Professionals

Tian Yuan has gathered elite lawyers in various fields, has more than 200 partners, more than 800 professionals, and provides customers with all-round, cross-regional, comprehensive and one-stop legal services with profound practice experience and project experience. and best business solutions.

Practices

With 30 years of experience in legal practice and continuous innovation in practice, Tian Yuan's business covers the main practice fields and emerging fields of Chinese lawyers, and maintains the level of China's top lawyers and cross-team comprehensive service capabilities in many fields. Transactions and projects and cases with great industry influence.

Insights & News

Tian Yuan lawyers keep up with the trend of the industry, focus on legal hot topics, and rely on unique perspectives and market insights to help clients understand the latest changes in the law, and use professional observation, analysis and insights to help clients make more informed business choices and decisions.

About Us

As a leading law firm with a long history and profound culture in China, Tian Yuan has always been based on legal services, constantly exploring and innovating, and has moved forward with the Chinese economy for 30 years. We have offices in 15 economically active cities in China and enjoys a high reputation in the industry.

Antitrust & Competition

We are widely recognized for our leading antitrust practice in China, an have consistently remained at the forefront of this practice since the Anti-Monopoly Law came into effect. We have extensive expertise in all aspects of antitrust practices, including merger control, antitrust investigations, antitrust litigation, and antitrust compliance.

 

Our firm houses an exceptional antitrust team including four partners. Our antitrust lawyers are all fully dedicated to antitrust practices. They not only possess exceptional expertise in antitrust matters, but also have extensive experiences in dispute resolution. This enables us to stay highly attuned to the latest trends and developments in the industry. Consequently, we are well-equipped to effectively handle complex antitrust cases and are always able to devise practical and optimal strategies tailored to each unique case. We have an impressive track record of successfully handling “cases of first impressions” in China, many of which have significant importance, both domestically and internationally.

 

We stand out in the market for “accurately understanding clients’ needs”,, “holding high local expertise in China”, and “being able to provide pragmatic and creative solutions” and have become a preferred choice by more and more clients. Our clients are from a diverse range of business and industries, which among others include semiconductor, communications, Internet, pharmaceuticals, high-end manufacturing, consumer electronics, FMCG and chemical engineering.

Work Highlights

Our antitrust litigation achievements are unparalleled in the industry. We are one of the few legal teams in China that possess profound antitrust expertise, rich litigation experience, and exceptional courtroom debating skills. We are also among the few that have extensive practical experience in both antitrust civil litigation and administrative litigation.

 

The numerous antitrust cases we have represented have significant milestone implications, establishing important antitrust rules. These include the “3Q Case”, which was selected as a guiding case by the Supreme People's Court, the case on non-arbitrability of monopoly disputes, which was included in the judgment digests of the Supreme People's Court, and the Hainan Yutai case, which clarified the judicial and administrative enforcement paths for resale price maintenance.

 

We have also represented numerous significant antitrust cases that have garnered considerable attention both domestically and internationally. These include the record-breaking claim in the JD.com versus Alibaba case, the standard essential patent antitrust dispute between Qualcomm and Apple, the inaugural antitrust dispute involving pharmaceutical patents, the claim case against Tetra Pak, and the administrative monopoly case in the field of bike sharing.

 

  • JD.com vs Alibaba 'Either-or' Antitrust Litigation: The highest claim amount in the history of antitrust litigation in China. In this case, we represented JD.com in filing a lawsuit against Alibaba for abusing its dominant market position and forcing merchants to choose between two platforms
  • Apple vs Qualcomm Standard Essential Patent Licensing Condition Litigation and Antitrust Litigation: Represented Qualcomm in dealing with lawsuits brought by Apple for alleged abuse of dominant market position and standard essential patent licensing conditions

  • The Supreme People's Court's first RPM Administrative Judicial Review Case: Represented the Hainan Province Price Bureau in the RPM punishment decision judicial review case brought by Yutai Company, winning the second instance in the Higher People's Court of Hainan and retrial in the Supreme People's Court. This case is the Supreme People's Court's first response and resolution of the longstanding dispute over resale price maintenance in antitrust administration and judicature

  • A series of antitrust administrative lawsuits in the field of bike sharing: Represented clients in lawsuits against relevant authorities in various places for alleged abuse of administrative power to exclude and restrict competition

  • Represented Tencent in a series of successful lawsuits over abuse of dominant market position, including the WeChat Group case, the WeChat Stickers case, and the WeChat Official Account case

  • Horizontal Monopoly Administrative Penalty Judicial Review Case: Represented the Guizhou Province Development and Reform Commission in the first instance and second instance of judicial review of its horizontal monopoly administrative punishment, fully winning the case and re-establishing the enforcement principles and legal basis for China's antitrust authorities to regulate horizontal monopoly agreements

  • Qihoo 360 vs Tencent Abuse of Market Dominance Litigation ("3Q Case"): This case is the first antitrust litigation case heard by the Supreme People's Court and was also selected as a guiding case by the Supreme People's Court. In this case, we represented Tencent and won the final judgement

  • The first case where the Supreme People's Court determined antitrust litigation was non-arbitrable: Represented a multinational company's dealer in filing two antitrust civil lawsuits against another multinational company, and during the jurisdiction objection stage of the two cases, successfully obtained the support of the Supreme Court, and the antitrust litigation was ruled as non-arbitrable

 

 

 

 

Our performance in antitrust investigations has been highly acclaimed in the industry, with our experience traced back to several domestic "first antitrust cases". These include the first foreign-related antitrust investigation in the country (the LCD Panel Case), the first vertical antitrust investigation (the White Wine Case), the first vertical antitrust investigation applying the leniency system (the Infant Formula Case), the first antitrust investigation into the abuse of intellectual property rights (the IDC Case), etc.

 

Our antitrust team enjoys a positive working relationship with regulatory authorities, and has been frequently invited to provide opinions in related seminars organized by these authorities, participating in the discussion of drafting and revising relevant laws and regulations. As a result, our team can keenly perceive relevant regulatory trends, offering clients practical and realistic advice.

 

  • Qualcomm Case
  • DRAM Case: Provided legal services to a DRAM manufacturer, aiding their response to an antitrust investigation conducted by the State Administration for Market Regulation
  • Digital Music Copyright Case: Commissioned by one of the world's top three record companies to provide legal services, assisting in responding to an antitrust investigation by the State Administration for Market Regulation
  • CNKI Case: Commissioned by China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to provide legal services, assisting in responding to an antitrust investigation by the State Administration for Market Regulation

  • Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Investigation: Commissioned by a large pharmaceutical group to provide legal services for its response to an antitrust investigation conducted by the State Administration for Market Regulation

  • Internet Platform Investigation: Commissioned by multiple large Internet platforms to provide legal services for their responses to antitrust investigations or market research conducted by the State Administration for Market Regulation

  • Public Utility Company Investigation: Commissioned by multiple public utility companies to provide legal services for their responses to antitrust investigations or market research conducted by the State Administration for Market Regulation

  • Commissioned by a fast-moving consumer goods company to provide legal services for its response to an antitrust investigation conducted by a provincial market regulatory department

  • Commissioned by a high-end manufacturing enterprise to provide legal services for its response to antitrust market research conducted by the State Administration for Market Regulation
  • Global Auto-Parts Cartel Case: Commissioned by a well-known Japanese auto parts manufacturer to provide legal services for its response to an anti-price monopoly government investigation initiated by the National Development and Reform Commission

  • Global RoRo Ship Cartel Case: Commissioned by a South American company to provide legal services for its response to an anti-price monopoly government investigation initiated by the National Development and Reform Commission

  • Medical and Medical Equipment Industry Investigation: Commissioned by numerous multinational pharmaceutical companies and multinational medical equipment companies to provide legal services for their responses to antitrust research/investigations initiated by the National Development and Reform Commission

  • Automotive Industry Investigation: Commissioned by multiple international automobile manufacturers to provide legal services for their responses to antitrust research/investigations initiated by the National Development and Reform Commission

     

     

     

     

 

 

Every year, our antitrust team handled dozens of declarations of concentration of business operators, including obtaining unconditional approvals for clients in some highly scrutinized transactions. In some cases where competition concerns are present, we assisted clients in proposing effective remedial measures, helping to obtain conditional approvals as early as possible while respecting our clients' business interests. In addition, we assisted stakeholders in proposing oppositions in some cases where competition concerns exist.

 

We also provided investigation and analysis, and legal services to assist overseas declarations for projects involving multi-jurisdictional declarations of concentration of business operators. We maintained close cooperation with local law firms in major jurisdictions, including serving as the lead law firm to assist clients in handling multi-jurisdictional declarations.

 

In recent years, we also assisted clients in handling dozens of investigations into concentration of business operators that have not been declared according to law, and provided regular legal consultation services for risk assessments of business operators concentration related to “jumping the gun” risks.

 

  • SK HYNIX / Intel Corporation, partial business
  • NVIDIA / ARM, representing stakeholders
  • Broadcom Corporation / BROCADE, representing stakeholders
  • Didi Chuxing / Uber China

 

 

 

We provide compliance and consultation services for clients across a multitude of fields including semiconductors, telecommunications, the Internet, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer electronics, fast-moving consumer goods, food, and automotive parts. Offering a plethora of actionable and commercially viable recommendations on the design, adjustment, and implementation of relevant business models, we are lauded for providing the “most down-to-earth compliance services."

 

We particularly excel in handling distribution channel management, supply chain cooperation, intellectual property licensing, and competitor interactions, covering aspects such as pricing, exclusivity arrangements, sole restrictions, and information exchange. With broad compliance vision and wealth of experience, we have been able to find compliance solutions that not only accommodate clients' commercial interests but also align with regulatory environments, and that are readily implementable.

 

Our rich experience accumulated in the field of competition law investigations and litigation, and timely grasp of law enforcement and judiciary standards, enabled us to earn long-term and high recognition from our clients.

 

 

 

As foreign investments are increasingly subject to China's National Security Review (NSR) system, we also provide NSR risk assessment, negotiation, and reporting services to foreign clients.

 

  • Assisted a well-known international enterprise in its NSR application for the acquisition of a Chinese grain and oil company
  • Represented a well-known international enterprise in its NSR negotiation for the acquisition of a Chinese port enterprise

  • Represented a well-known international enterprise in its NSR negotiation for the acquisition of a Chinese high-tech enterprise

  • Provided NSR-related consultation and risk assessment services for a foreign-invested greenfield investment project

     

     

 

 

Honors
  • Chambers Greater China Region
    2024
  • The Legal 500 China
    2024
  • LEGALBAND Top Ranked Law Firms: Band 1
    2024
  • LEGALBAND China Law Awards
    2024
  • Chambers Greater China Region
    2023
  • The Legal 500 China
    2023
  • CBLJ Firms of the Year
    2023
  • LEGALBAND China Law Awards
    2023
  • LEGALBAND Top Ranked Law Firms: Band 1
    2023
  • asialaw Profiles
    2023
  • CBLJ Firms of the Year
    2022
  • Chambers Greater China Region
    2022
  • The Legal 500 China
    2022
  • LEGALBAND China Law Awards
    2022
  • LEGALBAND Top Ranked Law Firms: Band 1
    2022
  • CBLJ Firms of the Year
    2021
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Professionals