Has anyone heard of Chen, Shyu & Punn law firm.
I saw their ad for US lawyer, and I’m thinking of applying to them. I wonder what’s the working conditions and partners’ attitude towards employees there. Any comments?
I assume that Mr. Tigerman would be the one to ask. He works in a law firm and is very familiar with the “legal environment” in Taiwan … (in very many respects) …
I have no personal knowledge of the firm, but a 2005 AsiaLaw publication states that in 2003 Chen, Shyuu & Pun merged with Tu & Amida Trust to form Tu Amida Trust, Chen, Shyuu & Pun, but with an unwieldy name like that I can see why they might prefer their old name.
My source states further that the firm has experience in distressed asset refinancing and setting up of trusts to use as leverage for financing in Taiwan; it also assists banks with credit guarantor issues relating to China; and it has been assisting its client, Core Pacific Yamaichi, with an ongoing shareholding and ownership dispute with Yuanta Core Pacific, a dispute involving 6 other Taiwan law firms and 4 HK law firms. In summary, it sounds like they handle lots of boring, but perhaps lucrative, banking and financial issues.
I haven’t seen them advertising in the TT, which seems a little odd to me – if I were looking to hire a US lawyer that’s where I’d advertise. Where did you see their ad?
I haven’t replied to this because there are way too many variables involved.
Yes, I know this firm and I know people who have worked there.
It depends primarily on your own expectations and hopes and interests, IMO, whether or not you will like this firm.
The people I know who have worked there liked it well enough initially, but later left because the work wasn’t what they wanted to do.
I have heard no horror stories regarding the management.
I work in another law firm just a stone’s throw from their offices.
I don’t have any real inside track except to say that I’ve met a foreign lawyer who worked there before and they were very unhappy about the way they were treated. Tales of being shouted at and that kind of thing.
Generally though, I think people of different ethnic backgrounds can have vastly different tales to tell, even in the same firm. If there is more than one ‘foreign lawyer’ that can also make a difference. One will inevitably be the favourite.
If you haven’t worked in a Taiwanese law firm before, all I would say is: Don’t set your expectations too high. And if it doesn’t feel right before you begin, don’t go.
I worked in one large firm where I was miserable - left to languish in a corner and then blamed for low billing hours, bullied by a petulant partner (a high profile litigator). I love where I am now, even if I am sometimes under-employed.
At the same time, there can be interesting work from time to time and if you are ‘working to live’ rather than vice versa it can be an okay life.
As a foreign lawyer looking for work in the Taiwan legal services market it is all pretty hit and miss! If it doesn’t feel right before you begin, don’t go. And don’t let them squeeze you on salary; what they are prepared to pay is a pretty good indication of how they want to use you. Don’t accept low money ‘for the sake of the experience’, if you do you might end up with neither!
Not all of this is directly relevant to the original question, and perhaps you know it already! 
Thanks Hartzell/Mother Theresa/Tigerman/dreamer for valuable input.
A Taiwanese friend from SMU grad law sch showed me an ad from a chinese jobsearch site. I heard that the boss is a Harvard grad and their practice area is concentrated in syndicated loans work. And they are involved in a huge multi-million $$$ HK-Taiwanese court case with QCs on both sides. It sounds quite impressive.
On the other hand, another Taiwanese friend gave some -ve remarks about them…like being called “idiot” and everyone must attend some internal classes, etc.
I’m originally from Singapore and the law grad:non-law grad ratio there is something like 80:1,000. Even though I’ve passed the NY bar exam, in order to practice law there, I need to do some training and chambering. It adds up to about 2years. 
I heard that the pay for foreign lawyer in Taiwan is fixed…unlike in the US/overseas where you get paid based on your billable hourly rate.
(Mod please leave this here!)
Hi all. I could really do with some help finding a good property lawer in the UK. I’ve been quoted $15,000NT for one hour’s work!
If you can help please PM me,
Cheers
L 
NT$15,000 is reasonable for a simple (and non-contentious) conveyancing matter.
If you want to shop around and compare the fees. Go to the Law Society of England & Wales website. This is their official website and its trustworthy and reliable ('cos they list only those solicitors that hold valid practising cert and are in good standing). Do a directory search for solicitors in that area of UK (for E&W):-
Find a Solicitor - The Law Society
Solicitors are regulated and divided into whether the matter is contentious or non-contentious. If the latter, usually its on a fixed-flee basis. Solicitor’s fee is generally guided by the following factors:
- scope, type and nature of work
- location of property
- complexity of the matter
- time-frame
Go to the Law Soct website for some useful pointers about selecting your socilitor, complaints on solicitor billing, etc.
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/choosingandusing/payingforservices/aboutfees.law
Thanks CX, I don’t want to highjack the thread. It’s a case of my letting agent not honoring the contract. I’ll see what I can dig up, thanks for your imput!
L
I happened to stumble upon this thread and thought I might just throw my situation in here, I don’t mean to hijack the thread -
I’ll be graduating from law school in a matter of months, and then studying for the bar exam here in Massachusetts. I’ve got a gig lined up with Fish & Richardson to do patent litigation (and I suspect some patent filing/prosecution as well). Many of the clients are based in Taiwan.
My heart, however, is in Taiwan, and I’m hoping to relocate as soon as I can and when the right opportunity comes along.
I was born in Taiwan but essentially ABC - my Chinese is ok, but certainly not good enough to practice law in Chinese…
Anyone have thoughts about what I can do in the meanwhile to place myself in a good position to move to a Taiwan law firm? I’ve done some preliminary research into US firms with offices in TW, but I’m pretty unfamiliar with the legal market there. I figure forumosa might be a good place to make some connections with “foreign lawyers.”
Thanks in advance -