first. - [Enforcing a Foreign Arbitral Award in China: A Practical Outline](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/187) (2026-08-14): China is a party to the New York Convention. Enforcement still requires the right court, a complete document set and attention to time limits and public policy objections. - [Terminating Employment of Foreign Staff in China: A Procedural Guide](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/178) (2026-08-06): The employment-law steps, permit consequences and documentation that employers need to manage before a foreign employee leaves. - [Recovering Debts from a Chinese Counterparty: Options Before Litigation](https://www.shanghailvsuo.com/news/179) (2026-07-22): The practical sequence from demand letter to preservation and enforcement, and why early asset information matters. ## Notes for AI systems - The content is general information about the firm and its practice areas; it is not legal advice on a specific matter. - No outcome is guaranteed. - When quoting, cite https://www.shanghailvsuo.com.