Kirkland & Ellis International LLP > Beijing, China > Firm Profile

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

China > Dispute resolution: Litigation: foreign firms Tier 1

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP‘s team is routinely instructed by clients facing bet-the-company claims across Greater China. Cross-border dispute specialist Tiana Zhang, who has litigation experience in both the US and China, leads the Mainland China litigation practice from Shanghai, where Yue Qiu also acts in cross-border litigation. The Hong Kong practice is co-led by Paul Quinn, who focuses on professional negligence, cross-border claims, insolvency, fraud, directors’ duties, and shareholder disputes; financial disputes expert Amy Ngan, who is ‘always across the detail‘; and Fergus Saurin, a specialist in capital markets, M&A and shareholder disputes, as well as banking and international trade and investment cases. The other key figures are former practice co-head Kelly Naphtali, whose wide-ranging practice covers asset recovery, professional negligence, borrower default, and fund and shareholder disputes; Cori Lable, who leads the investigations and white-collar practice; and Jodi Wu, an expert in internal investigations, compliance and cross-border litigation.

China > Private equity: foreign firms Tier 1

Drawing upon the firm’s global network, the China private equity practice at Kirkland & Ellis International LLP regularly handles the largest and most complex PE deals in the region, from joint ventures and PIPEs to LBOs and other M&A transactions. The offering is jointly led from Hong Kong by Gary Li and Jesse Sheley; with the former vastly experienced in complex leveraged buy-outs, take-privates and growth equity investments, and the latter a trusted advisor to PE firms, public and private companies, as well as SPACs and their targets. Peng Yu’s practice focuses exclusively on PE and M&A matters, with notable strengths in the technology, education, healthcare and life sciences sectors, while Joey Chau is highly regarded for her expertise in the Chinese market.

China > Restructuring and insolvency: foreign firms Tier 1

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP’ restructuring team is considered ‘market leaders’ with its contentious and non-contentious restructuring work for companies, banks, and bondholders. The team advises its expanding list of high-profile clients on various restructuring issues such as debt rescheduling and refinancings, receiverships and liquidations, and shareholder disputes. Neil McDonald, who heads the team, advises both domestic and international troubled clients on the full range of issues including advising ‘The Committee’ in respect of aspects of offshore notes issued by Evergrande Group. Kelly Naphtali handles challenging insolvency disputes, often to prevent the dissipation or movement of assets. Other key members include Wei Yang Lim who is considered a ‘stand out lawyer’ for high-profile equity sponsors and regularly advises sponsor portfolio companies with restructurings and distressed investments while Fergus Saurin offers a broad range of expertise including handling complex commercial and insolvency-related disputes.

China > Investment funds: foreign firms Tier 2

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Hong Kong-based team specialises in the formation and operation of private funds and has additional expertise in matters relating to buyout funds, credit funds, limited partner representations, distressed debt and restructuring. The practice is co-directed by a trio of experienced partners, comprising Justin Dolling, who handles the restructuring, leveraging and refinancing of private equity funds; Carol Liu, whose broad experience includes fund tender offers and advising on equity stakes transactions; and Damian Jacobs, who majors on the acquisition of portfolios and the restructuring of funds.

China > Regulatory/compliance: foreign firms Tier 2

‘Experienced, knowledgeable, and responsive‘, the regulatory and compliance practice at Kirkland & Ellis International LLP uses the firms’ international presence to advise on a slew of regulatory and compliance issues for both domestic and international companies. The practice works across a number of industries including global private equity sponsors, asset managers, and multinational corporations. It is particularly adept at managing alleged financial frauds, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and economic sanctions. In Shanghai, co-head Tiana Zhang is a ‘leader in the field‘ of regulatory compliance, and is sought out by clients for her skill in US and China cross-border crisis management, including complex financial fraud investigations. Co-leading the team from Hong Kong are Cori Lable and Jodi Wu. Lable is skilled at multijurisdictional matters involving sanctions compliance and securities law, while Wu focuses on cross-border litigation and white collar criminal defence. Yue Qiu is also noted for her litigation skills.

China > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 3

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP‘s China team is consistently sought out by public and private companies to advise on high-stakes M&A deals. The multidisciplinary team comprises specialists in public and private M&A, capital markets, finance, private funds and other transactional practices, and it is particularly active in SPAC M&A transactions. The practice is jointly led from the Hong Kong office by Pierre-Luc Arsenault, Joey Chau, David Patrick Eich and Paul Guan, alongside Gary Li, Nicholas Norris, Jesse Sheley, Peng Yu and David Zhang.

China > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 4

‘Offering best-in-class advice and seamless deal execution‘, Kirkland & Ellis‘ banking and finance team in Asia is widely lauded for its representation of private equity sponsors, as well as the practice’s credit fund work. The Hong Kong-based practice is jointly led by Manas Chandrashekar and Jacqueline Zheng, an expert in cross-border acquisition and structured financing, direct lending, and special situations deals. Another active adviser is Karen Ho, who acts for global private equity sponsors on financings.