This week’s honor goes to AUDRY LI, who was recently recognized as the #1 lawyer of the Top 15 Women Lawyers in China for 2012 by Asia Legal Business. Asia Legal Business is a world-leading provider of legal news and information regarding China, North and South East Asia, Japan, Australia and the Middle East. Audry was also previously selected by the Shanghai Bar Association as the Top Woman Lawyer of Shanghai in 2011.

Audry believes that “Women are proven to be as equally capable as men. Most people have recognized that,” (Ladies in Justice published by the China Business Law Journal – September 2012). Indeed, it has been the case for her in China, where she was also ranked as a leading Individual (Band-One) in the area of Corporate/M&A by Chambers & Partners’ new rankings that were just released at the end of February of this year. It has been the 6th year that she has been recognized as a band one lawyer in China in Corporate/M&A since Chambers first published its ranking on Chinese lawyers in 2008 in the Chamber Asia Guide.

We are proud to have Audry Li as a member of our Asia 21 network. “Asia 21 is a great platform to get to know people from such a wide variety of backgrounds, professions and business all over Asia. The spirit the people demonstrated in their pursuit of dreams has greatly inspired me. What impressed me most is the stories of women leaders who never ceased their efforts in fighting for women’s rights in their countries. As a woman lawyer, I am deeply touched by the strong will and indomitable spirit they show in their seeking of freedom and justice for women. They have motivated me to be dedicated to my legal profession and try my upmost to do everything well.” She says.

Ms. Audry Hong Li is a senior partner of Zhong Lun Law Firm ( a top 3 Chinese law firm) based in the Shanghai Office. She is also the co-head of the firm’s M&A practice group. She is a PRC lawyer with over 20 years’ experience in providing international legal services in the areas of corporate and M&A. Her practice is substantially focused on cross-border transactions and her clients are some of the largest private companies in Europe and the US. Audry has a B.A. and graduate diploma from Beijing Foreign Studies University and 2 LL.M. degrees from New York University School of Law and China Wuhan University School of Law.