On March 7, 2025, LEGALBAND officially released its 2025 Client Choice: Top 15 Labor & Employment Lawyers list. Llinks partner Mr. Patrick Gu was listed on the list for his excellent professional skills, outstanding market performance and good client feedback in the field of labor law.
Mr. Patrick Gu, Partner
Mr. Patrick Gu has a rich mix of in-depth knowledge and experience gained from top-tier foreign and local Chinese law firms as well as Fortune 500 companies with more than 20 years. Before that, Mr. Patrick Gu worked at the Shanghai Municipal Labor Arbitration Commission as a labor disputes arbitrator and was also responsible for lawmaking at the Shanghai local labor authority. Mr. Patrick Gu is a member of Labor and Social Security Committee of the Shanghai Bar Association. He has a keen business sense to provide constructive, practical and insightful advice and solutions for clients.
Mr. Patrick Gu specializes in representing the clients in the areas of direct investment in China, merger and acquisition, market entry application and approval etc. Meanwhile, Mr. Patrick Gu advises the client on the general corporate and daily operation compliance related legal issues. Mr. Patrick Gu provides customized legal services in all fields of labor and employment law, which includes review and consultation of the labor contracts, employee handbook, non-competition restrictions and proprietary agreements, as well as advice on and implementation of data privacy policy and business ethics codes. In addition, Mr. Patrick Gu assists clients to initiate and conduct anti-corruption, anti-bribery and other business ethics related investigations, and advises on misconduct actions as well as disputes resolution.
Mr. Patrick Gu frequently advises on the execution of cross-border assignments and repatriations, mid- and senior-level employee dismissals, workforce redundancy, mass layoffs, employee transfer, employee integration arising from organizational restructurings, divestitures, spin-offs, mergers and acquisitions. He routinely represents clients in arbitrations and litigations.
Mr. Patrick Gu has been recommended as a leading lawyer in the field of labor and employment by Chambers Greater China Region Guide in both 2024 and 2025. He was also recommended in the fields of regulatory compliance and labor and employment by The Legal 500 Greater China Region in 2023 and 2025, and in the field of employment by The Legal 500 Greater China Region in 2024. In 2023, he was recommended as a key law firm and a specially recommended lawyer by The Legal 500 China Region. Mr. Gu has been awarded as an outstanding labor and employment lawyer by China Law & Practice for three consecutive years (2019–2021) and as a recommended lawyer in the field of labor law by LEGALBAND China Top Lawyers for five consecutive years (2019–2023). He also serves as a case consultation expert for the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Reason for Selection
Mr. Patrick Gu has achieved remarkable success in the fields of labor and employment, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution. Since beginning his practice, he has provided professional legal support for labor law and compliance matters for numerous well-known domestic and international companies, and his service quality and reputation are widely recognized in the industry. Mr. Gu has served many well-known foreign-funded enterprises, listed companies, large financial institutions, and private enterprises. He has a profound understanding of the relevant laws, regulations, regulatory policies, and industry practices in the fields of labor and employment and compliance. He is also able to keenly identify key issues and risk points in corporate employment management and labor disputes, providing clients with creative and practical legal solutions and suggestions. Combining legal thinking with business awareness, Mr. Gu leads his team to dissect complex labor dispute cases, deeply understand the facts of the case, and help clients maximize their interests with his rich project experience and excellent litigation skills.
Client Testimonial
"Mr. Patrick Gu is very professional in his cooperation with us, with quick responses and feedback. He is knowledgeable, familiar with regulations and practices, and has provided us with many suggestions and guidance."
