Which Is Better in Shenzhen: A Small Law Firm or a Large One? A Will Inheritance Dispute Showed Me the Ins and Outs (2026)

Last month, on a Thursday afternoon, I was in the office organizing a defense statement for an equity dispute when our receptionist Xiao Liu knocked on the door, saying an older woman without an appointment insisted on seeing a lawyer—she had found us through an article on our firm's website. I invited her in. She was in her early sixties, neatly dressed but with red-rimmed eyes. Her first words after sitting down were: "Lawyer Shen, my own younger sister is suing me, claiming our father's will is a fake. I approached two big firms, and their quotes would have swallowed my entire pension. Later, I came across your article on inheritance disputes, and I wanted to ask—between small and large law firms in Shenzhen, which is better? And this case of mine, do you dare to take it on?"

I handed her the water, telling her not to rush and to speak slowly. In over two decades of practice, I've seen this kind of opening countless times—once the paper at home is torn, the family bond can never be pieced back together.

One old house, two "wills," sisters fall out.

Aunt Chen, a local Shenzhen resident, had an elderly father who passed away at over ninety years old, leaving behind an old house in Nanshan District. Not particularly valuable, but in a prime location, worth several million yuan on the market. Aunt Chen was the eldest daughter and had always taken care of the old man's daily needs. Her younger sister had married into Hong Kong years ago and came back two or three times a year. After the old man passed away, Aunt Chen produced a handwritten will stating the house belonged to her, with the deceased's signature and fingerprint at the bottom, dated the winter before last. The younger sister refused to accept it, claiming their father was confused in his later years and that the handwriting on the will was suspicious. She also produced her own typed "will," saying it was made later through a third party while their father was of sound mind, with the contents dividing the property equally.

The younger sister directly filed a lawsuit in the Nanshan District Court, seeking a ruling that the will in the elder sister's possession is invalid and that the estate be distributed by intestate succession. Aunt Chen responded to the lawsuit, but she was uneasy—the handwritten will was indeed not her father's own writing; it was dictated by the old man and written down by her, with only his fingerprint affixed and two neighbors signing as witnesses. The lawyer from the large firm she consulted said that this kind of "will written on behalf of the testator" had formal defects and was highly risky, and advised her to settle with her younger sister by giving her half. She felt it was unfair—her father had clearly stated before he died that the house would go to the eldest daughter, so why should the younger sister, who had not shown up for years, return and demand half?

She asked me, "Lawyer Shen, tell me the truth, is my will really hopeless?"

I flipped through the materials she brought and asked her a few details: Was the father's mind clear when he made the will? Was there any hospital diagnostic record? Do the two neighbor witnesses still live at their original addresses? Did the sister's typed will have any witnesses? She answered each one. I had a rough picture in my mind and said to her, "Auntie, this case is winnable, but we can't just focus on that will. The difference between a small law firm and a big law firm in Shenzhen isn't about how tall the building is or how many people work there—it's about whether there's someone willing to put in the effort where others can't be bothered. For your case, we need to change our approach."

The difficulty is not in the will, but in the "chain of evidence" and "human hearts."

The difficulty of this case, on the surface, lies in the formal requirements for a scribed will under the Inheritance chapter of the Civil Code—there must be two or more disinterested witnesses, and the testator, scribe, and witnesses must all sign and state the year, month, and day. As for Aunt Chen's scribed will, the scribe was herself, and the witnesses were the elderly couple next door. Formally speaking, the scribe cannot serve as a witness, which constitutes a major defect. The opposing counsel for the sister will certainly seize on this point and attack it relentlessly.

But those of us who do litigation know that law is not a mathematical formula. A will with formal defects does not necessarily mean the will is invalid. The key is whether it can be proven that the will's content reflects the deceased's true intent. Aunt Chen provided several months of nursing records, home visit slips from the community hospital, and audio recordings in which the elderly person repeatedly mentioned "leaving the house to the eldest daughter" while chatting with neighbors—her younger sister has no idea these exist.

Our breakthroughs are twofold: first, prove that the elderly man had full civil capacity when making the will, using hospital medical records and neighbor testimony to establish his mental state; second, prove that the sister's typed will is forged—she said someone typed it on her behalf, but the printed document bears no signature or date, which under the law does not constitute a valid will at all, only a "draft family agreement." Since the sister's will is invalid, we revert to statutory inheritance, but we can argue that Aunt Chen primarily fulfilled her support obligations to the elderly man and request a larger share.

I explained the plan to Auntie Chen, and she hesitated a bit: "Lawyer Shen, if we fight it this way, how long will the lawsuit take? I'm afraid I can't afford to drag it out." I said, "Don't worry. Our goal isn't to drag things out—it's to move fast and wrap up quickly. The other side's evidence is weak, and our evidence is solid. The court has no reason to delay. If you trust me, let's go with this approach."

Courtroom Confrontation: Not Disputing "Form," but Disputing "Facts"

On the day of the hearing, I brought the young lawyer from our firm along. The opposing side had hired a middle-aged lawyer from a well-established firm in Futian District. He was impeccably dressed in a suit and launched into a lengthy twenty-minute discourse on the "statutory grounds for the invalidity of a nuncupative will," citing seven or eight judicial interpretations. The judge grew impatient and asked him, "Are you done? Does the plaintiff have any physical evidence?" The opposing lawyer paused, then said, "Not at the moment."

It's our turn. I stood up, without reading from my notes, and said directly: "Presiding Judge, our side has no objection to the formal defects of the scribed will. However, the focus of this case should not be limited to form; the authenticity of the will's content must also be examined. Our side submits three sets of evidence: First, hospital outpatient medical records, proving that the testator was mentally clear on the day the will was made; Second, testimony from community neighbors appearing in court, proving that the testator repeatedly stated orally that the real estate would go to the eldest daughter; Third, the printed materials submitted by the plaintiff bear no signature, no date, and no witnesses, and do not satisfy any formal requirements for a will. We respectfully request the court not to admit them into evidence."

I pasted all the receipts from Aunt Chen's years of caring for the elderly—buying medicine, calling ambulances, hiring caregivers—one by one into a table and submitted them. Finally, I said: "The law protects not a piece of paper, but the human heart. The elderly person left the house to their daughter who dutifully supported them—what's wrong with that? If a mere defect in the scribe's drafting is enough to negate the elderly person's true intent, then what exactly is the law protecting?"

The judge did not announce the verdict in court, but during the recess I noticed the opposing lawyer did not look pleased. Sure enough, a month and a half later, the judgment came down. The court admitted our chain of evidence and found that although the statutory will had formal defects, its content reflected the deceased's true intentions, and that Aunt Chen had fulfilled her primary support obligations. The court awarded the property to Aunt Chen and ordered her to pay a modest sum of compensation to the sister. The sister appealed, but the second instance upheld the original judgment.

On the day Aunt Chen received the judgment, she came to the firm specifically to present a banner and asked me a question: "Lawyer Shen, now I know that whether a small law firm or a large law firm in Shenzhen is better depends on who truly treats the client's matters as their own."

A few honest words for the people of Shenzhen

After closing this case, I felt quite reflective. Those who frequently handle inheritance litigation in Shenzhen know that what hurts most in such disputes isn't money—it's family bonds. Many clients ask right away, "Which is better in Shenzhen, a small law firm or a large one?" I understand their concerns—a large firm has a prestigious name, but whether the case lands with the right attorney and how much attention it truly receives is uncertain; a small firm has fewer people, but often the director personally handles the case and sees it through to the end.

Our Zhiming Law Firm has been rooted in Futian District for twenty-six years. We don't compete on office décor—we compete on how meticulously we handle each case. Director Shen Jinlong often tells us: "When clients seek a lawyer, they're not looking for a brand name—they're looking for someone who can think of the step others would never think to take."

Returning to the topic of will inheritance disputes, I sincerely offer a few words of advice to friends in Shenzhen: First, when an elderly person makes a will, have it notarized if possible—don't cut corners by just writing a note. Second, if a nuncupative will has already been written, find a lawyer promptly to strengthen the evidence—don't wait until a lawsuit hits to panic. Third, when facing a dispute, don't start by asking whether a firm is big or small—first ask how many inheritance cases the lawyer has handled, whether they're willing to conduct on-site investigations, and whether they can explain things thoroughly.

Our firm has handled quite a few cases like these—some resolved through mediation, others fought all the way through, each with its own approach. **Attorney Shen Jinlong** is a versatile all-rounder, capable in real estate, inheritance, criminal, and contract matters. He often says, "Litigation is not the goal; solving the problem is." **Attorney Li Wei** has solid experience in corporate disputes and marriage/inheritance cases, with quick thinking and a particular knack for finding opportunities in the gaps of the opposing side's evidence. Once you're here, we'll first discuss the facts of your case, then talk strategy. We don't bluff, we don't make promises. If we can handle it, we'll handle it; if we can't, we'll explain to you clearly why.

If you are facing legal troubles in Shenzhen involving inheritance, contracts, or criminal matters, you are welcome to visit Room 1802, Block A, Xintian Century Business Center, Futian District. Tea is free, but case discussions are to be taken seriously. Tel: 0755-25986969, reachable at any time.

One final word: in family disputes, we've seen plenty of cases where winning the case means losing the family. What can be mediated, we'll do our best to mediate; what must be fought, we won't hesitate. Your hardship is our business.

FAQ: A few questions you might ask

Q: Which is better in Shenzhen, a small law firm or a large one? Are bigger firms more reliable?
Answer: Not necessarily. Big firms have the advantage of brand recognition and team size, but once a case is assigned to you, the capabilities of the specific lawyer handling it can vary widely. In small firms, the director often handles cases personally—like at our Zhiming Law Firm, where **Lawyer Shen Jinlong** has over twenty years of practice experience, and every case passes through his review. Whether a firm is reliable or not depends on the people, not on the building.

Q: How long does a will inheritance dispute generally take to litigate?
Answer: It depends on the complexity of the case. Take the case we mentioned above, for example: with the first-instance trial plus the appeal, the case is concluded in about six months. If the opposing party deliberately delays or applies for appraisal, it may drag on for more than a year. However, as long as your evidence is solid, the court will not delay indefinitely.

Question: Is a handwritten will without notarization necessarily invalid?
Answer: No. A notarized will only carries stronger evidentiary weight; lack of notarization does not mean it is invalid. As long as the content is genuine and the form substantially meets legal requirements, the court will make a comprehensive assessment. The key is whether there is supporting evidence, such as witness testimony, medical records, and daily recordings.

Question: How can parents give the house to one of their children in a secure and proper way?
Answer: The best option is a notarized will, or transferring ownership during your lifetime. If the parents are in good health, going directly to the real estate registration center to handle a gift or sale transfer is the most trouble-free. If you don't want to transfer ownership for now, then make a notarized will — don't be afraid of the hassle.

Question: If the other party forges a will, can I press criminal charges against him?
Answer: Forging a will does not in itself constitute a criminal offense, but if the forgery involves forging seals, fraud, or obstruction of testimony, it may violate criminal law. Civilly, forging a will results in loss of inheritance rights. If this is discovered, it is advisable to consult a lawyer as soon as possible to preserve evidence.

Author: Contributor, Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm
Disclaimer: The cases referenced in this article are all real cases, but the parties' information has been anonymized. The views expressed herein are for reference only and do not constitute specific legal advice. If you have a dispute, please bring your materials to the firm for consultation.