DLA Piper > Shanghai, China > Firm Profile

DLA Piper > The Legal 500 Rankings

China > Intellectual property: foreign firms Tier 1

DLA Piper‘s Greater China team has enviable sector expertise in media, sports, entertainment, consumer goods, food, retail, life sciences and technology. The group manages the IP portfolios of major global brands, while its IP advice covers cross-border anti-piracy operations, global trade mark clearances and disputes, acquisitions, and IP tax restructuring. The Asia IP practice is co-led by Beijing-based Horace Lam, whose practice covers pan-Asia brand protection strategies, cross-border IP litigation, infringement and enforcement work, technology and knowhow transfer and licensing, and IP structuring and transactions; and brand protection and enforcement specialist Edward Chatterton in Hong Kong. The mainland group also features recently promoted partner Ting Xiao, the leader of the firm’s patent practice in China; and senior IP team consultants Allen Xu and Asher Yan. In late 2021, William (Skip) Fisher relocated from Shanghai to the firm’s Seattle office, while Reking Chen left the firm in November 2022.

China > Labour and employment: foreign firms Tier 1

DLA Piper‘s ‘functional‘ and ‘client-centric‘ employment law practice comes well recommended by its peers in the market and continues to attract clients, including several businesses requiring advice on matters that encompass multiple jurisdictions. It is also praised for its ‘flexibility and availability despite time zone differences‘ and for its ‘responsiveness and consistency‘. Johnny Choi‘s areas of particular expertise include the contentious removal of company executives, investigations into senior-level corruption and the defence of clients from intellectual property theft by departing employees. Associates Ying Li and Zhou Xu work closely with Choi and together advise on matters from restructuring to international secondments to employee misconduct.

China > Real estate and construction: foreign firms Tier 1

DLA Piper‘s presence in the real estate sector extends across Greater China and Hong Kong, with an offering tailored towards end-users, developers and funds seeking advice on a variety of corporate real estate issues. Leading the practice from Hong Kong is ‘very experienced‘ Susheela Rivers, noted for her advice on real estate matters concerning the hospitality and leisure sectors, having recently acted for Crane Capital in a joint venture investment designed for the acquisition of a portfolio relating to industrial buildings in Shanghai. Acting alongside her in this matter was Ed Sheremeta, with notable expertise in transactional work, including with regard to private equity investments. Lillian Duan, who divides her time between Shanghai and Beijing is another key contact, bolstering the firm’s ability to handle a range of transactional work in relation to the real estate sector for major investment institutions and property funds.

China > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 2

Active across sectors including insurance, life sciences, semiconductors, automobiles and logistics, DLA Piper advises on an equally broad range of transactions, acting on mandates for acquisitions, disposals, mergers and investments. The team is particularly noted for its work with investment funds, including private equity houses, where its clients include Chinese private and state-owned funds as well as international sponsors. The group is jointly led from Shanghai by Roy Chan, a specialist in the insurance and financial services sectors, and Qiang Li, who handles both strategic M&A and private equity transactions. Stewart Wang and Beijing-based James Chang are also key figures in the practice with substantial experience in cross-border M&A.

China > Dispute resolution: Litigation: foreign firms Tier 2

DLA Piper fields a team of dedicated practitioners with deep knowledge in a range of proceedings. Apart from shareholder and director disputes, the practice also handles private client litigation at a domestic and international level. Led by Kevin Chan in Hong Kong, who has more than 20 years of experience representing international companies in complex commercial disputes, the team has considerable expertise in multi-jurisdictional work, benefitting from the support of members based in Shanghai and Beijing in addition to the firm’s offshore presence. Also noted at the partner level are Harris Chan, who has a broad disputes practice covering issues between shareholders and directors, construction disputes and internet fraud, and Satpal Gobindpuri, well regarded for his extensive knowledge of commercial disputes involving product liability, trade mark, fraud and trade.

China > Fintech: foreign firms Tier 2

DLA Piper‘s Hong Kong-based fintech practice is ‘very familiar with blockchain technology, decentralised finance and cryptocurrency‘. The group acts across a range of matters, including payments, robo advisory, alternative payments, security and digital assets, and the operation of crypto-currency exchanges and other online platforms. In late 2021, Kristi Swartz, instrumental in developing Hong Kong’s fintech ecosystem, joined from now-closed Swartz, Binnersley & Associates, to head the fintech practice; and within the associate pool, Winson Lau is a fintech and digital assets practitioner, whose workload frequently involves analysing regulatory licensing and compliance requirements and Angele Lok‘s experience includes advising on tokenisation and related blockchain matters. During 2022, of counsel Alice Li, an emerging and disruptive technologies expert, was recruited from Deacons, while former Asia head of the firm’s global technology and fintech sector initiative, Scott Thiel , moved to lead TOKO, the firm’s digital asset creation engine.

China > Private equity: foreign firms Tier 2

Delivering ‘great technical excellence and business acumen with real- world solutions‘, DLA Piper‘s Greater China private equity practice advises on the legal and commercial issues that arise at all stages of the private equity life cycle (both within and out of China). The group acts for high-profile private equity funds, established investment firms, and family offices and other equity financial investors, on buyouts, M&A, cross-border transactions, joint ventures, and control and minority investments. Other key areas range from venture and growth capital, to distressed investments, fund formation and limited partner investments. In Shanghai, the recent track record of ‘practical‘ Stewart Wang and Qiang Li includes advising Wise Road Capital on its $1.46bn acquisition of Taiwanese semiconductor giant, ASE Technology Co. Over in Beijing, James Chang is a transactional and regulatory specialist, while Hong Kong-based Luke Gannon is the firm’s highly regarded Asia corporate head.

China > Shipping: foreign firms Tier 2

The ‘client-oriented‘ DLA Piper provides a range of shipping law advice and related services to its global client base, which includes insurance companies, banks and maritime developers. Ernest Yang and Kevin Chan oversee the China practice from Hong Kong, while Xiaoshan Chen, with his extensive experience in international arbitration, represents the firm in Shanghai. Chen has considerable experience in handling international disputes covering areas such as charterparties, shipbuilding, sale of goods, trade, commodities, ship sale and purchase and marine insurance. Clients praise the practice for its commercial risk assessment work and for its ‘sound judgment in planning and managing dispute resolution matters’.

China > Tax: foreign firms Tier 2

DLA Piper‘s extensive tax practice advises clients on a wide range of international and domestic tax issues from corporate and individual tax planning to dispute resolution. Its lawyers have extensive experience in M&A tax matters, including post-acquisition integration and supply chain management. They also work on structuring inbound and outbound investment and contractual relationships. Windson Li has almost two decades of experience in Chinese and cross-border tax services. He specialises in combined tax and corporate planning services for foreign investment in China. Tina Xia leads China tax matters from Hong Kong and was appointed Head of China Tax in May 2022. Daniel Chan retired and Doris Ho left the firm.

China > Investment funds: foreign firms Tier 3

With a range of specialists, DLA Piper‘s investment fund practice is distinguishable for its geographical spread, advising clients on Hong Kong, UK, US, Australia and PRC law, while covering China-based hedge, real estate, and private equity fund formation issues. Leading the Asia funds and investment management practice is Hong Kong-based Luke Gannon, noted for his vast experience handling high-profile fund deals.

China > Life sciences and healthcare: foreign firms Tier 3

Acting for both foreign multinational corporations and China-based clients, DLA Piper‘s active and sizeable Greater China team fields specialists in corporate law, IP, regulatory and compliance, investigations, capital markets, employment and tax. The China life sciences practice is co-led by Hong Kong-based compliance and investigations specialist, Sammy Fang; and recently promoted partner Ting Xiao in Shanghai, who focuses on life sciences-related regulatory and IP work. Also on the mainland, Qiang Li‘s broad corporate practice includes advising Chinese life science companies, while Christine Liu in Hong Kong represents pharmaceutical and medical device companies in internal investigations.

China > Projects and energy: foreign firms Tier 3

Benefiting from a ‘highly knowledgeable‘ team, DLA Piper draws from its combined international and Greater China presence, handling outbound investments for major Chinese clients with respect to South East Asia. Matthias Schemuth heads the team with over 16 years of experience handling infrastructure financing matters in relation to the energy, mining, and metal sectors, regularly acting for sponsors, developers and multilateral lending agencies. Also a key contact, Carolyn Dong acts as the firm’s China energy head, specializing in major project mandates as well as acquisition financing and Sino-foreign joint ventures. Acting out of the Shanghai office, senior associate Simin Yu is noted for his greenfield project development, construction, financing and M&A experience. Key changes to the team include the arrival of Crystal Chen from Linklaters in May 2022. All named lawyers are based in Hong Kong unless otherwise stated.

China > Regulatory/compliance: foreign firms Tier 3

DLA Piper has a dedicated regulatory and investigations team, focusing primarily on compliance reviews, regulatory advice, and internal and regulatory investigations for both international and China-based MNCs. Due to the firm’s wide global network, it also has a strong focus on cross-border mandates. Whilst it has a busy practice handling traditional white-collar crime, internal fraud, anti-bribery, and anti-corruption investigations, it also has a growing practice in relation to cybercrime-related reviews and investigations in recent years. The team is co-led by Sammy Fang and Nathan Bush from Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively. Also notable is Christine Liu whose practice focuses on corporate investigations and compliance.

China > Restructuring and insolvency: foreign firms Tier 3

DLA Piper‘s Hong Kong-based restructuring and insolvency practice covers formal insolvencies, bank workouts, bond/note restructurings, and other special situations. The experience of energy sector head for China, Carolyn Dong, includes representing insolvency practitioners and special situations investors, while former restructuring and insolvency head, Mark Fairbairn, recently left the firm.

China > TMT: foreign firms Tier 3

DLA Piper‘s Hong Kong-based APAC privacy and cyber practices are led by Carolyn Bigg, who assists with implementing and managing data privacy compliance programmes, as well as managing cyber incidents across Asia. In May 2022, Lauren Hurcombe, who advises e-commerce and technology sector clients on market entry strategies and expansion projects, was made partner, while fintech lawyer Alice Li joined as of counsel from Deacons. Other recent developments included the late 2021 recruitment of fintech head Kristi Swartz from now-closed Swartz, Binnersley & Associates, while former practice head Scott Thiel moved to lead TOKO, the firm’s digital asset creation engine.

China > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 4

DLA Piper's Hong Kong-based team is regularly instructed on a range of banking and finance matters, including margin lending, structured finance, multilateral lending agency financings and acquisition finance. Practice head Matthias Schemuth focuses on international banking, structured commodity and trade finance, asset finance and leasing finance across the Asia region. Adding to the firm’s transactional expertise is Paul Lee, handling cross-border financings, acquisition finance and share-backed financing matters, while Crystal Chen, who joined the firm from Linklaters in May 2022, strengthens the team’s inbound and outbound transaction capabilities. Of counsel Tom Van Hoof is recommended for acquisition and leveraged finance.