Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > Beijing, China > Firm Profile
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Offices
2001 CHINA WORLD OFFICE 2
1 JIANGUOMENWAI AVENUE
BEIJING, 100004
China
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
China > Private equity: foreign firms Tier 1
The private equity group at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP specialises in the largest and most complex cross-border transactions for premium financial sponsor clients, handling deals of all types including auctions, exits, take-privates, distressed deals and PIPEs. Across both public and private transactions, the practice has demonstrated significant expertise in multiple growth sectors, from advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals to media and technology. Splitting his time between Shanghai and Beijing, China practice head Charles Ching is one of the best regarded PE lawyers in the region, who, in addition to representing top PE sponsors, is regularly referred to by major investment banks. In Beijing, counsel Yujing Liu focuses on representing Chinese companies in their outbound investments, while Shanghai-based Kenny Yu is adept regarding competitive and proprietary buyouts, as well as fund formation. Tim Gardner also has a strong reputation in the market.Practice head(s):
Charles Ching
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘With significant and long-term industry experience in the field of life sciences and healthcare, as well as outstanding achievements in domestic and foreign financing, the team is stable and provides continuous legal support to clients.’
‘They have managed to navigate through the crises and remained strong.’
‘Charles Ching has a rare combination of expertise in both US and Chinese PE practices.’
‘Weil is particularly experienced in the private equity market in China, with deep cross-border knowledge and execution capability. Diversity also stands out as a highlight.’
‘Charles Ching stands out as the best partner I worked with who has unmatched knowledge in both Chinese and international private equity and M&A market.’
‘Yujing Liu, who works for us on a couple of deals, is a very experienced legal counsel.’
‘Their practice is rather focused on complex M&A deals, particularly where there is a private equity angle. Their lawyers respond very quickly, precisely and commercially, particularly Charles Ching.’
‘In the mainland legal market, I don’t truly see many outstanding bilingual commercial/deal lawyers but Kenny Yu and Charles Ching are surely the two individuals that stand out of the crowd. The pair is terrific in that they execute deals at lightening-fast speed, and most importantly, at a quality that is reflective of a tier-one international law firm. Kenny Yu is up and coming and surely will go far in this market.’
Key clients
Advent International
Alibaba Group
BPEA EQT (formerly known as Baring Private Equity Asia)
CBC Group (formerly C-Bridge Capital)
Citigroup Asia
FountainVest Partners
Gores Guggenheim Inc.
Hillhouse Capital
Mr. Rick Yan (Co-founder and CEO of 51job, Inc.)
MBK Partners
PAG
Primavera Capital
TPG Growth
Work highlights
- Advised Advent International on its leveraged acquisition of a controlling stake in Shanghai Wagas, a Chinese health-food and bakery chain.
- Acting for Advent International on its investment in LBS Group, a pest control operation and hygiene solutions provider in Greater China.
- Advising Gores Guggenheim, Inc., a SPAC sponsored by affiliates of The Gores Group and Guggenheim Capital, on its $20bn business combination with Polestar Performance AB.
China > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 3
With ‘a reputation for being a great M&A firm in China‘, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is best known for its advice to corporate and financial sponsor clients on big-ticket cross-border acquisitions, mergers, takeovers, privatisations and disposals. The team also acts on distressed M&A, spin-offs and joint ventures in Greater China. It additionally has notable industry expertise in growth sectors such as e-commerce, media, entertainment, advanced manufacturing, and next generation infrastructure and technology. China practice head Charles Ching, who has ‘unmatched knowledge‘, regularly acts for Chinese clients on large, cross-border M&A transactions, while counsel Yujing Liu is a ‘well-rounded M&A lawyer‘.Practice head(s):
Charles Ching
Other key lawyers:
Yujing Liu; Kenny Yu
Testimonials
‘Extremely professional and very experienced M&A lawyers.’
‘Fully dedicated and committed team.’
‘Weil has a reputation for being a great M&A firm in China, with deep cross-border knowledge and execution capability. Diversity also stands out as a highlight.’
‘Charles Ching stands out as a great partner – he has unmatched knowledge in both Chinese and international private equity and the M&A market.’
‘Yujing Liu is a very knowledgeable and well-rounded M&A lawyer. Always available and has excellent client management skills.’
‘Yujing Liu is a very experienced lawyer.’
‘A small team but extremely efficient, particularly at the senior level.’
‘Kenny Yu and Charles Ching are two rare finds in the Mainland legal market that really possess the most important skills clients expect from senior attorneys at a top-tier international legal platform, namely: language skills (truly bilingual); commercial awareness; and most importantly, strong drafting capabilities.’
Key clients
Advent International
Alibaba Group
Citigroup Asia
CK Assets
Gores Guggenheim Inc.
Hillhouse Capital
TCL Zhonghuan Renewable Energy (formerly known as Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor, TZS)
TPG Growth
Work highlights
- Advised TCL Zhonghuan Renewable on its $207m investment (in the form of a convertible bond) into Maxeon Solar Technologies.
- Advised Advent International on its leveraged acquisition of a controlling stake in Shanghai Wagas, a Chinese health food and bakery chain.
- Advised Advent International on its investment in LBS Group, a pest control operation and hygiene solutions provider in Greater China.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > Firm Profile
The firm: Weil is one of the leaders in the marketplace for sophisticated, global legal services. With 15 offices and 1,100 lawyers across Asia, Europe, the US and the Middle East, the firm advises many of the world’s most successful organisations on complex, multi-jurisdictional corporate transactions as well as litigation and restructuring matters.
Weil has one of the deepest benches of deal-making experience in Asia, led by top-ranked M&A and private equity lawyers and backed by an international finance practice. The firm’s lawyers are qualified in the US, HK, the PRC, New South Wales and the UK.
Main areas of practice: Weil’s Asia practice focuses on corporate transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, leveraged and acquisition finance. It advises leading multinationals, private equity firms, hedge funds and financial institutions on transactions across the entire Asia-Pacific region. With its ‘one-firm’ approach, Weil’s Asia-based lawyers also work closely with lawyers from its other global offices to offer expertise on international tax, intellectual property, securities laws, restructuring and EU and US competition and regulatory matters.
Mergers and acquisitions: As part of a global M&A practice that is consistently ranked among the top tier both internationally and in each key market, Weil’s M&A group in Asia has comprehensive experience in complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions matters. The firm advises multinational corporate clients, SOEs and regional corporate clients on their inbound and outbound transactional matters, including HK, PRC and US public and private acquisitions and dispositions, takeovers, joint ventures, strategic alliances, tender offers and public-to-private transactions.
Private equity: Weil is a pioneer in private equity with experienced teams in the US, Europe and Asia representing first-tier private equity sponsors and investors on the full range of private equity matters.
The firm’s private equity lawyers in Asia have extensive experience advising the leading global and Asia regional players in the international private equity arena on all types of private equity transactions, including buyouts, growth capital investments, PIPEs, public-to-private transactions, recapitalisations, financings and divestitures.
Finance: Weil’s leading finance practices include premier global leveraged and acquisition lawyers and highly ranked capital markets and structured finance teams in Asia, Europe and the US.
The firm’s finance team in Asia frequently represent sponsors, corporate clients and financial institutions on all aspects of complex cross-border debt financing matters, including leveraged and acquisition financing, syndicated loans, recapitalisations, restructurings and special situations lending.
Restructuring: Weil invented much of what has become standard practice in the restructuring field. For more than 50 years, Weil has played a pivotal role in defining this field by offering creative, practical and thoughtful solutions for its clients. Weil’s global Restructuring group of more than 100 dedicated lawyers coordinate across the US, Europe and Asia to provide clients with tailored, seamless advice to complex cross-border restructurings.
Our Asia team counsels clients across industries on a range of distressed situations; we bring extensive experience advising both debtors and creditors in relation to contentious and non-contentious restructuring and insolvency matters in the Asia-Pacific region.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managing Partner, China | Charles Ching | charles.ching@weil.com | +86 21 6016 6308 | +86 10 6535 5288 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Charles Ching | Click here for full attorney bio. | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of Lawyers Worldwide : 1,100Languages
English Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin) Shanghainese- Private equity: foreign firms
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Corporate and M&A: foreign firms