Don Williams > Hogan Lovells International LLP > Shanghai, China > Lawyer Profile
Hogan Lovells International LLP Offices
12th Floor, Azia Center
1233 Lujiazui Ring Road
Pudong New Area, Shanghai 200120
China
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Don Williams
Work Department
Corporate & Finance
Position
Partner
Career
With over 15 years’ experience of advising clients in China, having relocated from Silicon Valley to Shanghai in 2005 (to open the office of a leading Silicon Valley law firm), Don is well regarded and highly experienced in advising TMT companies throughout their entire lifecycle from startup to mature public company (VC/PE financing, day to day corporate needs, M&A and capital markets transactions) as well as these companies’ ecosystem, including VC/PE funds and investment banks.
Over the years, Don has represented private and public companies across many industries, including Acorn, Alibaba, Alipay, Ant Financial Services, Autodesk, BCD Semiconductor, Bridge Pharmaceuticals, Cisco Systems, Cyte Therapeutics, FunPlus Games, Grab, Hanson Robotics, Kuaidi Dache, Newport Corporation, PharmaLegacy, Polycom, RealD, SeaWorld, Sigma Designs, Smarter Micro, and SMIC.
Today, Don’s practice encompasses a broad range of clients and provides general corporate and transactional advice in the PRC and elsewhere around the world. Clients look to Don’s knowledge and experience in advising on PE and VC financings, mergers and acquisitions and public offerings.
Don has represented venture capital and private equity funds, including Advanced Technology Ventures, Angelvest, BASF Venture Capital GmbH, Chengwei Ventures, DFJ Dragon Ventures, Fidelity/Eight Roads, GGV, Global Founders Capital, GSR Ventures, IFC, JAFCO, KPCB China, Ping An, Sequoia Capital, Qiming Ventures, Rocket Internet and Softbank China Venture Capital, in connection with portfolio investments and other transactions as well as investment banks in connection with public offerings.
Don is recognized as one of the top China-based private equity/venture capital lawyers by Chambers Asia-Pacific (2009 through 2025). Don has also been recognized by Legal 500 and was named a “China Top 15 M&A Lawyer” by Asian Legal Business in 2019.
Languages
English, Mandarin, Spanish
Memberships
The Ethics Council of The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai
Education
J.D., Harvard Law School, cum laude, 1993
B.A., Stanford University, with honors and distinction, 1989
Lawyer Rankings
China > TMT: foreign firms
With a ‘strong bench strength of lawyers’, Hogan Lovells International LLP excels in advising on TMT matters related to mainland China and Hong Kong. The practice, headed by Hong Kong-based Mark Parsons
, is well-equipped to advise on a wide array of matters including regulatory issues, transactions, commercial contracts and compliance programmes. Sherry Gong assists the team from Beijing and focuses on data privacy, cybersecurity and third-party payment licenses. From the corporate team in Shanghai, Don Williams often advises TMT clients on complex deals, financing and investments. Based in Hong Kong, Tommy Liu works alongside Parsons on TMT transactions and contractual arrangements and is qualified to practice PRC law in the Greater Bay Area.
China > Private equity: foreign firms
(Leading partners)Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s China practice routinely leverages the firm’s enviable global network of private equity practitioners across Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East and US for cross-jurisdictional mandates. It is particularly focused on the technology and biotechnology sectors, in relation to both high-value and mid-cap matters. In Shanghai, Don Williams is a highly-rated private equity and technology industry specialist; and Tony Mou acts for private equity and venture capital funds, as well as general and limited partners, entrepreneurs, and venture-backed growth stage and public companies. Over in Beijing, Lu Zhou advises multinational corporations, corporate ventures and private equity fund clients on cross-border transactions. Stephanie Tang heads the Greater China private equity group from Hong Kong.
China > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms
Representing leading multinational and Chinese clients across the mining, TMT, and life sciences fields, Hogan Lovells International LLP handles the full spectrum of corporate transactions, with a particular focus on cross-border M&A and restructurings. The practice includes a team of practitioners who advise on regulatory compliance and employment matters, while the Beijing-based head Liang Xu specialises in distressed M&A and special situations. Lu Zhou primarily concentrates on strategic business transactions, while in Shanghai, Don Williams has vast experience of acting for corporate ventures and private equity funds, and Tony Mou is a fund formation and corporate finance expert.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners China > Private equity: foreign firms
- TMT: foreign firms China
- Corporate and M&A: foreign firms China
- Private equity: foreign firms China