The trio are part of the Lord Chancellor’s Training Scheme for Young Chinese Lawyers (LCTS) and are undertaking its first placements outside London since the initiative was launched 19 years ago.
Ray Wang, from Shanghai, Jacob Chen, from Guangzhou, and Shawn Sheng, from Beijing, are now beginning three-month placements with Shulmans, Walker Morris and Pinsent Masons respectively.
Leeds Legal, the only city-based legal sector marketing campaign in the country has been instrumental in securing the visits, along with the Leeds Law Society and the regional office of the Law Society of England & Wales.
Officers of Leeds Legal were therefore on hand to welcome the three visitors - all aged under 30 - introduce them to their new firms and provide a briefing about the city.
The Chinese lawyers are among 15 enrolled on the internationally-renowned LCTS, which includes 18 weeks at the University of London – a month of specialist language study at its School of Oriental and African Studies, followed by a 14-week English law course – before the placements.
Following their time in Leeds, the visitors will return to London for a further three-month placement with a barrister’s chambers, before going back to China, having spent just over a year in the UK.
Deborah Green, a director of Leeds Legal and chief executive of Marketing Leeds, said: “We’re delighted that Leeds has been selected to welcome these young lawyers this year. It’s a real credit to the firms in Leeds, and testament to the city’s reputation within the legal profession, that we’ve been able to secure their positions here.
“Leeds Legal already has strong connections with the profession in China, including Hong Kong, following our two delegation visits there in 2007, but we’re hoping Ray, Jacob and Shawn will build on these links, not only with their placement firms, but with the law firms in Leeds as a whole.”
Keith Brandt, senior partner with law firm Hammonds, in Hong Kong, and a member of the China Law Council – one of the international organisations responsible for designing the programme content and selecting candidates, commented: "I am delighted the three lawyers have been selected to spend their placements with firms in Leeds. This is testament to the strength of the legal sector in the city, and the opportunities these firms offer.
“There are many lawyers in Hong Kong and China who are very keen to develop trusted contacts in the north of England, to whom they can turn for support, guidance and advice, when doing business there. A three-month placement is a real benefit for these young lawyers, and their 'home' firms involved in the scheme.
"I hope this will develop in the coming years, leading to more lawyers having placements in strong legal centres outside London, such as Leeds."
An alliance of the city’s major law firms, Leeds Legal promotes practices in the area and the high levels of service, expertise, no nonsense advice and value for money they provide.
Leeds Legal also administers an international programme of events, supported by UK Trade and Investment, the government body which helps businesses succeed in international markets, and is one of the leading city-based marketing agencies to utilise a programme of inward and outbound delegation visits.
