JunHe

JunHe has long been a clear leader in banking and finance, with a particular focus on the property, real estate, aircraft and shipping sectors. Clients include DBS Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. “Partners are close with governmental authorities whom can be reached for comments when we need clarity on newly promulgated regulations,” says a client. 

In August 2015, department head Nelson Zhou advised a take-private and syndication transaction where he acted as the PRC counsel for Shanghai Pudong Development Bank on the $800 million syndicated loan to Wuxi Merger and $300 million to the management group for the delisting of WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at $5.75 per share.

Tiejun Shi spearheads JunHe’s capital markets contingent. A client recommends Yongqiang Yu for his “technical knowledge” and “fast turnaround”. Yu represented Legend Holding Corporation when it issued more than 350 million H shares and raised more than HK$15 billion in its Hong Kong IPO. The firm also acted as the PRC counsel to Chia Tai Enterprise International on its spin-off from its parent company C P Pokphand and listing on the main board of the HKSE. The firm also advises on tax, regulatory and other issues related to offshore restructurings and listings.

Janet Hui of JunHe is an outstanding player in competition and antitrust. “Janet is one of the few earliest people to handle merger control filings; she is very experienced and hands-on,” says a peer. In Shell’s proposed acquisition of BG Group, Hui represented Shell in preparing and completing the merger control filing, which MOFCOM approved unconditionally. This was a very complicated case due to the considerable capital ($70 billion) and multiple jurisdictions involved.

Led by Wei Zhang and Janet Hui, JunHe’s corporate department advises on foreign direct investment, private equity investment, reorganisation and overseas investment. In November 2015, the firm advised China National Tire & Rubber, ChemChina’s tyre making division, on the buy-out of Italian company Pirelli, the world’s fifth-largest tyre maker, in a €7 billion deal. ChemChina used its own funds and obtained a syndicated loan provided by China Development Bank, China Construction Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China to finance the share purchase.  Silk Road Fund also made an equity investment in the acquisition. 

JunHe has long been a top tier firm in Asialaw Profiles’s dispute resolution league tables. Zhao Wang, Weining Zou and Honghuan Liu are known as the “three dispute pillars at JunHe”. Commercial, intellectual property and maritime disputes are the firm’s strengths. In October 2015, the firm secured a win at the first instance court for Shanghai Yicai Media and one of its journalists in a suit brought by Master Kong Instant Noodle Investment. The plaintiff sought damages amounting to Rmb180 million, the highest compensation claimed in a defamation dispute in China.

JunHe’s team has a wealth of knowledge of energy and natural resources law which helps them receive a considerable amount of mandates to do with investment in and financing of infrastructure projects.  Jiangang Wang and Fang Yi jointly head the team. The firm advised China Development Bank on granting a limited-recourse project finance loan to UEP, a controlled subsidiary of the Orient Group, for the construction and operation of a 900MW wind power project in Pakistan. “All the lawyers I worked with are all well-trained. They won’t let you down,” says a client.

JunHe’s highly-recommended regulatory and compliance team includes Weining Zou and Rongrong Yan. The firm has a track record of advising multinational and Chinese companies on compliance matters and pharmaceutical, medical device and auto parts clients on complex cases. The firm advised a US company on data acquisition and state secrets policies in its cooperation with a Chinese state-owned enterprise.

At JunHe, Liang Deng advised Morgan Stanley Asia Securities on its subscription of shares equivalent to Rmb5.7 million through a private placement in ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance, an internet insurance company in China. The firm also provides services in liability defence, claim handling, recovery, insurance products, reinsurance, marine and non-marine insurance, legal risk management, and compliance.

JunHe is advising Ping An Life Insurance Company of China on its investment in Vista Equity Partners Fund VI, a Cayman fund which makes private equity investments in enterprises mostly located in North America. Sammuel Zhao of the Beijing office teamed up with New York colleagues to advise on the due diligence, compliance and issuance.

JunHe’s expertise lies in satisfying TMT companies’s needs in corporate and private equity fund matters. Maochang Li frequently advises technology-focused private equity funds on a range of transactions including restructuring, financing and exits. Jun Gong has extensive exposure in advising media companies on general corporate matters. In 2015, the firm advised Orchid Asia, a leading investor, on a $160 million Series D financing for Chinese e-commerce company JIA.com.

JunHe features veteran partner Jianjun Ma and practice head Dongpeng Wang. The team provides one-stop services in employment and labour, with a focus in pharmaceutical, IT and manufacturing. Ma advised Shanghai Jahwa before the labour arbitration tribunal and court in a labour dispute with a former general manager arising from termination because of significant misconduct and negligent behaviour.

JunHe is a one-stop-shop for all kinds of PE mandates, supported by notable partners Binxue Sang and Zheng Xie. The firm has been assisting international and local PE funds seeking investments and acquisitions within and outside China. JunHe’s participation in Giant Interactive’s leveraged buyout has proven the firm’s strong capability in advising PE funds on acquisition financing and capital market financing in such transactions.

JunHe houses a team of specialists in projects and infrastructure, including the highly regarded partners Yu Qin and Fang Yi, who is experienced in advising on national projects, including the West-East natural gas transmission project, Shanghai’s natural gas supply project and Shanghai Lingang gas-fired power plant construction project. The firm also represented Beijing Municipal Transport Commission on the concession agreement for a suburban expressway build-operate-transfer (BOT) project.

Minhai Liang heads JunHe’s restructuring and insolvency department. In 2015, Liang was appointed to represent China at the 48th session meeting of the the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group V (Insolvency Law) in Vienna, a testament to her solid standing in the practice domestically and internationally. In October 2015, the firm was designated by Shanghai Yangpu District People’s Court to advise the shareholders of the state-owned Shanghai Shengqin Car Service on its compulsory liquidation due to a conflict of interest among its shareholders.

JunHe has a highly-regarded tax practice, advising clients on Chinese tax law and bilateral tax treaty issues. Julie Cheng has a track record in advising foreign companies on domestic tax proceedings and disputes that arise when they invest and operate in China. Reputable tax partner Dingfa Liu left JunHe to join FuJae Law Firm in December 2015.