Strategic Relationships – SCLA (Swiss Chinese Law Association)

Scale your impact beyond Law

Through strategic relationships with world class organizations SCLA members have access to unique customized learning opportunities, cutting edge public intellectuals, expert resources and extraordinary experiences that enhance your leadership, business skills and personal life.

SCLA GLOBAL

SCLA GLOBAL is a legal consultancy based in China, the EU, the UK and West Africa. It is specialized in facilitating international investment and commercial activity and alternative dispute resolution. SCLA involves members to the consultancy projects promoted by SCLA GLOBAL. SCLA GLOBAL’s core skills and experiences are in international cross-border commercial and financial transactions. It has been designed to provide a fast, flexible and cost-effective assessment of clients’ options, whether they are investing or operating, assessing the regulatory climate in a new country or seeking a solution to a potential or actual trade dispute. We understand that countries and cultures have different business practices and standards that lead to diverse expectations. We specialise in harmonising these challenging distinctions between countries and creating a level playing field based on respect and understanding to create mutual benefit.

GIDI

The Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute is an international commercial dispute resolution body established in Geneva. GIDI was founded by SCLA members and consists of more than 70 world-renowned mediators and arbitrators from 30 countries and regions. GIDI is based in Geneva and has its own set of rules, but operates flexibly and applies whichever rules the parties choose. Today, the legal systems that should be solving such disputes are actually designed in a way that they often aggravate the differences between the parties. GIDI, however, recognizes the importance of respecting the commercial expectations and cultural practices of international commercial parties, Moreover, it is deeply conscious that the failure of national and international legal systems to provide such services trade are damaging to international trade and create a divisive atmosphere between commercial parties who should be cooperating in harmony.

SCLA NDC

SCLA National Development Council (Shenzhen, China) takes the development of professional research as its prime priority. Its services include holding professional cross-border professional talent-exchange and training projects, developing a course certification system and launching professional legal talent recruitment services. The SCLA National Development Council has developed in-depth collaboration with local governments and other institututions around the world. The center has become a partner of the European Commission for Data Protection, providing practical courses on data compliance, data security, and cross-border taxation. Among its other projects, the SCLA NDC carries out cross-border legal recruitment. The main service targets include matching cross-border law firms and multinational companies with foreign-related needs. For traditional manufacturing enterprises, SCLA NDC provides integrated legal service products to escort traditional enterprises to a global marketplace.

These relationships enable SCLA members to participate in global affairs and engaged in the global decision-making process.

UNCITRAL

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) plays a key role in developing that framework in pursuit of its mandate to further the progressive harmonization and modernization of the law of international trade. UNCITRAL does this by preparing and promoting the use and adoption of legislative and non-legislative instruments in a number of key areas of commercial law. SCLA has frequently engaged in the UNCITRAL meetings, and SCLA memebers are engaged in the frequent advisory and in-depth engagement.

UNCTAD

SCLA has been supporting the actitives of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development since its establishment. UNCTAD is the part of the United Nations Secretariat that deals with trade, investment, and development issues. SCLA is undertaking the process of joining UNCTAD as an observer. UNCTAD officials are frequently invited and presented to SCLA’s high-level meetings, and SCLA and its members are deeply engaged in UNCTAD’s multilatural affairs and plays an important role in public diplomacy.

WTO

The WTO is the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The work of the WTO is relevant to achieving a number of the MDGs, but specifically the organization’s core activities fall mainly within the objectives of MDG 8, a global partnership for development. SCLA works closely with the WTO on the MDG 8, especially on the Target E (providing access to affordable medicines in developing countries) and Target F (making available the benefits of new technologies).

IIPCC

The International Intellectual Property Commercialization Council (IIPCC) is a global, apolitical, non-partisan, non-profit, non-government organization that provides a platform for the innovator, entrepreneur/enterprise and intellectual property communities to increase their understanding of IP. SCLA stands alongside with IIPCC on the belief that the ability to protect and develop IP is key for enterprises around the world to serve their respective societies and provide social and economic progress.

SCLA knows that we can achieve more when we work together. That’s why we are in developing partnership with local institutions to work together for the public good.

SCAI

The Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution, also known as the SCAI, is an arbitration institution based in Geneva, Switzerland, which offers dispute resolution services based on the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration (the “Swiss Rules”) and the Swiss Rules of Commercial Mediation. SCLA established a relationship with SCAI in 2019. Since then SCLA has helped to introduce the model of the Swiss Arbitration Rules to the Chinese Community.

All India Association of Industries

The All India Association of Industries (AIAI) aims to promote entrepreneurship and facilitate industrial growth, as trade and industry form an integral part of India’s economic development. Providing and assisting companies to network within India and overseas for technical or commercial strategic partnerships is its the prime mission, as well as helping business enable meetings with bankers, policy-makers, international trade agencies and diplomats. SCLA works closly with AIAI to facilitate trade between China and India.

German Federal Bar Association

The Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer (German Federal Bar) is the umbrella organisation of the professional self-regulation of German lawyers. SCLA has established the formal relationship with German Federal Bar Association in 2020 to work on cultural communication and the development of professional training programs.

Guangzhou Arbitration Commission

The Guangzhou ]Arbitration Commission (GZAC) is the arbitration institution with the largest volume of arbitration cases in China. In 2020, SCLA and GIDI signed a memorandum of cooperation with GZAC on mutual recognition of arbitrators between institutions, cooperation between arbitration institutions, arbitration rules and cross-cultural training. SCLA and GIDI support the global online arbitration standards promoted by the Guangzhou Arbitration Commission and they explore the alternative dispute resolution mechnisms together.

Lex Africa

LEX Africa is Africa’s first and largest legal alliance with over 600 lawyers in 26 African countries. The SCLA is very interested in African legal and business developments and therefore closer co-operation between the two organisations is a logical step.Chairman of LEX Africa, Pieter Steyn from Werksmans in South Africa, says “we value our relationship with the SCLA and look forward to working on joint projects with them to promote a better understanding of African legal and business developments and assist and advise clients throughout the African continent.” LEX Africa and the SCLA have signed a non-exclusive memorandum of understanding in order to further develop and strengthen their relationship to promote greater cooperation for mutual benefit including to enable professional relationships between members and allow them to work together, share information of interest to members and their clients and attend each other’s conferences.

SCLA sparks true transformations in the legal industry and business to build a better world. Together we help partners address the world’s toughest challenges.

Chigbu & Co., LLP

Chigbu & Co, LLP is a boutique international business and tax law firm with a team of attorneys specializing in cross-border transactions. Its innovative approach provides clients with highly qualified attorneys with extensive in-house practical experience. Its partner, Mr John Chigbu, has contributed substantially to the SCLA initiatives and standards of practise. He is also a founder member of SCLA Global.

Kubas Kos Galkowski

Kubas Kos Gałkowski (KKG) is a law firm with a well-established position confirmed by rankings conducted both in Poland and abroad. They have been providing legal services to Polish and foreign entrepreneurs for 25 years. Since 2020, KKG has become one of SCLA’s major partners. Together with KKG, SCLA has organized multiple influencial conferences, and developed many significant projects.

Walder Wyss

Walder Wyss is one of the most successful and fast-growing Swiss commercial law firms. It specializes in corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, intellectual property and competition law, dispute resolution and tax law. Its clients include national and international companies, publicly held corporations and family businesses as well as public law institutions and private clients. It has become a business strategy partner of SCLA since 2019.

Schellenberg Wittmer

Schellenberg Wittmer leads Swiss business law firm with offices in Singapore and Zurich, Geneva. It takes care of all its clients’ needs, including transactions, advise and disputes around the world. They are proud to celebrate 20 years of excellent practice with highly-valued talented team members, top Swiss and global corporations and law firms that rely on their services.

Dentons

Dentons is a multinational law firm. Dentons was the world’s fifth-largest law firm by revenue, with $2.9B in gross revenue in the 2019 fiscal year. Since 2021, Dentons has been an SCLA strategy partner, providing assistance to members and offering local legal assitance for the foreign coorporation to enter the Chinese market

Zhong Lun Law Firm

Zhong Lun has over 360 partners, 2,400 professionals working in 18 offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Chongqing, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Haikou, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Almaty. As the only PRC law firm member of the World Law Group, Zhong Lun has established a multi-dimensional and multi-channel rapport with overseas law firms to provide clients with unique legal business insights and an unparalleled customer experience.

KPMG

KPMG International Limited is a British-Dutch multinational professional services network, and one of the Big Four accounting organizations. KPMG firms operate in 145 countries and territories, and in 2021, collectively employed more than 236,000 people. Since 2022, KPMG has become one of SCLA’s business partners, providing members with audit, tax and advisory services.

Bonnard Lawson

Bonnard Lawson is a international law firm based in 5 leading jurisdictions and is composed of more than 50 expert lawyers from several jurisdiactions, whose experience and knowledge is brought together in the firm’s work. SCLA has had a rich partnership with Bonnard Lawson dating back to 2019, when the initiative of establishment of SCLA was promoted by the partners of Bonnard Lawson; David A. Lawson and Ives Bonnard.

36 Group

With over 175 barristers, mediators and arbitrators (including 18 Queen’s Counsel, 3 Senior Counsel from Ireland and South Africa and a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India), as well as operations in Cyprus, Singapore and Hong Kong, The 36 Group is a truly international multi-specialist set. It assists domestic and international clients of all sizes and descriptions, from ambitious start-up to HNWs and global corporations.

Hans Consulting

Hans and His Dear Friends started consulting service since 2009. With deep insight of organizational and social understanding of family business in China, we know what family business need to do for future. Management, strategy, innovation, risk management, product innovation. We help old family business to be prosperous as always.

Media Scope Group

Media Scope Group is an Estonian multinational company focusing on marketing, design, consulting, public relations, and market research. The team has extensive experience, employs a holistic approach, and excels at working with clients who require a wide range of capabilities and tailored solutions. Media Scope Group works with enterprises of all sizes, including one of the big four advertising agencies and major tech companies. Media Scope Group is well-experienced in building beloved brands and designing visual experiences worth thousands of words.

Media Scope Group actively contributes to open-source projects and strives to set the standard for the advertising and design industries.

HTIMC

Shenzhen Futian Hetao International Commercial Mediation Center (hereinafter referred to as Hetao International Mediation Center, abbreviated as HTIMC) is a non-profit organization supervised by Shenzhen Futian District Bureau of Justice, jointly initiated by China Commercial Law Firm, Guangdong Zhuojian Law Firm, Beijing Yingke (Shenzhen) Law Firm, AllBright Law Offices (Shenzhen), Dentons Shenzhen Office and Tahota (Shenzhen) Law Firm, and registered under Shenzhen Futian District Bureau of Civil Affairs in April 2022.

HTIMC will give full play to the role of the legal service platform in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, actively establish exchange and mutual learning and business cooperation mechanisms with well-known domestic and foreign legal service institutions and establish strategic partnerships concerning supply and demand for commercial mediation with major industry associations and chambers of commerce.

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