Firm Profile > Shearman & Sterling > Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Shearman & Sterling Offices
21st Floor Gloucester Tower
The Landmark
15 Queen’s Road Central
Hong Kong
Shearman & Sterling > The Legal 500 Rankings
Investment funds Tier 2
Shearman & Sterling has dedicated expertise on both private equity and hedge funds. Being a US-headquartered firm with on-the-ground coverage for regulatory matters, it is well-placed to handle US and Hong Kong securities regulations. It has strong experience advising both GPs and LPs, and has advised on funds sponsored by multiple governments, government-owned financial institutions and development finance institutions. Practice head Lorna Xin Chen has over 20 years of experience in the investment funds and private equity space. Counsel Sean Murphy acts for private equity, venture and growth capital, real estate, infrastructure, credit and hedge fund sponsors.
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Testimonials
‘Their understanding of the market and clients’ needs are key strengths’.
‘They can take the initiative to give us constructive suggestions for our fund products, the regulatory environment and even some strategic matters’.
‘They are mindful of our needs in cost control and can sometimes propose ways to improve the efficiency’.
‘Lorna Chen has a very good combination of technical sophistication and commerciality’.
‘Lorna Chen’s clients benefit greatly from her solid experiences and her ability to integrate the firm’s resources on a cross-border basis’.
‘Sean Murphy is very technically solid and has good commercial sense’.
‘Sean Murphy is responsive and provides a very fast turnover’.
‘We are impressed by Sean Murphy’s capability in cross culture communication’.
Key clients
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
CarVal Investors, LLC
China Creation Ventures (CCV)
China Investment Corporation (CIC)
CITIC Capital
CITIC Securities International (CITIC CLSA)
Frontier Service Group
ICBC International Holdings Limited (ICBCI)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Investcorp Securities Limited
KKR Asia
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC)
Noah Wealth Management
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)
Capital markets (debt) Tier 3
Shearman & Sterling has a focus on bond offerings for Chinese real estate companies and also has a track record of high-yield transactions in the automotive, infrastructure, oil and gas, and metal and mining sectors. It advises issuers and underwriters on US, Hong Kong and English law with support from its global network of offices. Practice head Kyungwon Lee is recommended for public and private, international and US offerings of common and preferred stock, high-yield and investment grade bonds. Alan Yeung is experienced in the debt and high-yield markets in China, Indonesia and Mongolia. Matthew Bersani retired.
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Key clients
J.P. Morgan Securities plc
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC)
Morgan Stanley
Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited
China CITIC Bank International Limited
CMB International Capital Limited
Deutsche Bank AG
Guotai Junan Securities (Hong Kong) Limited
Haitong International Securities Company Limited
Bank of China
CLSA
CK Hutchison Holdings Limited
New Metro Global Limited & Seazen Holdings Co., Ltd.
China Petrochemical Corporation
WLB Asset II Pte. Ltd.
Corporate (including M&A) Tier 3
Shearman & Sterling acts for large Chinese SOEs, financial institutions and well-known corporates on multi-jurisdictional M&A, and strategic transactions. The firm’s China-related M&A experience is spread across a broad range of sectors including TMT, infrastructure, energy, financial services and asset management. Head of practice Li Chen, who splits her time between Beijing and Hong Kong, handles corporate and private equity matters in Greater China and further afield.
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Testimonials
‘The law firm’s offices in various countries cooperate with each other and can give our foreign and Chinese teams very timely and comprehensive support’.
‘Li Chen and his team are very dedicated, with rich industry experience and profound legal knowledge, and can always give clients comprehensive support’.
Key clients
Bain Capital
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)
CarVal Investors, LLC
China Merchant Funds
China National Petroleum Company International/PetroChina
China State Construction Engineering Corporation
China Telecom Corporation (CTC)
China-LAC Co-operation Fund
Danone Asia Pte Ltd
Huawei
Hubei Science & Technology Investment Group
InfrAlpha Advisors (Hong Kong) Limited
Jiangxi Railway Investment Group Corporation
RCIF Asset Management
Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI)
Shanghai Electric Group
Sino Ocean Group
State Grid International Development
Taikang Insurance
Temasek
ZZ Capital
Dispute resolution: international arbitration Tier 3
Shearman & Sterling's 'professional' team continues to represent the Republic of China in an ongoing ICSID arbitration brought against the client by German company Hela Schwarz, under the China-Germany bilateral investment treaty. Practice head Nils Eliasson (who operates out of the firm's Beijing and Hong Kong offices) is noted for his expertise in investment and commercial disputes. Hong Kong-based associate Kitty Zheng is also a key contact.
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The People’s Republic of China
Private equity Tier 3
Shearman & Sterling's Greater China practice – which houses M&A, fund formation, and leverage finance practitioners across Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai - has strong penetration among a plethora of alternative private capital institutions, including sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and pension funds, and is consequently involved in a sizeable number of high-profile mandates, where such clients are involved in either a passive or active co-investor role. Team head Li Chen advises international and China-based funds and corporates on inbound and outbound work and is appreciated not only for her core transactional prowess but also her knowledge of the concomitant regulatory compliance issues, including as it relates to CFIUS.
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Key clients
Agricultural Bank of China (ABCI)
Asia Development Bank (ADB)
Bain Capital
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)
CarVal Investors, LLC
China Investment Cooperation (CIC)
China Merchants Capital
China National Petroleum Company International/PetroChina
China Resources Capital
China State Construction Engineering Corporation
China Telecom Corporation
China-LAC Co-operation Fund
China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE)
Danone Asia
Export Import Bank of China
Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)
Haitong International
Huawei
Hubei Science & Technology Investment Group
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Investcorp China
Jiangxi Railway Investment Group Corporation
KKR Asia
Korean Investment Corporation (KIC)
Mubadala Capital China
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)
RCIF Asset Management
Shanghai Electric Group
Sino Ocean Group
State Grid International Development Limited
Taikang Insurance
Telecommunication Industrial Fund
Temasek
ZZ Capital
Capital markets (equity) Tier 5
Shearman & Sterling advises advising both issuers and underwriters on Hong Kong IPOs and US IPOs for Chinese companies. With US, Hong Kong and English law capabilities, the firm is well-placed to advice on international matters. Kyungwon Lee relocated from New York to Hong Kong in early 2019 to lead the Asia capital markets practice. Matthew Bersani retired.
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Key clients
Morgan Stanley
Citigroup Global Markets Limited
BofA Securities
Central Retail Corporation Public Company Limited
Goldman Sachs
J.P. Morgan
Haitong International Securities Company Limited
China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited
CLSA Limited
Merrill Lynch
Asia Pacific: Regional International Arbitration > Leading firms Tier 3
Led by Nils Eliasson who splits his time between Beijing and Hong Kong, Shearman & Sterling’s Asia Pacific-based practice is well-versed in commercial and investment treaty arbitration. It counts energy, construction, infrastructure, financial and telecoms cases, along with M&A and joint-venture related disputes are among its areas of specialism; Beijing-based Emmanuel Jacomy is particularly active in the energy and mining space.
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Shearman & Sterling > Firm Profile
The firm
The Hong Kong office of Shearman & Sterling was opened in 1978 and it was the firm’s first office in the Asia region. It offers US, Hong Kong and English law capabilities, and is staffed by professionals with diverse backgrounds and language skills. The office services international clients in all jurisdictions in Asia and connects them with markets in every industry sector across the world. Recognised as the go-to international firm, it has successfully closed some of the region’s largest IPOs, innovative debt financings, complex M&A transactions, landmark project development and financing projects, as well as significant private equity and hedge fund transactions. The Hong Kong office also offers litigation and antitrust advice, as well as compliance training to multinational corporations, financial institutions and individuals throughout Asia in shareholder litigation, FCPA/anti-corruption, antitrust, economic sanctions, anti-money laundering and other regulatory and investigative matters.
Shearman & Sterling has represented many of the world’s leading corporations, financial institutions, emerging growth companies, state- owned enterprises, governments and governmental organisations for more than 146 years. It is committed to providing legal advice that is insightful and valuable to clients. The firm distinguishes itself by harnessing the intellectual strength and deep experience of its lawyers across its extensive global footprint. It has the capability to mobilise resources throughout its 23 offices worldwide to provide clients with professional legal advice and support. The firm’s lawyers are fluent in more than 60 languages and they practice Hong Kong, US, English, French, German, Italian, EU, OHADA and Saudi law, as well as Dubai International Financial Centre law and Abu Dhabi Global Market law. The firm is organised as a single, integrated partnership with approximately 850 attorneys in 23 offices located throughout Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, please visit Shearman & Sterling’s website at www.shearman.com.
Areas of practice
Shearman & Sterling’s main practice areas include: anti-corruption and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), antitrust, appellate litigation, capital markets, compensation, governance and ERISA, corporate governance, criminal law, regulation and enforcement, derivatives and structured products, emerging growth, environmental, European bank recovery and resolution, finance, financial institutions advisory and financial regulatory, financial institutions investigations and enforcement, financial restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property litigation, intellectual property transactions, international arbitration, international trade and investment, investment funds, Islamic finance, leveraged finance, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, privacy and data protection, private client, private equity and hedge funds, privatisation, pro bono, project development and finance, public international law, real estate, state controlled companies/sovereign wealth funds, structured finance, and tax.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking and finance | Xiaogang (Sean) Wang | ||
| Capital markets | Alan Yeung | ||
| Capital markets | Kyungwon (Won) Lee | ||
| Capital markets | Max Hua | ||
| Corporate and M&A | Max Hua | ||
| Corporate and M&A | Xiaogang (Sean) Wang | ||
| Corporate and M&A | Li Chen | ||
| Corporate and M&A | Lorna Xin Chen | ||
| Investment funds | Lorna Xin Chen | ||
| International arbitration | Nils Eliasson | ||
| International arbitration | Emmanuel Jacomy | ||
| Litigation and investigations | Brian G Burke | ||
| Private equity/venture capital | Lorna Xin Chen | ||
| Private equity/venture capital | Li Chen | ||
| Projects and energy | Xiaogang (Sean) Wang | ||
| Telecommunications, Media and Technology | Li Chen |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Mr Sidharth Bhasin | PartnerHead of Shearman & Sterling’s India practice | View Profile |
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Mr Brian Burke | PartnerHead of Shearman & Sterling’s Asia Litigation and Investigations practice | View Profile |
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Lorna Xin Chen | Partner Asia Regional Managing Partner Head of Greater China | View Profile |
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Li Chen | Partner | View Profile |
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Nils Eliasson | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Kyungwon (Won) Lee | PartnerShearman & Sterling’s Capital Markets-Asia Team Leader | View Profile |
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Sean Murphy | Counsel | View Profile |
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Ms Hae-Ran Song | Counsel | View Profile |
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Mr Paul Strecker | Global Head of the Private Capital Industry Group and a partner in… | View Profile |
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Mr Xiaogang (Sean) Wang | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Alan Yeung | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 850 approx In China : 40 approxLanguages
Cantonese English French German Italian Japanese Korean Mandarin Shanghainese Spanish SwedishTop Tier Firm Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Investment funds
- Capital markets (debt)
- Corporate (including M&A)
- Dispute resolution: international arbitration
- Private equity
- Capital markets (equity)