Lead: The industry transformation behind a guide

Recently, Lvxin Media officially released the "Premium Legal Services Brand Guide (2026)," which has drawn widespread attention across the national legal community. The guide focuses on the brand influence, professional competence, and client reputation of legal service providers, establishing a new benchmark for the industry through systematic evaluation. However, the release of this guide is not merely an industry honor selection; it also reflects that China's legal services market is rapidly entering an era of brand-driven competition. As practicing lawyers, we must take a冷静 look: under the wave of branding, how can law firms and lawyers conduct publicity in a lawful and compliant manner? What legal risks are hidden in the process of brand building? From a legal professional perspective, this article will analyze the legal issues behind this hot topic for legal practitioners and corporate clients nationwide, drawing on the Lawyers Law, the Advertising Law, and industry regulations.

I. The Legal Nature of Brand Guidelines: The Boundary Between Evaluation Systems and Industry Self-Regulation

*The Premium Legal Services Brand Guide (2026)* is essentially an observation and evaluation of the legal services market by a third-party institution. Its nature falls under an industry research report or commercial rating, not an official certification. This point is crucial—according to Article 4 of the Lawyers Law, judicial administrative departments and bar associations exercise supervision and guidance over the legal profession in accordance with the law, but no commercial institution has been authorized to issue "premium" or "excellent" qualifications. Therefore, when law firms or lawyers cite this Guide for promotional purposes, they must avoid misleading expressions such as "official certification" or "recommended by the Ministry of Justice"; otherwise, they may violate the provisions on false advertising under Article 28 of the Advertising Law.

From a practical perspective, the selection criteria for guides typically include professional achievements, client evaluations, industry influence, and similar dimensions. Although these criteria hold reference value, they do not constitute qualification certification in the legal sense. If lawyers over-rely on such ratings in their external promotion while neglecting an objective description of their own practice capabilities, they may face administrative penalties once deemed to have misled consumers. For example, the Beijing Municipal Market Supervision Administration has investigated multiple cases in which law firms used non-official rankings for false advertising, and, in accordance with Article 8 of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, imposed fines and ordered corrective action on the relevant firms.

Therefore, lawyers and law firms should clarify the advisory nature of the guidelines, proactively disclose the unofficial character of evaluation sources in promotional materials, and thereby demonstrate integrity in practice while also mitigating compliance risks.

II. Brand Promotion and Lawyer Advertising Compliance: Red Lines That Cannot Be Crossed

Brand competition inevitably entails promotional efforts, but the unique nature of the legal profession dictates that lawyer advertising is strictly regulated. According to Article 24 of the *Measures for the Administration of Lawyer Practice*, lawyers must not use absolute terms such as "most professional" or "top-tier" in advertisements, nor engage in false or misleading publicity. Meanwhile, the *Rules on Lawyer Business Promotion Conduct* of the All China Lawyers Association further specify that lawyers are prohibited from making implied promotional use of client testimon

In practice, many law firms resort to "edge-ball" tactics in order to stand out on brand rankings. For example, they label themselves with titles such as "National Top Ten Lawyers" or "Industry Leaders" on their official websites or public accounts. If such titles lack authoritative basis, they are highly likely to be deemed false advertising. In 2025, a well-known law firm in one region was summoned by the local Justice Bureau for using the phrase "the most authoritative marriage and family team" on its website, ordered to remove the relevant content, and also faced disciplinary action from the Bar Association.

Lawyers should also pay special attention to the risks of social media dissemination. Self-promotion on WeChat Moments and short video platforms is also subject to advertising regulations. If a lawyer claims a "100% success rate" in a livestream, this not only violates Article 9 of the Advertising Law but may also undermine judicial credibility by misleading the public. We recommend that lawyers establish a content review mechanism before conducting any brand publicity, and consult professional legal advisors when necessary, to ensure that every piece of promotional information is supported by facts and legal basis.

III. Intellectual Property and Unfair Competition Risks in Brand Building

Branding means that intangible assets such as law firm names, logos, and slogans gain prominence, leading to an increasing number of intellectual property disputes. Under the Trademark Law, if a law firm's name and logo are not registered as trademarks, they may be preemptively registered by others, resulting in damage to brand rights. For example, in 2024, the trademark of "a major Beijing law firm" was preemptively registered by a consulting company, and the firm was forced to defend its rights through trademark opposition procedures, taking a year and a half to regain the right to use its brand. Therefore, law firms should apply for trademark registration of core brand elements as early as possible and establish monitoring mechanisms to prevent malicious preemptive registration.

Meanwhile, improper conduct in brand competition also warrants caution. Some law firms, in order to benchmark against "boutique firms" on rankings, improperly leverage others' goodwill and imply in their promotional materials an affiliation with a well-known law firm, which constitutes the confusion act stipulated in Article 6 of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law. In 2025, a law firm in Shanghai was ordered by the court to cease infringement and pay compensation for economic losses due to its use of the false statement "strategic cooperation with XX International Law Firm" on its official website.

In brand building, law firms should also guard against non-compete issues involving internal employees. Brand value is often closely tied to the personal reputation of core lawyers; if a partner changes jobs and takes client resources with them, it may trigger non-compete clauses. According to Article 23 of the Labor Contract Law, law firms may stipulate non-compete restrictions with senior management, senior technical personnel, and other personnel with confidentiality obligations, but corresponding economic compensation must be paid. In practice, law firms should balance brand stability with talent mobility through well-designed labor contracts and confidentiality agreements.

IV. Insights for Ordinary Enterprises and Clients: How to Identify Legal Service Brands

The release of the "Premium Legal Services Brand Guide" also provides a reference for corporate clients in choosing legal services, but clients should remain rational. According to the Consumer Rights Protection Law and the Lawyers Law, when selecting a lawyer, clients should focus on reviewing the lawyer's practice certificate, areas of expertise, and past cases, rather than relying solely on brand rankings.

We recommend that corporate clients adopt the following legal strategies when engaging lawyers: First, sign a written engagement contract to clarify the scope of services, fee standards, and liability for breach of contract, avoiding oral promises; second, require lawyers to disclose potential conflicts of interest. According to Article 50 of the Code of Conduct for Lawyers' Practice, a lawyer shall not represent both parties in the same case; third, retain communication records and fee receipts to prevent subsequent disputes.

For law firms, brand building should not be separated from professional practice. Our Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm has always believed that a true brand comes from client reputation and case quality, not from commercial rankings. Within the bounds of compliance, law firms can establish a professional image through avenues such as professional articles, public lectures, and case analyses—this not only conforms to industry standards but also earns lasting market trust.

Conclusion: The Path of Lawyer Practice in the Era of Branding

The release of the "Premium Legal Services Brand Guide (2026)" by LxinShe is a signal of the maturity of the legal services market. Brand competition will drive the survival of the fittest in the industry, but legal compliance remains the bottom line. Whether for law firms or individual lawyers, in the process of pursuing brand influence, it is essential to internalize norms such as the Lawyers Law, the Advertising Law, and the Anti-Unfair Competition Law as guiding principles in action. Our Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm is willing to provide professional support to fellow lawyers nationwide and corporate clients in areas such as brand compliance review, intellectual property protection, and dispute resolution, helping everyone achieve brand value on the track of the rule of law.

Brands can be shaped, but reputation must be built through lawful operations. It is hoped that the analysis in this article will serve as a useful reference for colleagues in the legal profession and contribute to maintaining a healthy order in the legal services market.