CNLawBlog: What It Actually Is, and Why So Many Sites Claim the Name

Look for cnlawblog and you’ll find a muddle of articles, some from a long-standing and respected law firm blog, the other from a “legal information platform” that has no name or credentials anywhere, and is hardly described as a blog. This guide helps you to understand the difference, how so many imitators have come into existence, and how to use legal blog content responsibly after understanding the difference.

What CNLawBlog Actually Is

The Original: China Law Blog by Dan Harris

CNLawBlog is China Law Blog, which is run by attorney Dan Harris and the team at Harris Sliwoski LLP, an international law firm specializing in China-related legal matters. It has been one of the most read and referenced sources in the world on Chinese business law, IP protection and cross-border dispute resolution for years, and has a team of practicing attorneys behind every post that is named and verifiable. If you have ever researched conducting business in China, there is a good chance that you’ve stumbled across a post from the real cnlawblog at some point.

Why the Name Carries So Much Weight

The difference between the original site and the new sites with the same names is simple: real credentials can be verified and checked independently. When drafting, negotiating and litigating China related contracts, disputes and regulatory issues, Harris Sliwoski attorneys do so from first-hand experience and not out of research to fill out a content calendar on a schedule. That distinction is of huge importance in a legal setting, where it can really impact an important business decision that involves real dollars.

The Confusion: Why So Many Sites Now Use the Name

A Wave of Unrelated “CNLawBlog” Content

When you search for cnlawblog, you will find dozens of articles from seemingly unrelated websites with no identifiable editorial staff, no verifications, no consistent description of who is behind it, and a vague definition of what exactly it is. Some of these articles even, if you read carefully, admit that there is not any single verifiable source to prove that this version of cnlawblog’s history or legal credentials is in fact correct, which is quite a big concession in a series of confident-sounding articles.

An SEO-Driven Pattern, Not a Coincidence

The pattern is very similar to keyword-driven content farming: when a keyword begins to bring in some legitimate traffic, a large number of sites publish articles, articles, articles, with the same general structure and try to “steal” some of the traffic. That’s probably what has happened at cnlawblog, the recognisable, respected name of China Law Blog is now cloaked in a veil of content that uses the name but has none of the substance, legitimacy or expertise to qualify it.

What the Real CNLawBlog Actually Covers

Chinese Business Law and Cross-Border Disputes

The real cnlawblog only deals with Chinese business law, such as manufacturing contracts, how to protect IP rights for companies with Chinese operations, joint venture structuring, how to enforce contracts with a foreign legal system, etc. It also frequently addresses the changing US-China trade issues and updates on regulatory changes which can be gleaned only from those attorneys who are actively involved in these matters and not merely reporting on them second hand.

Practical Guidance Over Generic Legal Explainers

Specificity is the part that sets the real site from the generic imitators, and it is evident in almost all of the posts you read. The true posts are ones that provide actual case patterns, specific changes in the regulations, and concrete advice for the business to deal with a specific situation, and not a general, interchangeable explanation of what corporate law is or covers, which could apply to almost any jurisdiction on earth. That specificity is a good indication of a good site, particularly before following any advice it offers, when you come across a website with the name of cnlawblog.

Why the Imitator Sites Are a Real Problem

Business Decisions Deserve Verified Sources

This isn’t a simple annoyance or minor inconvenience in search-results. If a business owner/investor uses content from a generic site that uses the name cnlawblog, but has not verified the information, based on a real decision such as structuring a Chinese joint venture or interpreting a dispute over intellectual property rights, he or she is using information that has no accountable author, no verifiable legal credentials, and no means of verifying the correctness of the guidance provided. That’s a far superior risk profile to reading a post from attorneys that have developed a professional reputation on getting these details right, case after case, year after year.

A Broader Pattern Worth Recognizing

This style of name confusion is not limited to cnlawblog, but is common in legal, financial and health content in particular because it is these types of claims that can most seriously affect a person in real life. It’s a skill that is definitely valuable that they can apply to the other search results in the same high stakes categories moving forward, knowing the pattern of a well-known and credentialed original surrounded by vague copycats.

How to Verify You’re on the Real Site

Check for Named Attorneys and Firm Affiliation

The one true way to know you’re reading the real cnlawblog is to find the named, identifiable attorneys and a definite connection to Harris Sliwoski LLP, and a domain age of years, not recent. A real law firm, publishing a legitimate legal publication, will include some attorney bios, the firm contact information and a professional history that can be checked on their own website or in state bar records.

Be Skeptical of Vague, Unattributed Claims

When a site doesn’t specify any particular author, lawyer or firm behind any of its claims – such as “a trusted source for legal insights” or “a leading platform for legal understanding” – take it with a grain of salt. Repeating the same tenuous assertion in multiple places doesn’t make it any more accurate, and it is a red flag if the repetition is indicative of a coordinated, low-effort production of content rather than a substantial degree of authority.

Using Legal Blog Content Responsibly

Educational Content Isn’t a Substitute for Legal Advice

The real cnlawblog isn’t even hiding the fact that it’s intended for education and information, not for substitute lawyers. That distinction is as significant in reading an actual site as it is in assessing an imitator as general legal commentary, no matter how well credentialed, cannot anticipate the specific facts of your particular situation in the same way that an actual attorney-client relationship can.

Treat Any Legal Blog as a Starting Point

Use of any legal information system, real or not, is most responsibly used as a point of entry to understand an issue sufficiently to formulate more questions to a qualified attorney, rather than as an end to a particular legal issue. Whether it’s the original China Law Blog or any other legitimate legal site, the fact is that most real legal situations are too complicated to be addressed in a blog post that you can sensibly rely on without getting specific advice.

What Makes Chinese Business Law Coverage Genuinely Hard to Get Right

A Legal System Different From Common Law Jurisdictions

One reason credentialed sources are so important in this context is that Chinese business law is based on a civil law system that has important structural differences from the US common law system that most American readers are familiar with. The enforcement of each contract, the process of registering intellectual property rights and the dispute resolution processes are different, and a generic legal blog prepared without reference to China-specific experience is far more likely to make assumptions based on US law that simply don’t apply when it gets to the Chinese court or arbitration body.

Regulatory Change Moves Faster Than Generic Content Can Track

China has also enacted significant changes in its laws and practices governing foreign business in recent years, and sometimes with little notice to foreign companies operating in China, such as in the area of data security and foreign investment restrictions, as well as intellectual property. Attorneys who are currently working in this area, such as the original cnlawblog, are quicker to see and explain these developments as they make them in the real world from firsthand experience with client cases and filings. By contrast, generic, unattributed content sites are much more likely to present outdated or overly generalized information that is not up-to-date with the regulations, because no one is monitoring behind them for such changes while they are in practice.

A Broader Look at Legal Blog Credibility

Signs a Legal Publication Is Worth Trusting

In addition to the specific cnlawblog scenario, there are some regular indicators which help to distinguish legal publications from content mills on any legal subject you are researching. The names of verifiable attorneys, specific case references instead of general ones, direct reference to a firm or organization that you can check yourself on another website and content that is up to date as the laws change are good indicators to look for on any legal information site you are considering using for anything important.

Red Flags That Should Slow You Down

Also, there are a couple of red flags that you should look out for: content that is almost identical in several legal contexts, no author or firm listed anywhere on the page, claims of being “trusted” or “leading” with no evidence to support this, and content that sounds like it was written for a search term rather than a specific legal question. If a site has multiple of these characteristics, it is probably better to consider its content as a resource rather than a primary source.

Final Thoughts

The mess at cnlawblog is a good reminder that a good name and good reputation does not necessarily mean that all sites with that name and reputation are good. The real China Law Blog is created by lawyers who are qualified and experienced in Chinese business law, which is still an invaluable and practical tool for answering cross-border legal questions. The generic, un-attributed content wave that now rolls around that name, however, should be approached with real care should one actually be making a business or legal decision based on the information he or she reads online. If the consequences are important, checking out the source of the information (and saying “but I have verified their credentials myself” if you have to), is time well-spent before you do anything you read.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does CNLawBlog stand for?

CNLawBlog is China Law Blog by Harris Sliwoski LLP and attorney Dan Harris, which specializes in business law in China.

Is every site called cnlawblog the same platform?

No, there are many sites that have used the same name to publish content that is not related to the original blog China Law Blog, but there’s no verified connection.

How can I verify I’m on the authentic CNLawBlog?

Reach out to attorneys who have names, who can be identified as part of Harris Sliwoski LLP, and who offer specific, detailed legal services as opposed to general, non-specific descriptions.

Is CNLawBlog a law firm that offers legal representation?

The blog is a type of informational content shared by a law firm, however, it does not establish an attorney-client relationship nor provide personalized legal advice.

What topics does the real CNLawBlog cover?

It includes the laws and protections of China’s business, intellectual property rights, contracts across national borders, joint ventures, and trade and regulatory matters between the United States and China.

Why do so many websites describe cnlawblog differently?

This is because of a series of content websites featuring articles of no relation that are published under the same name without checking and linking the original website.

Can I trust general legal information sites for business decisions?

While general legal information can be helpful, it may not be the best place to start if your situation is one that could have real financial or legal implications, you should have a qualified attorney review your situation.