2023.07.24
On July 21, 2023, Asian Legal Business (ALB) unveiled the “2023 ALB China Regional Ranking: West China Firms and Rising Lawyers” in Chengdu. JunHe’s KOU, Chunyan was recognized as a Top 15 Rising Lawyer in the category of “Non-local Firms (West China Practice)”.
Ms. Kou is one of the few expert lawyers in China to focus on environmental law. She provides legal services relating to dual carbon, ESG, environmental compliance, and ecological and environmental disputes.
Before joining JunHe, Ms. Kou worked at various provincial and municipal environmental protection bodies for over 10 years and has long been engaged in the legislative, law enforcement, judicial and research work of environmental protection. She has handled more than 1,000 cases involving environmental administrative penalties, environmental administrative reconsideration and litigation, and major pollution crimes. Ms. Kou represented the plaintiff in a lawsuit initiated by the government for ecological and environmental damages (soil and groundwater pollution caused by MTBE leakage), the first litigation of its kind in Sichuan Province. She has also handled a series of major cases such as a case of widespread pollution across Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Ms. Kou has assisted in the drafting of local regulations, including the Regulations of Sichuan Province on the Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution and the Regulations of Sichuan Province on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste.
Ms. Kou has represented clients in multiple major litigations concerning environmental laws, including cases related to carbon, environmental public interest, environmental administrative penalties, and water administrative disputes. She has provided her clients with non-litigation legal services, such as the determination of liabilities for soil pollution, the structuring of safety and environmental legal liability systems, the establishment of internal safety and environmental systems and advising on carbon-related matters. Ms. Kou actively participates in environmental philanthropy, including the establishment of China’s first special fund for carbon neutrality sponsored by a law firm, i.e. JunHe, in collaboration with Beijing Green Foundation, and organizing firm-wide environmental welfare activities.
Ms. Kou’s profound knowledge in environmental laws and extensive experience in legal practice has earned her high praise from clients. One remarked, “Ms. Kou has solid expertise in environmental technologies, excellent legal literacy, and vast experience working for governments. She has led JunHe’s environmental protection team in providing high-value services, such as the identification of environmental compliance issues, environmental compliance guidance, environmental dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance. She and her team have gained high trust and wide acclaim from us. The team led by Ms. Kou has rich experience in resolving environmental resources disputes, advising enterprises in the environmental protection industry, and providing advice on safety and environmental compliance, environmental rights trading and green investment and financing. They are familiar with government decision-making procedures and can provide clients with comprehensive solutions to help fix problems efficiently and cost effectively.”
Ms. Kou has over 10 years experience in environmental law enforcement practices in China. She will continue to devote herself to the green cause, helping governments and enterprises on their path toward green development and low-carbon transformation, and contribute to environmental law practice in China.
