Based in Jinan, Shandong, China | Serving clients worldwide
After Things Go Wrong
Defrauded or Breached?
Let Us Tell You Honestly
Most overseas buyers who contact a Chinese lawyer have already lost money. Fewer than one in ten of those matters ends in court — and pretending otherwise helps nobody. We start by telling you where your case actually stands.
The Honest Part
We Tell You the Truth First
Chinese courts are a real remedy, but they are not a fast one and they are not free. Before you spend money on proceedings, three questions need honest answers:
Is there a defendant worth suing?
An entity that exists, has assets, and is the one that actually contracted with you.
Can you prove the claim?
Signed contract, payment records, and evidence of the breach — in a form a Chinese court will accept.
Does recovery exceed cost?
Fees, translation, notarisation and time, set against what is realistically collectable.
When the answer to any of these is no, we say so — and we tell you what the alternatives are. Negotiated recovery, demand letters and settlement are often cheaper and faster than a judgment you cannot enforce.
Four Routes
Where Your Matter Can Go
Debt Collection
Pre-legal recovery efforts — negotiation, demand and payment pressure — before formal proceedings.
Litigation
Representation before Chinese courts, including jurisdiction strategy, evidence preparation and hearings.
Arbitration
CIETAC, HKIAC, ICC and other institutional arbitration, plus enforcement of awards in China.
Enforcement
Asset preservation, account freezing and enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards.
Three Stages
Scope Defined at Every Step
Each stage is scoped independently. You can stop after any one of them.
Stage 1
Lawyer's Letter & Negotiation
A formal demand on law-firm letterhead. Frequently enough to bring a supplier back to the table without filing anything.
From $500
Stage 2
Filing — Litigation or Arbitration
Case assessment, evidence bundle, filing and representation through to award or judgment.
Negotiated per case
Stage 3
Enforcement & Asset Recovery
Asset preservation, account freezing and enforcement proceedings.
Negotiated per case
How the fees work
- Only Stage 1 is charged at the fixed fee shown above.
- Stage 2 (case representation) and Stage 3 (enforcement and asset recovery) carry no standard price — both are negotiated per case, taking into account the amount in dispute, the jurisdiction and seat, evidential complexity, the number of instances, and enforcement prospects.
- A written fee proposal is always provided before anything is filed.
Realistic Expectations
What Clients Ask Us First
How long does it take?
Chinese court proceedings at first instance commonly run six to twelve months; enforcement can add further time. Arbitration is often faster at the award stage, but the enforcement step is similar.
Can I sue from abroad?
Yes — foreign parties routinely sue in China. The practical requirements are a local lawyer, notarised and authenticated documents, and Chinese translations of key evidence.
What if they have no assets?
That is the decisive question, and we answer it before you commit. Where the company is empty, we look at shareholder liability, unpaid capital contributions and related entities.
Is a settlement a defeat?
Often it is the better commercial outcome. A structured settlement that actually pays beats a judgment against a company with nothing to seize.
Realistic Expectations
What Clients Ask Us First
Chinese court proceedings at first instance commonly run six to twelve months; enforcement can add further time. Arbitration is often faster at the award stage, but the enforcement step is similar.
Yes — foreign parties routinely sue in China. The practical requirements are a local lawyer, notarised and authenticated documents, and Chinese translations of key evidence.
That is the decisive question, and we answer it before you commit. Where the company is empty, we look at shareholder liability, unpaid capital contributions and related entities.
Often it is the better commercial outcome. A structured settlement that actually pays beats a judgment against a company with nothing to seize.
Prevention is cheaper than recovery — verify the next supplier before you pay them.
