White & Case > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Firm Profile

White & Case > The Legal 500 Rankings

Hong Kong > Banking and finance Tier 1

The ‘very technical and also commercially-minded’ banking and finance team at White & Case stands out for its prowess in cross-border transactions across Greater China and the wider APAC region, boasting the ability to provide advice on US, English, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japanese law. The team excels as a strong performer in both lender and sponsor-side matters, making it a prime choice for assistance in cross-border structures encompassing leveraged finance, private credit, and pre-IPO finance. Leading the practice is Eugene Man, an expert in structured private debit and credit financing matters who also shines in leveraged financing. Other noteworthy team members include Baldwin Cheng, renowned for his robust affiliations with alternative capital providers and private equity funds throughout Asia, focusing on leveraged and acquisition financings, alongside trade and sponsor loans; Daniel Abercromby, a seasoned lawyer applauded for the breadth of his high-profile financing experience; and Clara Shirota, who splits her time between Hong Kong and Tokyo, and frequently advises private equity funds and other strategic investors.

Hong Kong > Private equity Tier 1

The team at White & Case is known for advising a lucrative client roster of funds, namely CVC Capital, Goldman Sachs, and PAG. Having experienced growth in the digital health and digital infrastructure sectors, the team exhibits deep knowledge surrounding investments and M&A concerning data centers and bioprocessing. Team lead Daniel Yeh is commended for his vast experience in advising sovereign wealth funds and financial investors on take-private transactions. Steven Sha is noted for his broad knowledge of de-SPAC transactions and pre-IPO financings. William Fong regularly assists a number of private equity sponsors with domestic and international divestitures and acquisitions. Having been promoted to partner in January 2023, Tzi-Yang Seow’s practice remains focused on the Southeast Asian region, where he continues to provide expert advice.

Hong Kong > Investment funds Tier 2

Blending a ‘unique understanding of US and institutional LP requirements with a knowledge of local Asian markets’, White & Case has developed strong traction among fund managers and investors across a range of alternative investment strategies, traversing asset classes and geographies. Clients also benefit from the team’s ability to effectively co-ordinate resources across the firm’s global network, including in other leading fund centres, including London, New York and Luxembourg. Team head Anthony Wong has ‘deep expertise and experience across all aspects of fund formation’, including as it relates to hedge fund, credit fund and private equity structures, as well as on secondary transactions and work for sovereign wealth funds as institutional investors.

Hong Kong > Capital markets (debt) Tier 3

Led from Hong Kong by Jessica Zhou and able to call upon additional resources on mainland China and Singapore, in particular, White & Case provides a compelling offering to issuers and underwriters on international DCM mandates throughout the region. Among its recent highlights, the team advised issuers and investors in a number of private placement, liability management, and restructuring transactions.

Hong Kong > Corporate (including M&A) Tier 3

The team at White & Case acts for a varied client roster, which notably includes Cathay Industries, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, and Petronas. In the past year, the group has experienced an increase in activity surrounding investments by global sponsors into energy transition and digital infrastructure. ‘Extraordinary strategist’ Christopher Kelly heads the practice, and is known for his longstanding expertise in transactions within the energy transition space across Asia, regularly assisting infrastructure funds with M&A. Daniel Yeh leads on the private equity side, advising sovereign wealth funds and manufacturing companies on co-investments and M&A, and Paul Tang predominantly advises private equity-backed portfolios and sponsors on investments in China, in addition to overseas acquisitions.

Hong Kong > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

The sizeable six-partner practice at White & Case advises creditors on the full spectrum of restructuring and insolvency matters, many of which involve cross-border intricacies. The team effectively leverages its American origins to offer advice on US insolvency matters to companies connected to China and other Asian countries, while also frequently tapping into its expertise in emerging markets, including Indonesia, India, the Philippines, and Thailand. Eugene Man spearheads the team and focuses on advising corporates and banking clients, encompassing diverse transactional aspects, such as M&A deals and financing matters. Sophie Lyall joined the firm from Ashurst in September 2023, bringing in considerable experience in large-scale cross-border restructuring matters in relation to loan and public or private bond debt.

Hong Kong > Structured finance and securitisation Tier 3

White & Case represents a wide array of clients in both international and local derivatives matters, spanning pivotal markets across the Asia-Pacific region. The team’s prowess is notably showcased in its coverage of derivatives designed for investment and hedging objectives, particularly excelling in equity-related transactions, with key engagements involving leading banks such as Credit Suisse. Leading the team is the ‘proactive and very diligent’ Nathaniel Crowley, who boasts significant expertise in OTC derivatives, structured finance, and a range of lending transactions. Further bolstering the team is Xuan Jin, whose specialisation in debt capital markets is accentuated by niche proficiencies in sustainable finance and Islamic finance. This wide-ranging skill set extends beyond his representation of financial institutions to encompass sovereign entities, a testament to Jin’s versatile capabilities.

Hong Kong > Dispute resolution: litigation

China > Banking and finance: foreign firms

‘Highly focused on making sure deals get done‘, White & Case LLP is consistently involved in sizeable Greater China finance transactions, and in addition to the firm’s widely respected lender-side work, the practice has significant borrower financing capabilities. The team is also increasingly active on behalf of alternative capital providers. In Beijing, David Li focuses predominantly on China inbound and outbound financing deals, and associate Cherry Zhou acts for Chinese and international financial institutions and borrowers on acquisition, corporate and project finance transactions. Over in Shanghai, senior consultant Frank Shu is experienced in acquisition, structured and real estate finance. Hong Kong-based Eugene Man, an expert in leveraged financing and structured private debt, leads the Asia-Pacific banking and capital markets practice, and Baldwin Cheng, who actively contributes towards the development of the firm’s sponsor-side financing practice, routinely acts for alternative capital providers and private equity funds.

China > Private equity: foreign firms

Leveraging the firm’s in-depth expertise in sponsor finance, public M&A and IP, White & Case LLP’s private equity team in Greater China boasts an impressive roster of global clients such as Carlyle, CVC, Goldman Sachs and LionRock; global co-head and head of Asia PE Daniel Yeh is a key contact in Hong Kong for these powerhouses. As well as the gamut of PE areas, the practice offers an extensive range of sector specific expertise that covers consumer and retail, telecoms, digital infrastructure and renewable energies. China head Alex Zhang splits his time between Shanghai and Beijing, being particularly well regarded for handling both inbound and outbound transactions with multi-jurisdictional issues. Christopher Kelly is another key contact in Hong Kong and regularly acts for major sponsors, being especially strong in Asia’s energy transition industry. William Fong primarily advises PE sponsors and their portfolio companies on cross-border M&A and divestitures with a Chinese nexus.

China > Regulatory/compliance: foreign firms

The corporate investigations team at White & Case LLP advises multinationals on their Chinese operations and any challenges they may face, such as regulatory and criminal enforcement, investigations and associated civil claims. A stand-out area of the practice is its expertise in parallel investigation proceedings in response to cross-border inquiries by regulatory authorities. Bingna Guo leads the team from Beijing, and is an expert in compliance investigation and litigation. Guo is well-versed in the FCPA, Chinese anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws, and the UKL bribery act, making her a go-to for firms with multijurisdictional compliance matters. James Hsiao provides key support, and handles international anti-corruption investigations, international arbitration, and commercial litigation from Hong Kong.