At the 2025 ALB China Legal Awards ceremony, Wang Jun, Director of Beijing Xinglai Law Firm and a key award partner, was interviewed by ALB—well done!👏👏

🎤 Attorney Wang Jun shared insights on the deep resonance between external counsel and in-house corporate legal teams, as well as advice on helping businesses unlock hidden value and fostering sustainable, high-quality growth.

1. Xinglai has sponsored the "Annual Corporate Legal Awards." Collaborating with ALB to focus on this field—how does your company feel about it?

It's a great honor to partner with ALB, Asia's leading legal media outlet, as the title sponsor of the "Annual Corporate Legal Awards."

As a boutique law firm specializing in providing one-stop solutions to complex criminal, civil, and administrative challenges faced by businesses, Xinglai has always believed that "compliance governance" and "legal risk management" are the lifelines of a company's sustainable growth.

This collaboration not only deeply resonates with Xinglai's professional positioning but also reflects a strong recognition of the value inherent in the legal teams of enterprises in the new era.

From an industry perspective, the role of corporate legal counsel is undergoing a structural upgrade.

In the era of comprehensive regulatory oversight, the legal risks faced by businesses have evolved from isolated litigation issues into complex, multi-faceted challenges that span criminal, civil, and administrative domains. This shift is evident not only in the ways responsibilities are assigned but also in the growing difficulty of clearly defining these risks.

As the "first line of defense" against corporate legal risks, company legal teams must possess the ability to integrate cross-disciplinary knowledge, anticipate potential risks, and collaborate effectively with external lawyers.

From the perspective of corporate needs, company legal teams have become the "super interface" bridging law and business.

How does the legal function create value for businesses? Brand value (benchmarking, pioneering value, and reputation), competitive advantage, and risk mitigation.

We’ve always said that the rule of law is the best business environment. Similarly, modern, standardized corporate governance is the finest calling card a company can have.

This means that professionals in corporate compliance, stability, and reliability—especially those with a deep understanding of business strategy—are now rare, highly sought-after talents for the future of legal roles.

From a collaborative perspective, the partnership between Starla and ALB serves as a model for others to follow. As a leading media outlet deeply rooted in the Asia-Pacific legal market for over 20 years, ALB’s award selections have always been renowned for their professionalism and impartiality.

We hope that through this platform, more businesses will recognize how an outstanding legal team not only helps companies reduce visible costs but also creates hidden value by proactively managing risks.

2. How do you assess the business capabilities and managerial qualities that define an outstanding law firm?

As deep participants in the legal services sector, we have observed The role of an outstanding corporate legal team has evolved from that of a traditional risk manager to a key driver of corporate strategy. They need to possess multi-dimensional skill sets to truly deliver value to businesses in today's dynamic business ecosystem.

The first layer is a solid foundation of legal expertise. This refers not only to a precise understanding of legal provisions but also to the ability to seamlessly integrate legal logic with real-world business scenarios.

The second layer is industry-penetrating business insight. Outstanding legal professionals must understand the "survival code" of their industry—everything from the distribution of value across the industry chain to shifting regulatory policy trends, and from evolving competitive dynamics to the pace of technological innovation. The legal directors at leading benchmark companies we work with often demonstrate an exceptional ability to anticipate industry compliance trends and proactively shape business models. It’s this keen insight that makes them indispensable strategic advisors to the board of directors.

The third dimension is technology-driven thinking. In the wake of the digital wave, top-tier legal teams are reshaping their working models through legal tech: leveraging smart contracts to boost transaction efficiency, using big data to map compliance landscapes, and employing algorithmic models to quantify litigation strategies. This technology-driven empowerment is enabling legal departments to transform from cost centers into value-creation hubs.

In terms of managerial traits, we pay particular attention to "bridge-building capabilities." An outstanding legal manager needs to break down the barriers between law and business—translating complex legal language into actionable business insights while also effectively coordinating diverse external resources, such as external counsel, technology providers, and regulatory bodies.

StarLaw has proudly sponsored ALB's "Annual Outstanding Corporate Counsel Award," aiming to highlight the trailblazing forces driving these transformative times. When legal teams demonstrate their versatile qualities—rooted in legal expertise, informed by a forward-looking business perspective, empowered by tech-driven thinking, and connected through strategic management—they are fully equipped to become the new engine propelling companies toward high-quality, sustainable growth.