Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards 2025: the winners

We are pleased to reveal the winners of the FT Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards 2025, celebrating innovation in the legal industry. They were announced at an event in Hong Kong on May 15, in association with research partner RSGI. There are three strands: individuals, law firms and in-house legal teams.

Individuals 

INNOVATIVE PRACTITIONER 

Bijal Ajinkya, Khaitan & Co 

LEGAL INTRAPRENEUR 

Maki Kadonaga, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune 

Law firms 

MOST INNOVATIVE LAW FIRM IN ASIA-PACIFIC (HEADQUARTERED IN ASIA-PACIFIC) 

Gilbert + Tobin 

MOST INNOVATIVE LAW FIRM IN ASIA-PACIFIC (HEADQUARTERED OUTSIDE ASIA-PACIFIC) 

Ashurst 

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS 

Ashurst 

SUSTAINABILITY 

A&O Shearman 

DEAL MAKING 

Freshfields 

DISPUTES and CRISIS MANAGEMENT 

Trilegal 

DIGITAL REGULATION 

Atsumi & Sakai 

UNLOCKING CAPITAL 

A&O Shearman

DIGITAL TOOLS 

Yulchon 

AI STRATEGY 

Khaitan & Co 

KNOWLEDGE & DATA

King & Wood Mallesons 

BUSINESS OPERATIONS 

Latham & Watkins 

TRAINING and DEVELOPMENT 

Corrs Chambers Westgarth 

PEOPLE STRATEGY 

Nishimura & Asahi 

In-house legal teams 

MOST INNOVATIVE IN-HOUSE LEGAL TEAM IN ASIA-PACIFIC 

HSBC 

NEW PRODUCTS & SERVICES 

HSBC 

SUSTAINABILITY & IMPACT 

Asian Development Bank 

OUTSIDE COUNSEL MANAGEMENT 

Microsoft and Eversheds Sutherland 

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS 

Telstra 

COMMERCIAL & STRATEGIC ADVICE 

HSBC 

OPERATIONAL TRANSFORMATION 

BHP 

PEOPLE & SKILLS 

DBS Bank