The Legal 500

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLP represented the joint mandated lead arrangers and joint mandated bookrunners in an acquisition financing provided to MMI Precision Technologies to facilitate its acquisition of Intri-Plex Technologies and advised Deutsche Bank (Hong Kong) in a $260m pre-IPO financing, comprised of a term loan plus warrants, to Karvin. The practice also acted for China Development Bank Corporation (CDB) on two loans, together valued at over $20bn, to Venezuela’s Banco de Desarrollo Económico y Social de Venezuela, one of the largest that CDB has extended to any one country or lender. Xiaoming Li is the Beijing-based China practice head; also in Beijing, Baldwin Cheng, Steve Payne and Xiaogang (Sean) Wang are key practitioners. Hong Kong-based Asia banking, capital markets and restructuring head John Hartley is recommended.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s ‘deep team can cover all the issues related to an M&A deal’. Bee Chun Boo headed the group advising CNOOC International on the $7.06bn acquisition by Bridas Corporation of BP’s 60% interest in Pan American Energy, and Marco Marazzi led the team acting for AXA on the sale of its 15.6% stake in Taikang Life to Goldman Sachs and Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, one of the largest transactions in the PRC financial industry in recent years. Hong Kong-based Dorothea Koo, Nancy Leigh and Tracy Wut are recommended. Wut is noted for pharmaceutical and healthcare transactions; Shanghai managing partner Danian Zhang and Howard Wu are also key figures; and in Beijing, Stanley Jia is a leading individual. Clients praise the ‘impressive legal knowledge, attention to detail and negotiation skills’.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s practice spans corporate and commercial litigation, arbitration, restructuring and insolvency, China-related matters and product recall and liability. It also covers compliance and regulatory issues and investigations, including a recent instruction to co-ordinate the Asia Pacific aspects of a global investigation into the business practices of a multinational trading business. Other work includes dispute resolution and strategic positioning for a leading US-listed consulting services group in the region. Gary Seib in Hong Kong leads the practice, which includes Beatrice Schaffrath in Beijing and Michelle Gon in Shanghai.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s large team of specialist employment lawyers is complemented by in-house tax and immigration advisors. Highlights for Joseph Deng included advising on all employment law issues relating to The Walt Disney Company’s $3.6bn Shanghai Disneyland Park. Other experience includes advising on collective bargaining issues, high-profile litigation, and advising on corruption and FCPA investigations under both Chinese and US law. Department head is the ‘preeminent’ Andreas Lauffs.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie remains a dominating force despite increased competition from local firms as the litigation trend in China grows. Clients say ‘the level of service is excellent’ and the team is ‘accessible and prompt’. The group acts for clients from various industries including pharmaceuticals and entertainment, and counts Harley-Davidson, Nokia, Hyatt, Bausch & Lomb and British American Tobacco among its impressive array of clients. It has recently been defending a large American chemical company in a patent litigation lawsuit filed by a Japanese company regarding infringement of a manufacturing process patent in China. For Bausch & Lomb, it acts as outside counsel for China in relation to trade marks. The firm is also advising many foreign multinational clients in patent issues relating to R&D activities in China, and was instructed by a global pharmaceuticals and healthcare client relating to product registration for one of its medical devices. It also acts for the client on trade mark matters. Practice head Loke-Khoon Tan is based out of the Hong Kong office, which is linked with the China office. In Beijing, Christopher Smith is a ‘”go-to” for all trade mark matters’ and ‘deploys his team and colleagues efficiently and promptly, even on short notice’. Also in Beijing is Scott Palmer, and Clement Ngai is a key figure in Shanghai.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie is positioned to handle the fund raising, investment and operating needs of its private equity clients and their investee companies. The team advised on New Horizon Capital’s pre-IPO investment in a logistics company. Howard Wu in Shanghai, Beijing-based partners Bee Chun Boo, Jon Eichelberger, Andrew Lucas, and special counsel Scott Silverman are key contacts.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie’s highlights included advising Disney on its joint venture with a state-owned company, specifically established for the Shanghai Disneyland project, and as project counsel for the planned development of the Shanghai Disneyland theme park, one of the largest ever foreign investment projects in Shanghai. The team also acted for CNOOC International on the $7.06bn acquisition by Bridas Corporation of BP’s 60% interest in Pan American Energy, and assisted Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation in respect of its public private partnership investment in the Beijing Metro Line 4 project. In Beijing, Stanley Jia, Barbara Li and Bee Chun Boo are recommended. Shanghai partner Danian Zhang. David Smith, Barry Cheng and Won Lee in Hong Kong are also key contacts. Special counsel Pett Yap relocated to Shanghai from Hong Kong. Yap focuses on major projects, construction and power.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

‘One of the best’ for real estate, Baker & McKenzie fields an experienced team across Beijing and Shanghai, working in conjunction with the Hong Kong office. It has considerable expertise in mixed-use development projects including emerging class of assets such as hotel and tourism and theme parks, and specialises in acquisitions, dispositions and exchanges, real estate financing and mortgage-backed securities among others. The firm is advising Disney on its joint venture with the Shanghai Shendi Group for the planned development of the Shanghai Disneyland theme park. Other recent highlights include advising CapitaLand on its acquisition of additional shareholding interests in a BVI-incorporated company, which in turn holds interests in properties in Panyu, Guangzhou and China. And it acted for Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels on the RMB2.7bn acquisition of controlling stakes in two companies listed in the PRC from its parent company Jin Jiang International. The Shanghai team includes Michelle Gon.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

‘Accessible and prompt’, Baker & McKenzie ‘provides an excellent service’, with the China arm of the practice spearheaded by Howard Wu in Shanghai and Jon Eichelberger in Beijing. The team is advising Disney on its joint venture with Shanghai Shendi, and is project counsel for the planned development of the Shanghai Disneyland theme park. It was recently instructed by an investment bank on documenting an agreement for co-operation with another investment bank to develop software for the trading of certain funds in China. It is also advising the client on viability and regulatory risks for its China subsidiary to provide business process outsourcing services.

Within Foreign firms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Jon Eichelberger’s team at Baker & McKenzie has a longstanding history of providing tax advice to foreign companies investing in China. The practice has strength in depth, with many of the 17-strong team having previously worked at major accounting firms and private banks. The team has seen an increase in instructions from both the buyer and seller on a number of M&A transactions, and has also been advising on China’s new controversial circular 698 regarding the indirect transfer of Chinese companies. Brendan Kelly is ‘very bright, personable and focused. He is well-versed in Chinese law and aware of the processes’. Glenn DeSouza focuses on transfer pricing.