Next Generation Partners

Rising Stars

Firms To Watch: Banking and finance

Lexcel Partners‘ banking and finance practice group, led by Stacy Lo, advises on project finance, mezzanine loans, ESG loans, securities lending and compliance and regulatory law. Lo is licensed in both Taiwan and New York and is currently a member of the banking committee of the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan. Echo Yeh and Sue Su also both offer considerable combined experience.

Banking and finance in Taiwan

Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie’s leading banking and finance practice represents major clients, including Taiwanese and international banks, investment funds, corporate borrowers, and government agencies in relation to a broad spectrum of banking matters. The team is particularly well known for its expertise in bank mergers, infrastructure project financing, private equity investment vehicles, property development, and the securitisation of property portfolios. With considerable experience, particularly in project financing matters, Justin Liang continues to lead the department alongside Hao-Ray Hu, who specialises in advising financial service clients on licence applications, post-acquisition integration and bancassurance transactions. Bee Leay Teo‘s broad practice covers asset, structured and trade finance as well as derivatives. Evangeline Wang also plays a key role in team, including on syndicated lending facility cases. The team continues to act as local counsel to DBS Bank (Taiwan) Ltd in connection with its acquisition of the consumer banking business of Citibank Taiwan Limited.

Practice head(s):

Hao-Ray Hu; Justin Liang


Other key lawyers:

Bee Leay Teo; Evangeline Wang


Testimonials

‘Our engagement partner, Hao-Ray Hu, always give us impressive on his professional in this practice. ’

Key clients

HSBC


Cigna


DBS Bank Taiwan


Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank


Far Eastern International Bank


Taiwan Alvogen Ltd.


Hydron International Co., Ltd.


CDIB Capital Group


Taiwan Cube Energy


Work highlights


  • Acted as Taiwan counsel to HSBC Bank Taiwan on its 15-year extension of their exclusive bancassurance distribution agreement with Allianz.
  • Acting as the local counsel to assist DBS Bank (Taiwan) Ltd. in relation to its acquisition of consumer banking business Citibank Taiwan Limited.
  • Acted for the major shareholders in connection with the bridge loan which financed the leveraged buyout of Ginko International.

Lee and Li, Attorneys-at-Law

Lee and Li, Attorneys-at-Law’s banking team, led by James Huang, advises major domestic and international banks, insurance companies, corporations, and other financial institutions in relation to a wide range of issues, including project financing, derivatives, distressed asset management, and syndicated lending. Robin Chang advises major international commercial and investment banks on their operations in Taiwan, while Abe Sung is a securitisation expert, involved in the first cross-border securitisation deal ever done by a Taiwanese issuer. Department head Huang has extensive experience in syndicated loans, acquisition finance, project finance, the disposal of non-performing loans by financial institutions, and loan securitisation. Senior counsellor Patricia Lin handles syndicated, structured and aircraft/ship financing matters, among others.

Practice head(s):

James Huang


Other key lawyers:

Abe Sung; Patricia Lin; Robin Chang


Key clients

Citibank Taiwan Limited


Standard Chartered Bank (Taiwan) Limited


BNP Paribas Taipei Branch


Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited Taipei Branch


BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, S.A., Taipei Branch


DBS Bank (Taiwan) Ltd., Co.


Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. Taipei Branch


UBS AG Taipei Branch


Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank


Société Générale, Taipei Branch


CTBC Bank Co., Ltd.


Bank SinoPac Co., Ltd.


Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank Co., Ltd


Taishin International Bank Co., Ltd.


First Commercial Bank Co., Ltd


E.SUN Commercial Bank, Ltd.


O-Bank Co., Ltd.


Lin & Partners Attorneys-At-Law

Lin & Partners Attorneys-At-Law , led by Taipei- and Kaohsiung-based George Lin, acts for investment banks, institutional investors, and local and international banks in connection with a wide range of matters, including banking litigation, asset-based financing, project financing and anti-money laundering compliance. Lin has considerable experience helping financial institutions and third-party payment providers enter the Taiwan market and is leading the team’s foray into the fields of cryptocurrency, blockchain and fintech. Kaiju Lee offers expertise in banking and financial regulations law as well as fintech.

Practice head(s):

George Lin


Other key lawyers:

Kaiju Lee


Tsar & Tsai Law Firm

Tsar & Tsai Law Firm’s 10-strong banking and finance team, jointly led by Jackie Lin and Janice Lin, specialises in project finance matters, particularly in the renewable energy sector. Janice Lin recently assisted several lenders and hedging banks throughout the APAC region in relation to the financing and refinancing of a 188MW solar portfolio in Taiwan. Jackie Lin has broad experience acting for local and international borrowers and lenders, and recently led a team advising the syndicated lenders in connection with a major financing project. Lynn Lin has corporate finance experience in the tech, manufacturing, energy, telecoms, and financial sectors.

Practice head(s):

Jackie Lin; Janice Lin


Other key lawyers:

Lynn Lin


Key clients

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation


BNP Paribas


Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ)


E.Sun Commercial Bank


HSBC


Allianz SE


Bank SinoPac


Credit Agricole CIB


Standard Chartered Bank


Enlighten Law Group

Enlighten Law Group’s banking and finance offering, led by Kunchou Tsai in Taipei, Jingfan Chen in Taipei and Shanghai, and Laurence Kao in Taipei and New York, is particularly active in fintech and blockchain matters, and has taken a strong lead in these areas in Taiwan. The team also regularly handles finance-related cases in the manufacturing and luxury goods sectors.

Practice head(s):

Kunchou Tsai; Jingfang Chen; Laurence Kao


Testimonials

‘Kunchou Tsai is knowledgeable, well-spoken, and easy to work with.’

‘Enlighten Law Group understands blockchain and cryptocurrency and the laws surrounding them. The team is also responsive and capable.’

Key clients

CADesigner Engineering Sp. z o.o.


Creditors of FTX


Heimdal Holdings Corp. (Samoa)


Hoya Bit Digital Technology Co., Ltd.


Taiwan Industrial Union of Financial Workers’ Right


Metap Inc. (“Gensokishi Online Meta World”)


Michalina Jendrzejczyk


Nice Enterprise Co., Ltd.


Ornatus Taiwan Ltd.


RSS3 Foundation


Inworld International Management Consulting Ltd.,


Work highlights


  • Advised on the formation of an unaccredited ad hoc creditors group to participate in the FTX bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Advised a fund on its shareholder rights and interests in relation to a potential M&A deal involving two telecommunications companies.

Formosan Brothers Attorneys at Law

Formosan Brothers Attorneys at Law advises domestic banks and other financial institutions on a range of issues, including legal compliance and banking regulatory law, domestic and international asset-backed loans, and infrastructure financing projects. Li-Pu Lee and Terry Tu lead the practice from Taipei, with both also admitted to practice in New York.

Practice head(s):

Li-Pu Lee; Terry Tu


LCS & Partners

Mark Harty and Grace Ku jointly lead LCS & Partners banking and finance practice, which has represented both borrowers and banks in relation to a wide range of matters, including syndicated loans, project financing, asset-backed financing, and derivatives. Harty has broad international banking and project finance experience, while Ku’s expertise includes regulatory compliance, project finance, and securitisation.

Practice head(s):

Mark Harty; Grace Ku


Russin & Vecchi (International Legal Counsellors)

Russin & Vecchi (International Legal Counsellors)’s banking team, led by Thomas McGowan and Hwei-Yu Cho, acts for both local and foreign banks, and is well known for advising on regulatory compliance matters as well as for handling syndicated lending transactions. McGowan, a US-licensed attorney, has great experience in Taiwan acting for multinational commercial and investment banks, asset managers, and private equity investors. He is particularly strong representing lenders in syndicated lending facilities. Lisa Wang has experience advising local and offshore clients as both borrowers and lenders.

Practice head(s):

Thomas McGowan; Hwei Yu Cho


Other key lawyers:

Lisa Wang