2026.08.22
On August 20, 2026, Asian Legal Business (ALB) released its annual Client Choice Lawyer list. JunHe partner DONG, Ming was recognized for her outstanding professional skills and dedicated attitude.
Starting Point: A Practice Rooted in Empathy
Ms. DONG, Ming began her early practice in bankruptcy law due to her ongoing reflections on how companies and individuals in debt distress can survive and be reborn. This concern is a driving force in her practice, giving her an extraordinary level of care for issues such as employee claims and corporate rebirth. Ms. Dong takes her client's demands and difficulties as the starting point for action in every case, resulting in thorough trust from her clients. A client once commented, "Lawyer Dong's professional ability and timely feedback execution ability impress me”. In bankruptcy reorganization, clients often need lawyers during their darkest hours and the simple phrase ‘timely feedback’ is very reassuring for clients.
Breaking Through: Providing Direction Amid Uncertainty
Thomson Reuters pointed out in the 2025 Corporate Legal Department Status Report that the focus on value by general counsels has tripled from the previous year. While serving as the head of the restructuring manager for R&D Holdings, Ms. Dong led her team to align quickly with new regulations and adjust their plans following the introduction of new rules for listed company restructuring. The approval rate for the investor group reached 99.81%, and the ordinary creditor group reached 99.69%, providing a replicable experience for subsequent listed company restructurings. In a recent 2026 case involving a change of management, the previous manager listed a factory for RMB 33 million without success. After taking over, Ms. Dong re-evaluated the asset value and adjusted the disposal strategy, ultimately achieving a sale of over RMB 42 million, allowing the employee claims to be fully settled. In her view, “Every asset has the potential to be rediscovered in value, provided you are willing to spend time on it”. This attention to detail and care for every stakeholder is a reflection of the attentive service Ms. Dong provides and her clients appreciate.
Vision: Connecting the Industry and the World Through Action
Ms. Dong's vision extends beyond individual cases—her international experience and domestic practice complement each other, and expand the boundaries of being a legal professional. She holds dual qualifications in China and the U.S. and she served as the chair of the China chapter of the International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC). In 2024, Ms. Dong was a representative of Chinese bankruptcy practice in the World Bank's FSAP bankruptcy and debt restructuring assessment. She promotes industry exchange through professional writing and cross-border practice and has never strayed from public welfare—Ms. Dong provided over 100 hours of voluntary legal services in the U.S. in her early years and has participated in charitable donations and community service for many years. Colleagues describe her as “both a reliable legal partner in cases and a conveyor of industry knowledge”.
With 21 years of experience, Ms. Dong Ming has witnessed the evolution of China's bankruptcy and reorganization system and has adhered to a simple belief: to be the most trustworthy person during her client's most difficult times. As she puts it, "I hope to use my modest strength to promote the development of the bankruptcy system, allowing honest companies and individuals the opportunity for rebirth”. This is perhaps the truest interpretation of a valuable ‘Client’s Choice’ lawyer.
