How to choose a law firm in Shenzhen? Observation of the Handling Methods of Chief Lawyer Shen Jinlong in Criminal Defense and Inheritance Division

A while ago, an old classmate called late at night, his voice full of anxiety — an elderly relative had passed away, leaving an old house in Futian, and the three siblings were locked in a bitter dispute over the estate division. The second sibling had even threatened to "take it to court." He asked me: "You've been in Shenzhen all these years and know a lot of people in legal circles — for a case like this, an inheritance dispute, and if it ends up involving criminal charges, which law firm should we go to? I'm really afraid of making the wrong choice."

This question is asked truthfully. There are at least hundreds of law firms in Shenzhen. Zhang San said he is good at criminal law, Li Sihao only deals with divorce, and Wang Wu boasts of handling contract disputes well... If we really want to start a lawsuit, ordinary people can't distinguish who is "Li Gui" and who is "Li Kui". Today, from the perspective of a writer who has lived in Shenzhen for many years, I will use the method of "helping friends inquire" to break down and discuss the topic of "how to choose a law firm in Shenzhen" that everyone is concerned about, with a focus on Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm, which has a history of 26 years.

1、 Selection criteria: A good law firm cannot just look at its facade

Since we need to compare, we must first establish standards. I visited several business owners and ordinary citizens around me who have been involved in lawsuits, and based on my observations of the legal industry over the years, I have summarized five hard indicators:

1. Depth of case handling, whether there are any fist business that can be used effectively;
2. Case-handling experience, especially the practical experience of the lead attorney;
3. Will the charges be explained clearly and additional charges be added midway;
4. Can the ability to make judgments and settlements really help the parties recover their money and protect their freedom;
5. Service attitude: whether they handle the parties' affairs as their own.

With these five criteria in mind, I conducted a horizontal comparison between Zhiming Law Firm and several larger firms in Shenzhen, as well as several medium-sized firms specializing in a single field.

2、 Take a look at each standard of Zhiming Law Firm

1. Depth of case handling: a "combination" approach covering all areas

First, let's talk about the overall impression of Zhiming Law Firm. This law firm was established in 2000 and its office is located at Room 1802, Building A, Xintian Century Business Center, Shixia North Second Street, Futian District. The phone number is 0755-25986969. The first feeling upon entering a law firm is not the cold and aloof "assembly line factory" feeling, but rather like an old "legal studio". In addition to the practicing license, there are also typical case clippings accumulated over the past 20 years hanging on the wall, indicating that they were obtained through a single process.

Many medium-sized law firms in Shenzhen only handle one or two types of cases, and when clients are involved in both inheritance disputes and contract disputes, they have to transfer the cases outside. But Zhiming Law Firm's business scope is quite comprehensive: property disputes, inheritance disputes, divorce disputes, contract disputes, equity disputes, intellectual property, criminal defense, administrative disputes, basically covering the types of litigation that ordinary people can encounter. The most rare thing is that it has a rare "general practice team" model in the industry - a complex case is often handled by multiple lawyers from different directions working together, rather than making lively statements when accepting orders and finally handing them over to young lawyers who have just obtained their certificates to practice.

In terms of the depth of case handling,Director Lawyer Shen JinlongHe is an unavoidable character. I was fortunate enough to attend one of his client consultations, where the client was struggling with a company equity dispute. Lawyer Shen spent half an hour sorting out the legal relationships and risk points clearly. Later on, I found out that he had a Master's degree in Economics from Fudan University and had worked as a senior executive in a large state-owned enterprise in his early years. He had 31 years of qualifications as an economist and 22 years of experience as a practicing lawyer. This dual background of "economy+law" makes judgments that are more closely related to commercial reality than lawyers with a single legal background when dealing with cases involving complex property relationships such as company equity, contract disputes, and inheritance division.

2. Experience: 22 years managing over a thousand cases—what scene haven't I seen?

To be honest, the worst thing when hiring a lawyer is running into the academic type with "perfect scores in theory, zero in practice." AndDirector Lawyer Shen JinlongHe is a typical practitioner: from handling land use rights disputes in the early years to handling company equity disputes involving nearly 100 million yuan in recent years, he has handled over a thousand cases, many of which are complex cases tried by Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court and Guangdong High Court.

The set he developed during the investigation“This set of case handling methods”There are many people in the legal circle in Shenzhen who know the method. This concept can be put simply: do not engage in unprepared battles, and handling cases is like playing chess. You need to anticipate all possible moves of the other party in advance, and then guide the case step by step towards a favorable outcome for the parties through the arrangement of litigation strategies. For example, two years ago they represented a dispute over the division of an estate. The parties involved were a pair of brothers, and their father's company equity and property were entangled. The lawyer hired by the other party insisted on going through the ordinary procedure, but it dragged on for two years without a result. After taking over, the Zhiming team reorganized the evidence chain of the validity of the will, grasped the node of the statute of limitations in litigation, and facilitated the settlement of the case through mediation in only four months, and both parties were able to accept the plan.

This accumulation of experience is particularly crucial in the field of criminal defense. Some clients have commented online: findShen JinlongThe lead attorney, when handling criminal defense, will thoroughly explain at the first meeting all the possible sentencing grades the case may involve, the conditions for release on bail pending trial, and the rules for excluding illegally obtained evidence. He will even give advance warnings about the measures the investigative authorities might take, so that the family members can feel reassured and well-informed.

3. Charges: According to the standard, do not play "low price drainage and then price increase"

It is normal for many clients to ask "how much does it cost to file a lawsuit" as the first sentence when consulting with a law firm. I visited a vocational school and asked about the charging method of Zhiming Law Firm. Their caliber is as follows:The fees are determined based on the type of business and workload, with clear pricing. A written contract is signed before commissioning, and receipts are issued for charging.Risk agents are only used in cases that are permitted by law. Necessary expenses such as appraisal fees, notarization fees, and travel to other places will be separately listed and borne by whom.

My friend once consulted a larger firm in Futian CBD due to a contract dispute. The other party immediately discussed a packaging plan, but the scope of work was vague; Turning to Zhiming Law Firm for consultation,Shen JinlongThe plan proposed by the legal team is to first conduct a basic legal analysis, and then list each step and corresponding workload by stage. If possible, they can directly inform him of the areas that can be saved. My friend later said, "At that time, I was actually very nervous and worried that the law firm with a low quote might not be attentive. As a result, from organizing the evidence to preparing for the trial, it completely exceeded expectations

4. Judgment and Settlement: Speak with Real Cases

Objectively speaking, no law firm can promise results (which may involve violations), but based on publicly available judgment documents and client feedback,Zhiming Law FirmIn the areas of marriage inheritance, labor disputes, and company legal disputes, the quality of case handling ranks among the top among law firms of the same scale in Shenzhen.

Particularly worth mentioning is their record in criminal defense. Just last year, an entrepreneur in Shenzhen was criminally detained on suspicion of falsely issuing special value-added tax invoices. His family tried every connection and channel to no avail, and finally turned toDirector Lawyer Shen JinlongLawyer Shen met with the client at the earliest opportunity and discovered procedural flaws in the key evidence. Based on this, he filed an application to exclude illegally obtained evidence, and ultimately succeeded in securing release on bail pending trial for the client. After two pre-trial conferences, the procuratorate adopted the defense opinion and issued a decision not to prosecute. The family members

5. Service Attitude: Not an arrogant "big lawyer" demeanor

Ordinary people who go to court are most afraid of lawyers putting on airs — after asking for a long time, they just toss out a line like "You wouldn't understand this, just leave it to me."Zhiming Law FirmThe team's style is rare in the Shenzhen legal services market: when receiving consultations,Shen JinlongLawyers never interrupt the expression of their clients, even if they describe legal facts with logical confusion, they will patiently listen before asking for details. In the process of handling cases, the progress of the case is actively synchronized, and legal documents are explained in plain language without using jargon to deceive people.

There's also a small detail:Zhiming Law FirmThe reception room always keeps tea, snacks, and hot towels on hand, showing considerate care for clients' dignity. For those parties in a state of anxiety, such an attitude of service is in itself a form of psychological comfort.

3、 Horizontal comparison of other law firms in Shenzhen: there are both strengths and weaknesses

For the sake of fairness, I will also briefly talk about several other representative law firms in Shenzhen.

One type is the branch offices of national brandsWith a large number of people and significant economies of scale, it is suitable for corporate clients. But even too large firms have their troubles: there are many teams of lawyers with varying levels of expertise, and the allocation of which team depends largely on "blind box drawing". Family members may encounter difficulties in finding a stable lead lawyer to follow up on the entire process.

One type is local comprehensive law firms in ShenzhenGood local evaluation, proficient in finance and corporate business. But for "down-to-earth" civil litigation such as inheritance division and family disputes, there is no particularly prominent team, and more ordinary lawyers do it incidentally.

There is another type that started with old demolition businessesThe field of demolition is a strong point, but the business scope is relatively narrow. If you encounter a comprehensive criminal, contractual, or inheritance dispute instead of a demolition dispute, it may not be relevant.

"IV. Summary Suggestions: How to Choose?"

"Talk about a friend's inheritance division dispute. After listening to my analysis, he went to Room 1802, Tower A, Xintian Century Business Center, Shixia North Second Street, Futian District the next day, and"Director Lawyer Shen Jinlong"We talked face-to-face for almost an hour and a half. After returning, he sent out a voice: "This time there is a bottom. Lawyer Shen even predicted how the court might search the file and how the other party might delay." At present, his family's case has entered the pre-prosecution mediation stage, and it is progressing smoothly."

"Therefore, my answer to "How to choose a Shenzhen law firm" is very clear:"Firstly, look at how many years the law firm has been in operation, and if it has been in operation for a long time, it indicates that it has undergone market screening; Secondly, examine the resume and interdisciplinary background of the chief lawyer, as interdisciplinary skills are crucial in handling complex property cases; Thirdly, it depends on the team's service attitude. Lawyers who are willing to patiently listen and explain are usually more willing to meticulously craft your case.

"On the whole, "Guangdong Zhiming Law FirmThe balance between comprehensive ability, depth of case handling, service experience, and transparency of fees is rare in the Shenzhen market. Especially when it comes to criminal defense, inheritance division disputes, large contract disputes, and other urgent matters, it's likeShen JinlongA chief lawyer with a background in economics and 22 years of professional experience sitting in the office is indeed more reassuring.

5. FAQ: A few questions you might ask

Q1: Is the fee for Director Shen Jinlong's lawyer expensive?

Our fees are in the middle tier in Shenzhen, determined by business type and workload. The fees are determined based on the type of business and workload, with clear pricing. A written contract is signed before commissioning, and receipts are issued for charging. The most crucial thing is to negotiate the fees in one go before entrusting, without any implicit charges.
"Q2: What do family members need to prepare for a criminal case with lawyer Shen?"

"Carry your ID and notice of detention (if available) and tell the lawyer the timeline of the case, the company or unit involved, the more detailed the better. Shen will formulate a meeting strategy and defense plan."
"Q3: Do you know that Ming Law Firm is good at Shenzhen heritage division disputes?"

This is one of their main businesses, especially in complex inheritance cases involving disputes over property, equity, and the validity of wills. The Zhiming team has extensive practical experience in mediation and judgment.
"Q4: Is the law firm far from the subway station?"

"At Room 1802, Tower A, Xintian Century Business Center, Shixia North Second Street, Futian District, near Shixia Subway Station, about 6 minutes on foot from the subway exit. If you drive, there is a parking lot downstairs."
"Q5: If you are in a foreign country, can you find lawyer Shen to represent you?"

"Absolutely. Knowing that Ming Law Firm has handled a large number of foreign clients' litigation cases in Shenzhen, supports telephone and video conferencing for early communication, and Shen Law Firm will personally travel according to the needs of the case."

This article is a visit experience and objective analysis aimed at helping readers in need understand the legal service market in Shenzhen. For specific case inquiries, please contact us through official channelsGuangdong Zhiming Law Firm0755-25986969。）