On 22nd October 2025, the IAM Global Leaders 2026, an annual directory showcasing the world’s top private practice experts in the patent world, is launched.

To qualify for inclusion in this esteemed group, candidates must be ranked in the gold tier of the IAM Patent 1000 and merit special attention for their expertise and experience in creating, protecting, managing, transacting and enforcing critical patent rights.

The IAM Patent 1000 is compiled by IAM’s full-time research team through an exhaustive process. The researchers gather hundreds of written submissions from firms, conduct hundreds of face-to-face and telephone interviews and correspond with patent lawyers, attorneys and their clients over a four-month period.

Ms. Xiaoling Duan, Partner of Wanhuida Intellectual Property, is included in the IAM Global Leaders 2026. Ms. Duan made her debut in the 2025 edition, being lauded by her clients as a “portfolio management ace”. She has been listed as a recommended individual (gold band) in the patent prosecution field by IAM Patent 1000 eight years in a row.