-
Wei LI
Equity Partner / Shenzhen
-
Email liwei1972@zhonglun.com
-
Practices

Taxation & Wealth Planning, Litigation & Arbitration, Investment/M&A & Corporate Governance
Wei LI
With over two decades of experience in tax and private wealth planning, Mr. Wei Li advises leading financial institutions and high-net-worth families. His practice covers the design and oversight of customized family trusts, private wealth protection and succession planning, as well as divorce, inheritance, and commercial dispute resolution. Mr. Li possesses profound insight into family wealth, family members, and family business. As a pioneer in the field, he designed China's first semi-standardized family trust product and created the innovative "funds plus SPV equity" trust structure. He has also launched several widely recognized and adopted proprietary legal service products, including the Civil Trust Safety Wallet, Hejiabao (Family Safeguard), and Chuanjiabao (Legacy Safeguard). Combining extensive industry experience with a strong theoretical grounding, Mr. Li frequently speaks at professional events, publishes authoritative articles, and actively contributes to legislative developments in the field. Alongside his work as a university lecturer, he has served as Chair of the Trust and Wealth Management Law Committees for both the Guangdong Lawyers Association and the Shenzhen Lawyers Association. Consistently recognized for his outstanding legal services and stellar client reputation, Mr. Li has earned top rankings in private wealth management from Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Wealth Management magazine and other institutions for many consecutive years.
Representative Matters
Customization and Maintenance of Inheritance Trusts
Served as legal counsel for a listed wealth management institution's family trust product development project
Cooperated with a domestic first-tier trust company to develop China's first semi-standardized family trust product
Accepted an invitation from the head office of a state-owned bank to conduct family trust training for its national private bank general managers
Recruited by a national joint-stock bank to provide dozens of family trust training sessions for its private banking clients across the country
Accepted an appointment from a life insurance company to provide special value-added civil trust services to its important customers.
Accepted the appointment of a central enterprise trust institution to provide full legal support for its family trust services
Issued special legal opinions on insurance trust products of a large trust company
Served as the legal counsel for a large trust company's client on personalized family trusts
Acted as legal advisor to a charitable trust and issued legal opinions
Established equity and real estate civil trust for shareholders of a listed company
Established a civil trust for pre-marital property protection for a family client
Established a real estate inheritance civil trust for a local villager in Shenzhen
Established a mutual civil trust for a private entrepreneur partner
Assisted an entrepreneur to set up an offshore equity family trust
Assisted an entrepreneur to upgrade a family trust established by a private bank in Hong Kong
Serves as monitor of various private client civil trusts
Wealth Protection and Inheritance Planning
A wealth protection and inheritance planning project for a brother entrepreneur in Hubei province, involving a property value of RMB 3 billion
A wealth inheritance planning project for an entrepreneur in Liaoning province, involving a capital of RMB 50 million and a building
An overseas asset protection and inheritance planning project for an entrepreneur in Yunnan province, involving a property value of more than RMB 100 million
An overall planning project for nominee holding, divorce and wealth inheritance for an entrepreneur in Hunan province, involving a property value of RMB 2 billion
An equity investment asset protection and inheritance planning project for an offshore listed company by a professional investor in Shenzhen, involving a property value of more than RMB 100 million
A Sichuan entrepreneur's business inheritance, the planning and arrangement project to prevent the risk from his children's squandering, involving a property value of more than RMB 1 billion
Wealth inheritance planning and security arrangement project for legitimate and illegitimate children of a real estate entrepreneur in Beijing, involving a property value of RMB 5 billion
An overseas Chinese entrepreneur in Zhejiang province, domestic and overseas wealth protection and inheritance planning projects, involving wealth value of RMB 1.8 billion
A Shenzhen real estate entrepreneur family's property division, enterprise development and inheritance planning project, involving a wealth value of RMB 10 billion
Protection for children, family wealth and inheritance planning project for a real estate entrepreneur in Shenzhen, involving wealth worth RMB 2 billion
Major shareholder equity and real estate inheritance planning project of a listed company in Shenzhen, involving wealth worth RMB 4 billion
Wealth risk isolation planning project for a second-generation entrepreneur in Jiangsu province, involving wealth worth RMB 500 million
Mainland asset inheritance planning project for a Hong Kong entrepreneur in Dongguan, involving wealth worth TWD 200 million
Family wealth protection and inheritance and family committee and family charter planning projects for two generations of entrepreneurs in Sichuan province, involving a wealth of RMB 4.5 billion
Litigation and Arbitration
Represented a business family in a divorce case, involving the only son of the family with assets exceeding RMB 50 billion
Represented an entrepreneur in a divorce case involving over RMB 100 million
Represented an entrepreneur in a divorce and family property dispute case involving nearly RMB 1 billion
Represented a family client in a series of post-divorce property dispute cases, involving an amount of nearly RMB 500 million
Represented an entrepreneur in an investment infringement dispute case, involving an amount of RMB 20 million
Represented an entrepreneur in a private equity investment dispute case involving an amount of RMB 80 million
Represented a state-owned financial institution in an equity pledge dispute case involving a listed company, involving an amount of more than RMB 300 million
Represented a real estate company in a commercial arbitration case of land cooperative development disputes involving hundreds of millions of yuan
Represented an entrepreneur in an equity dispute involving an amount of RMB 60 million
Represented a business family in an inheritance dispute case involving nearly RMB 200 million
Represented an entrepreneur in an inheritance case involving illegitimate children, involving an amount of about RMB 3 billion
Acted as agent for a real estate nominee holding dispute, involving an amount of approximately RMB 50 million
Represented a client in a dispute over custody of multiple children, not involving property
Represented a supplier in a dispute over payment and management fees with a well-known supermarket, and obtained compensation nearly 10 times the original claim for the client
Acted as an agent for a commercial arbitration involving a real estate purchase and sale dispute, and obtained compensation four times the amount of the deposit for the client
Honors and Awards
Ranked in Private Client and Wealth Management, Chambers Private Wealth Management (Greater China), 2017-2026
Recommended in Private Wealth, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2022-2026
"Industry Pioneer+" Outstanding Recommended Lawyer in Family Wealth and Inheritance Services, Hurun Smart List, 2026
Best Mainland China High Net Worth Individual Legal and Tax Service Team, Wealth Management Magazine, 2024
The "Insurance Civil Trust 3.0, 4.0" product: Second Prize, Shenzhen Lawyers New Business Innovation Competition, 2024
Outstanding Professional Lawyer, 35th Anniversary of Shenzhen Lawyers Association, 2023
China Chief Wealth Advisor TOP50 and TIPTOP Family Trust Structure Award, Wealth Management Magazine, 2023
The "Shenzhen Urban Village Small Property House Civil Trust Inheritance Planning" product: Second Prize, Shenzhen Lawyers New Business Innovation Competition, 2023
China Chief Wealth Advisor TOP50, Wealth Management Magazine, 2022
Advanced Individual in Political Participation and Deliberation Work, Guangdong Provincial Committee of China Democratic National Construction Association, 2022
Excellent Family Inheritance Planning Scheme Award, Wealth Management Magazine, 2021
China Annual High Net Worth Professional Service Award, Asian Banker, 2020
Golden Reform Award and Chinese-style Family Trust Leader, Global Wealth Finance Annual Conference, 2019
Excellent Family Trust Service Case Award, Wealth Management Magazine, 2018
Outstanding Vice President, Shenzhen Family Office Promotion Association, 2018
Annual Outstanding Leader, Wealth Management Magazine, 2017
First Prize of "Excellent Family Wealth Planner", Wealth Management Magazine, 2016
The "Civil Trust Safety Wallet" product: First Prize, Shenzhen Lawyers New Business Innovation Competition, 2015
Advanced Worker in Legal Publicity and Education, Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, 2011
Memberships & Affiliations
Chair, Trust and Wealth Management Law Committee, Guangdong Lawyers Association
Member, Legal Affairs Professional Committee, Guangdong Federation of Industry and Commerce (General Chamber of Commerce)
Chair, Family Wealth Management Law Committee, Shenzhen Lawyers Association
Consultant, the legislative research project for the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Family Trust Regulations
Deputy Secretary-General , Legal Work Committee, Shenzhen Municipal Committee, China Democratic National Construction Association
First Vice President, Shenzhen Family Office Promotion Association
Director Member of the Research Center for Marriage, Family and Wealth Inheritance, Lawyer College, Renmin University of China
Commercial Arbitrator, Various Arbitration Commissions
Guest Lecturer, Select Universities
Publications
"How to Set Up a Satisfactory Equity Trust under Heavy Taxation of Offshore Trusts", Wealth Management Magazine, 2026
"The Legal Framework and Practical Implications of China's Civil Trust", Phoenix News, 2026
"The Bottom-line Thinking and Boundary Awareness That Wealth Management Professionals Should Possess", Wealth Management Magazine, 2026
"Examining China's Trust Protection System from the Enforcement of RMB 40 Million Trust Property", Financial Times and China Trust Association WeChat Official Account, 2025
"In-depth Analysis of the Impact, Practice and Prospects of Document No. 337 on Real Estate Trust Property Registration", Wealth Management Magazine, 2024
"Why Has Civil Trust Become the New Favorite of Family Trusts?", Wealth Management Magazine, 2024
"Discussing the Marriage Protection and Wealth Inheritance of Only Children from the Passing of Zong Qinghou", Wealth Management Magazine, 2024
"Domestic Family Trusts in China Are Being Seriously Misread", Wealth Management Magazine, 2023
"Why I Say Family Trusts Will Surely Become a Wealth Standard for Chinese People", Wealth Management Magazine, 2022
"Six Opportunities Not to Be Missed for Family Wealth Protection and Inheritance", Family Office Magazine, 2019
"Law Is the Starting Line of Wealth Management", Wealth Management Magazine, 2018
"Real Estate Inheritance: Family Trust Is the Best Choice", Financial View Magazine, 2018
"Case Analysis: The Domestic Real Estate Inheritance Dilemma of a High Net Worth Individual", Wealth Management Magazine, 2017
"Perspective on the Ten Advantages of Charitable Trusts", Wealth Management Magazine, 2017
"Family Trusts under the New CRS Policy", China Forex Magazine, 2017
"Solutions to the Succession Dilemma of Samsung Group", Family Business Magazine, 2017
"The Wealth Inheritance Crisis of Samsung Group Recurs Again", Family Business Magazine, 2017
"Implications of Samsung's Equity Adjustment for Family Wealth Inheritance", Family Business Magazine, 2017
"How to Be a Good Charitable Trust Supervisor", Family Business Magazine, 2016
"The Choice of Inheritance Mode Tests the Rise and Fall of a Family (Analysis of the Pros and Cons of Four Major Family Inheritance Modes)", Family Business Magazine, 2016
"Beware of the Barbarians at the Family's Door—Warnings from the Baoneng-Vanke Dispute for Family Wealth Protection", Family Business Magazine, 2016
"Six Major Misunderstandings about Domestic Family Trusts", Family Business Magazine, 2016
"Family Trusts Pilot SPV Model, Expected to Break Through Asset Form Restrictions", Securities Times, 2015
"How Can Family Trusts Be Down-to-Earth? Enabling Batch Implementation of Semi-standardized Products", Securities Times, 2014
Related
-
Awards Related
Zhong Lun Ranked in 42 Practice Areas and Regions with 178 Lawyer Rankings in the Chambers Greater China Region Guide 2026
On January 15, 2026, the internationally recognized legal ranking publisher Chambers & Partners released the Chambers Greater China Region Guide 2026. Zhong Lun Law Firm achieved rankings in 42 practice areas and regional categories, covering 31 practice areas and 11 regions, with 28 of those rankings placed in Band 1. In addition, 147 of the firm’s lawyers took home a total of 178 rankings.
2026-04-16
-
Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications
PRC Bar
Independent Director -
Education
DBA (In Progress), EU Business School, Switzerland
MSc, University of Greenwich, UK
LL.B., China University of Political Science and Law -
Professional Experience
Partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm
Partner, Yingke Law Firm
Partner, SD & Partners
Partner, Wisdom & Fortune Law Firm
Associate, High Seas Law Firm
Associate, Gaoxing Law Firm -
Languages
Chinese
English