The Legal 500

Haiwen & Partners’ ‘technically brilliant lawyers’ are involved in large scale, complex, domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, including acquisitions of material assets, mergers, stock purchases, restructurings and joint ventures. The client base includes purchasers, sellers, lenders and financial advisors, and the firm has built a well recognised general corporate governance practice. Highlights included advising China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company on the PRC law aspects to its $1.8bn acquisition of Ford Motor Company’s Sweden-based manufacturer Volvo Cars. In 2010, the practice also advised China Mobile in connection with its acquisition of 20% interests in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank; acted for CITIC Capital in connection with its acquisition of 35.79% interests in Jilin Grain Group; and advised China Huaneng Group in connection with its acquisition of 50% interests in InterGen. The team also acted for Huaneng Power International in connection with its acquisition of Shandong Luneng Group’s power, port and coal assets, and represented Sinopec in connection with its acquisition of 55% interests in Sonangol Sinopec International. Extensive capabilities in dispute resolution, securities, corporate and banking, antitrust, employment, tax, intellectual property, real estate and environmental law complement the M&A group. He Fei is widely respected for ‘being committed to the task’.

Jun He Law Offices is a preeminent firm for FDI work, and M&A is a key area for the practice. It has advised on transactions relating to both listed and privately-held companies, on domestic and cross-border transactions, and in a wide range of industrial sectors including finance, manufacturing, real estate, infrastructure, high technology, electronics, pharmaceuticals and service trades. The firm is also at the forefront of advising in private equity and venture capital investments. Highlights included acting as PRC legal counsel to COFCO and Hopu in their investments into Mengni, and advising Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Stock in association with the formation of the joint venture with Norway-based Axellia Pharmaceuticals. The practice also acted for CITIC Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary, CITIC International Cooperation, in its EPC contracts for three cement production lines in Belarus, the project being the largest industrial cooperation project between China and Belarus to date. Additionally, the firm advised on a project involving PRC sourced funds where a Japanese partnership fund was formed to invest in a biotechnology company. Linfei Liu and Hongli Ma are ‘deeply committed lawyers’.

On the outbound side, King & Wood’s ‘truly expert team’ has assisted numerous domestic clients investing abroad and tapping overseas resources, technologies, brands and markets, and is noted for its strong relationships with Chinese regulators and strong network of overseas offices and alliance partners. The firm also has a widely praised FDI practice and frequently provides legal services to both multinationals investing in China and to domestic companies receiving investments from foreign entities. Jing Gang led the advice to Beijing Wild Wolf Investment Consulting in its successful acquisition of all the shares of Beijing Globallink Computer Technology and Ourgame Asset from NHN and SeaRainbow Holding. The team, led by corporate law specialist Hu Zaichi, assisted the Centre for Development of Trade and Management of Investment in Europe, a subsidiary of the Chengtong group, in connection with the acquisition of a large development with 13 office buildings, business facilities and apartments in Moscow. Xu Ping specialises in foreign direct investment in China, M&A, and technology transfers, and ex-Clifford Chance LLP Beijing chief representative Rupert Li is highly regarded for cross-border M&A and strategic corporate investments. Li has handled numerous onshore and offshore acquisitions, investments, and listings for large-scale enterprises, including offshore investments, joint venture establishments and M&A transactions; Carolyn Dong specialises in corporate governance, M&A, corporate restructuring, outbound investment, and foreign direct investment in China. Yang Xiaolei and Zhou Ning are also recommended;

Zhong Lun Law Firm welcomed former Lovells and Allbright Law Offices partner Robert Lewis as international managing partner. The ‘deeply esteemed and practical’ team represented Shendi Group as PRC counsel in relation to the planned development of the Shanghai Disneyland theme park. The team has represented large multinational and US Fortune 500 companies and large Chinese enterprises in cross-border M&A, joint ventures, real estate investment, corporate restructuring, and other international investments.

Famed for its strength in capital markets, Commerce & Finance Law Office is also noted for its ‘first-rate advice’ to domestic listed companies. The team recently represented Wuxi PharmaTech on its $1.6bn proposed sale. Liu Gang, Di Xiaofeng and Han Xiaojing are key figures.

Jun Hu was recently welcomed to Fangda Partners as a partner from FenXun Partners. The team acted as PRC counsel when KKR Investment Consultancy (Beijing) acquired a 10% equity interest in China International Capital Corporation, and represented Home Inns & Hotels Management in its acquisition of Motel 168 International Holdings.

Mergers and acquisitions and private equity expert Michael Yu rejoined Global Law Office’s partnership in 2011 from international firm Norton Rose LLP. The firm also opened a Shenzhen office with five senior IPO and M&A lawyers. Huawei LIN acted for Warburg Pincus in the restructuring of a pre-IPO investment in Sunshine 100, and assisted Standard Chartered with a $350m investment in an offshore SPV, related to an onshore real estate development project; The ‘impressive lawyer’ David Fu advised Sanofi-aventis on general corporate matters in China, and acted for Nokia on the restructuring of PRC joint ventures and spin-off of certain businesses in China. Jinrong Liu advised Sewco on its acquisition of a majority equity interest in Tycoon Beverage Group, and acted for China Resources Medications Group on its acquisition of equity interest in Beijing Pharmaceutical Group. Liu also represented New Horizon Capital, CITIC PE and Beijing State-owned Capital Management Center on an equity investment in Beijing Wangfujing International Commercial Development, which owns PRC A-share listed company, Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Stock.

Jingtian & Gongcheng welcomed ex-Haiwen & Partners and Shearman & Sterling LLP lawyer Jinrong Liu to the firm as partner, and Qingjie Wang joined as partner from King & Wood; Guoqing Li rejoined as partner from Hogan Lovells International LLP. The practice acts mostly on the acquisition of domestic enterprises by foreign investors, takeovers and listed companies’ asset reorganisations, as well as M&A between domestic enterprises. The client base comprises state-owned and private enterprises, listed companies and overseas investors, from sectors such as real estate, telecommunication, media and entertainment, retail merchandising, energy, natural resources and traditional manufacturing.

M&A work is a major practice area for Tian Yuan Law Firm. Zhu Xiaohui has represented clients in their acquisition of listed companies, and Guanxiong Wu focuses on foreign direct investments, venture investments and M&A. Hua Chen is also a key contact and leading individual.

Headquartered in Beijing, DeHeng Law Office has a network of domestic branches in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Changsha, Jinan, Tianjin, Shenyang, Dalian, Changchun and Xian, as well as overseas offices in New York, the Hague and Paris. The practice is well versed in tender offers, acquisition agreements, major asset restructurings, share repurchases and the purchase and transfer of shares and assets. Clients include China FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, China National Chemical Corporation, China Three Gorges Project Corporation, China Huaneng Corporation, and China Railway Construction Corporation. Qi Jiang is the principal figure.

Headquartered in Beijing, Guantao Law Firm acted in relation to the acquisition by Tidetime Sun, principally engaged in media-related businesses, of three coal mines in Xinjiang for HK$7.8bn, the deal expected to allow Tidetime Sun to expand into the coal mining, coking coal process and sale business in the PRC. The practice also acted for CGNPC in its £756m bid for Kalahari Minerals and advised on All Team Group’s restructuring and the RMB250m sale of its shares to Ming Fai. Other highlights included advising Datang Telecom Technology in a strategic investment into Semiconductor Manufacturing International, as well as acting in connection with Wah Nam International Holdings’ proposed takeover offer for two ASX-listed iron ore developers. Sun Dongfeng and Xiao Hongming are recommended.

The ‘truly impressive’ Han Kun Law Offices advised China Development Bank Capital and its affiliate in connection with an aggregate of $240m investment into the wholly owned polysilicon manufacturing subsidiaries of LDK Solar. The practice also advised SIG Asia Investment in connection with its investment in Kanbox, a cloud storage business that backs up, synchronises and accesses personal files from multiple devices. The team also represented Yongye International in connection with its $50m private equity investment from Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia, and advised the chairman of the board of China Fire & Security Group in connection with the acquisition of China Fire by Bain Capital Partners and the management of China Fire.

Run Ming Law Office is noted for its advice to foreign investors in relation to their various direct investments in China. The key corporate and M&A contacts include executive partner Yi Liu, ‘excellent partners’ Ron Ma and Xin Lv, as well as Yingying Gu. The practice recently advised ORIX on the setting up of regional headquarters in China.