2026.04.20
On April 20, 2026, the renowned legal media journal Asian Legal Business (ALB) unveiled its list of Top 15 Litigators for 2026. JunHe partner Ms. CAI, Li was honored for her 26 years of legal practice and her outstanding performance in complex litigation. This marks her second inclusion on the list since 2019.
In the eyes of many, litigation is a highly confrontational battle, with a maze of complex evidence to unravel. However, in Ms. Cai's view, litigation is a practical art that uses rules as a shield and expertise as a spear. When clients are entangled in disputes and face significant risks to their rights, she uses her professional skills to clarify the focus of disputes, formulate litigation strategies and protect legal rights.
With 12 years of experience in court adjudication and 14 years of practice at JunHe, Ms. Cai has a dual perspective as both a judge and a lawyer and is familiar with judicial logic and courtroom practice. Over the past 26 years, she has specialized in major commercial litigation where she has exceled in handling complex dispute resolution matters while striving to achieve appropriate dispute resolution outcomes for her clients.
Ms. Cai's practice areas cover industries including banking, trusts, funds, real estate, mineral resources, telecommunications, internet, pharmaceuticals and film and entertainment. She has extensive experience in major litigation and has represented leading financial institutions in handling large investor compensation disputes, going through first instance, second instance and Supreme People's Court retrial procedures. Ms. Cai has experience in commercial cooperation disputes of large industrial groups, effectively dismissing opposing claims through reasonable counterclaims, enabling clients to recover funds. She has also represented trust institutions in real estate investment-related litigation, assisting clients in recovering large sums early through pre-litigation preservation and asset tracing. Ms. Lai has provided exemption defenses for senior executives of listed companies in securities regulatory administrative procedures and secured dual deductions for systematic and non-systematic risk proportions in securities misrepresentation disputes for listed companies, achieving significant loss reduction. She has also successfully initiated retrial procedures in cross-border real estate transaction disputes and assisted in completing property transactions. Ms. Lai has represented financial institutions in successfully initiating retrial procedures at the Supreme People's Court and won these after the court's review. Additionally, she handled a cross-border shareholder representative litigation case tried by the Supreme People's Court International Commercial Court, achieving a resounding victory after a first instance final judgment.
In a financial management contract dispute that lasted three years and nearly reached an impasse, Ms. Cai's team thoroughly reviewed the case facts and carefully researched precedents, ultimately achieving victories in both the first and second instances. A client praised Ms. Cai's work thus: "For three years, Cai Li has paid great attention to every stage of the case, fully advancing its progress; overcoming difficulties, finding precedents, deducing transactions, and simplifying complex cases. Her courtroom arguments were well-prepared, clear, logical and adaptable, earning the trust of the judges and a favorable outcome!"
Ms. Cai's reappearance on the ALB China Top 15 Litigators list is a testament to her litigation expertise. She has also been recognized on other prestigious legal lists such as The Legal 500 Asia Pacific Recommended Lawyers in Dispute Resolution, Benchmark Litigation China's Dispute Resolution Star, and LegalOne Trusted Lawyers, earning client recognition with her pragmatic and professional services.
From judge to lawyer, from individual case breakthroughs to outstanding practice, Ms. Cai's 26 years of steadfast dedication is admirable. She finds clarity in complexity, upholds justice in confrontation and protects values in changing circumstances—this is the original intention and the successful gauge of an outstanding litigator.
