Ropes & Gray LLP > Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Firm Profile

Ropes & Gray LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Hong Kong > Investment funds Tier 2

Drawing upon a ‘strong understanding of the private equity space’, the lean team at Ropes & Gray LLP provides a ‘careful, bespoke and thoughtful service’ to international and regional fund managers, which are appreciative of the firm’s ability to provide ‘commercial rationale on the comments from counter-parties’ due to its additional work for investors. Team head Vincent Ip is pivotal to the firm’s success in the market and is ‘able to understand/explain issues from a business perspective, helping clients make decisions based on balanced views and advice’. The ‘commercially minded’ Chune Loong Lum ‘brings a deep understanding of the pan-Asian landscape to both sponsors and investors’, both through his time in the Hong Kong office, and during time spent in the Shanghai office.

Hong Kong > Regulatory: anti-corruption and compliance Tier 2

Led by Andrew Dale, Ropes & Gray LLP's ‘highly experienced’ anti-corruption and international risk team is best known for its work on behalf of an impressive roster of private equity clients, which are appreciative of its ability to provide ‘commercial and solutions-focused advice’. The scope of this work runs across the gamut of anti-corruption mandates, from due diligence on potential corruption, FCPA, sanctions, and money-laundering risks associated with transactions in the region, through to compliance, monitoring, and investigations work for portfolio companies. Splitting his time between Boston and Hong Kong, Geoffrey Atkins handles a range of APAC-related anti-corruption work, including internal and regulatory investigations for life sciences and financial services clients.

Hong Kong > Banking and finance Tier 4

Counting private equity sponsors and portfolio companies among its key roster of clients, Ropes & Gray LLP is noted for its capability in handling leveraged acquisition across China and the Asia Pacific region. Jackie Kahng leads the team and advises on cross-border leveraged finance transactions, including acquisition finance and real estate finance mandates. Stephen Hui is another key contact in the group and handles matters concerning acquisition and leveraged finance, mezzanine finance, fund finance, direct lending and special situations debt investments.

Hong Kong > Private equity Tier 4

Ropes & Gray LLP is known for handling a wide variety of issues involving take-private acquisitions, M&A, and consortium leveraged buyouts. The group services a number of notable clients, including Bain Capital, Baring Private Equity Asia, and MBK Partners. Practice head Oliver Nip advises both international and regional asset managers and private equity sponsors on an array of matters, including minority investments and joint ventures.

Hong Kong > Corporate (including M&A) Tier 6

The practice at Ropes & Gray LLP continues to represent numerous technology companies and investment entities, in addition to venture capital firms in a broad range of transactional mandates. Practice head Oliver Nip is known for his broad knowledge spanning a broad range of issues, namely co-investments, joint ventures, and growth investments. Nip regularly assists Hong Kong listed companies and private equity firm sponsors.

China > Investment funds: foreign firms Tier 3

Ropes & Gray LLP‘s asset management team remains a strong choice for US and global sovereign wealth funds and practice head Vincent Ip also counts institutional investors and fund sponsors among his clients. The team advises on a full range of investment transactions, as well as secondary transactions, such as GP-led fund recapitalisations. With a ‘wealth of market experience‘, Chune Loong Lum offers advice on the establishment and operation of private investment funds across China and Asia.

China > Private equity: foreign firms Tier 3

Ropes & Gray LLP service major players in the Chinese and Asia Pacific private equity market, spanning the likes of Ares, Bain Capital, ICBC and TPG. The diversity of mandates received is mirrored by the range of sector specialists the practice offers, with technology, consumer goods, financial services and real estate considered key areas of expertise. Oliver Nip leads the Hong Kong-based practice, highly active across the spectrum of transactions including minority investments, buyouts, joint ventures and co-investments. Boxin Wang was promoted to counsel in November 2022 and is highly sought after by Chinese, Hong Kong and multinational clients.

China > Restructuring and insolvency: foreign firms Tier 3

China > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 4

Advising private equity sponsors on their financings across the Asia-Pacific region, Ropes & Gray LLP‘s core areas of expertise are leveraged and acquisition finance. The team also regularly works with Bain Capital on its finance deals in China, Japan and South Korea. Hong Kong-based Jackie Kahng is experienced in cross-border leveraged finance transactions, including acquisition and real estate financings, and Stephen Hui, who was promoted to counsel in November 2022, focuses on cross-border financing deals. Former restructuring partner Daniel Anderson  joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in May 2023.

China > Regulatory/compliance: foreign firms

Focusing on government and internal investigations, Ropes & Gray LLP is the go-to for life sciences, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies requiring regulatory and compliance assistance. The team also assists with cross-border and preventative mandates. In Hong Kong, practice head and enforcement specialist Andrew Dale is well-versed in representing global corporations in high-stakes corporate investigations, litigation, and arbitration. Working closely alongside Dale in Hong Kong is Geoffrey Atkins, who is active in civil and criminal anti-corruption and securities enforcement matters. Counsel Tina Yu provides on-the-ground presence, assisting in all litigation and enforcement matters from Shanghai.