Something of a Precedent
It’s not an everyday event by any means.
When eight top-ranked lawyers, all from the same firm, find themselves selected for recognition from among some of the most highly regarded firms and individuals in the region, it sets something of a precedent.
Sharing the honours at Haldanes, Partners Jonathan Midgley, Geoffrey Booth, John McLellan, Andrew Powner, Felix Ng, and Paul Wang, together with Consultants Tim Hancock and Willem Jan Hoogland have been included in the 2025 edition of Lexology Index report on Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR as “Global Elite Thought Leaders”, “Thought Leaders” or “Recommended”.
All experienced and award-winning lawyers in their own right, they represent a range of practice areas including investigations, business crime defence, antitrust and competition, commercial mediation, corporate and tax law, IP and media and entertainment.
Each are selected by Lexology Index following a rigorous research process involving feedback from tens of thousands of buyers of legal services, leading companies, and interviews and online submissions.
“No matter how long you’ve practiced law. How many awards you’ve accumulated or how your own reputation has grown, I think any lawyer would admit they still get a thrill and a sense of achievement every time their name or their firm is recognized.
To find myself alongside seven other elite lawyers, who I have the privilege of working with every day, makes this recognition particularly significant.
I just hope my thought leadership can keep up with the outstanding leadership these other seven represent,” said Midgley in an initial reaction to the result.
Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) combines extensive research with objective case analysis to select a unique set of recommended experts across 150 countries and 80 work areas.
Individuals must continue to receive strong and regular feedback to maintain their recognition and every listed practitioner’s inclusion is reviewed annually.
Will Haldanes make it nine in 2026?
Nothing’s impossible in the legal world.
