James Li

Introduction

James Li has over 20 years of legal experience and focuses on dispute resolution across major commercial, financial and real estate sectors, serving a distinguished clientele comprising leading financial institutions, central and state-owned enterprises, and high-net-worth individuals. To date, Li has successfully represented various clients including financial institutions, listed companies and multinational corporations in more than 100 significant, challenging and complex dispute resolution cases, with the total amount in dispute exceeding RMB50 billion (USD7.09 billion). Li has successfully led numerous precedent-setting and socially influential cases, including: a family wealth inheritance dispute with a target amount of USD 2 billion; a series of claims disputes arising from the acquisition of Suzhou toxic land by a listed company with a target amount exceeding RMB10 billion; a series of disputes related to the co-operative land development contract of a characteristic town in Shanghai with a target amount of RMB6.5 billion; and a series of disputes related to stock pledge repurchase with a total target amount exceeding RMB3 billion. In the real estate sector, James Li has handled numerous landmark cases that have attracted significant public attention.

Notably, he led the representation in the series of claim disputes valued at over RMB10 billion arising from a listed company’s acquisition of contaminated land. After thoroughly reviewing the case materials and relevant laws and regulations, Li formulated an innovative strategy with the client’s ultimate commercial objectives in mind. In the area of financial asset management, Li has handled cases involving amounts totalling tens of billions of renminbi. Since 2015, when he represented a party in the nationwide pioneering case concerning the default on a RMB2 billion ultra-short-term financing instrument issued by Shanshui Cement, Li has led a series of industry-first cases with broad social impact, solidifying his reputation as a recognised expert in financial asset management dispute resolution.

Li is widely recognised for his professional excellence and outstanding achievements. His accolades include:

• ALB China Regional Law Awards (East China) 2025 – Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year;
• Benchmark Litigation China 2025 – Dispute Resolution Star;
• LEGALBAND China 2025 – Top Ranked Lawyer;
• Chambers Greater China Region 2025 – Dispute Resolution (Litigation) Benchmark Litigation China 2024 – Dispute Resolution Star;
• LEGALBAND 2023 – Litigation Lawyers Top 15; and
• A land development contract dispute relating to a town development project, led by Li and involving claims of about RMB6.5 billion, was recognised by China Business Law Journal as one of the “Deals of the Year 2024”.