On June 20, 2025, the shortlist for the 20th STEP Private Client Awards was announced, with Wei Dongda, a lawyer from Kyoto Law Firm, nominated for the “Rising Star (Legal)” category.

It is understood that this is the first time in the 20-year history of the award that a candidate from mainland China has been shortlisted. Stella Mitchell-Voisin, TEP, Chair of this year's judging panel, stated: "The judges faced a challenging task this year in selecting the shortlist from such a high standard of submissions. With over 300 entries to review, this was indeed a significant challenge. In this context, the firms and individuals that have made the shortlist should be incredibly proud! (The judges faced a considerable task this year to decide which entries should be shortlisted from such a high standard of submissions. With over 300 entries to consider, this was no mean feat. With this in mind, the firms and individuals that have made the shortlist should be incredibly proud!)"