Zhong Lun Law Firm

“I am impressed by its professionals and sophisticated deliverables at Zhong Lun,” says a client. Market leading lawyer Wantao Yang is experienced in transactions, cross-border dispute resolution and bankruptcy. Dongyue Chen advised IFC on a loan to Houze Small Loan and an equity investment in Houze’s Cayman shareholder. Shirley Lu advised a syndicate on a Rmb1.47 billion loan facility, one of the largest facilities GDS had raised, to finance its data centres in Shanghai.

Zhong Lun has a solid track record advising domestic clients on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE), Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) and NYSE. Anthony Zhao and William Jia advised JD.Com, a leading online direct sales company in China, on its $1 billion public offering of its notes registered in the US and listing on SGX. Zhao, Jia and Michael Gu advised Shandong Zhongji Electrical Equipment on its acquisition of material assets of Suzhou InnoLight Technology in stock and cash amounting to Rmb2.8 billion. In 2016, Zhao and Jia advised Jiayuan.com International, one of the largest dating websites in China on its going private and merger with Baihe Network, which is listed on China National Equities Exchanges and Quotations.

Zhong Lun has a long established and well-respected competition and antitrust team including leading lawyer Scott Yu and Ping Gu. Yi Xue, Yue Yin and Tian Gu are recommended by clients because “they have been to the point, familiar with recent developments and are flexible.” The firm represented China Resources Healthcare in filing the notification of concentration to MOFCOM for its acquisition by Phoenix Healthcare Group.

The real estate practice has long been the core practice at Zhong Lun. “Brilliant work done by the team, very responsive and thorough,” says a client. Fei Wang, Jihong Wang and Gavin Zhang are some of the prominent names in the firm. The firm advised Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment Company on the Rmb 100 billion construction of Universal Beijing Theme Park and Resort. The firm is also advising Beijing Samsung Real Estate on its Rmb4.29 billion construction of its Central Business District (CBD) Z2b plot project in Beijing.

“Zhong Lun provides excellent support bridging Western and Chinese practices and culture, swift response and good quality of deliverables,” says a client. Clients recommend the “experience and high-level negotiating skills” of Lefan Gong and the “quick and accurate” Cindy Guo. Anthony Zhao and Luke Zhang advised Khazanah Nasional on the Rmb11 billion restructuring and financing of Cainiao Logistics, an affiliate of Alibaba Group. Zhao, Zhang and Michael Gu advised China Taiping on the Rmb6.65 billion series A financing of JD Finance. The firm also advised Goldman Sachs and Muhe Capital Partners on the $500 million Series C+ financing of Shanghai Yiguo E-commerce.

“The lawyers at Zhong Lun are very professional and have given us many effective suggestions,” says a client. Market leading lawyer Lijun Cao lead the litigation and arbitration practice with Yuming Liu, Boming Liu and Wei Bao. Cao advised Leronda Holdings on the outstanding payments dispute before the Chongqing Fifth Intermediate People’s Court and Chongqing High People’s Court for the recognition and enforcement of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC court) award. The firm also represented Sino-Ocean Land in a Rmb285 million arbitration against the two individual shareholders before China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and an enforcement of a Rmb150 million arbitration award before the Wuhan Intermediate People’s Court.

Zhong Lun has a leading energy and natural resources practice that advises on environmental legal liability, risk and damages, and overseas mining investments. Clients entrust cases to the firm for it “understands many practices in Africa” and has “great language capability”. Yanmei Long “speaks excellent French” and is recommended by clients. Jun Cheng advised Shandong Gold Group on its $1 billion purchase of Glencore, a leading mining company based in Switzerland. Cheng also advised China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure) on an Ethiopian oil and gas investment project. In another highlight, Cheng advised Sichuan Railway Investment Group on a $247 million acquisition of an Australian gold-copper mine.

Zhong Lun’s expertise lies in compliance, anti-corruption and anti-commercial bribery advisory. Jun Gao advised Westport Fuel Systems (Westport) on compliance investigations against anonymous claims alleging that a Westport employee was involved in bribery and leaked commercial secrets. Gao also assisted Cadence Design System in providing compliance training on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act to its Chinese employees.

Zhong Lun specialises in advising insurance companies on private equity funds and IPO matters. Zanxin Zeng advised a Chinese investment company on purchasing a leading Chinese medical equipment manufacturer. Zeng assisted the client with due diligence and cross-border payment.

“Lawyers at Zhong Lun provide responsive, pragmatic, insightful advice. There is also no one else better to have in your corner for Chinese litigation matters,” says a client. “Top class IP service provider” Jimmy Huang is recommended by clients for his outstanding litigation skills. Jihong Chen acted for Bluestar Group in a Rmb69 million trade secret infringement against Nantong Wangmao before the Supreme People’s Court.

“Zhong Lun’s investment funds team is highly specialised and is ranked top among China’s fund formation practices. They have deep knowledge in the area and have a very high standard of service, being very responsive to client needs,” says a client. The “knowledgeable and skilled” Catherine Chen advised Warburg Pincus and D&J Industrial Real Estate Cayman Investment Holdings on the Rmb10 billion Dongjiu Zhiyan Shanghai equity investment fund partnership.

Zhong Lun has an excellent reputation in establishing cross-border JV platforms for domestic and overseas clients. Anthony Zhao, Michael Gu and William Jia advised Zhong Ji Electrical Equipment Stock on its Rmb2.8 billion acquisition of Suzhou InnoLight Technology. Zhao also advised Grand Flight Investments on its Rmb350 million series D investment in KXTX.cn, one of the largest logistics trading network platforms in China.

Carol Zhu at Zhong Lun advised a food and beverage company on a Rmb440 million redundancy project involving over 100 employees who were mainly transferred from the former state-owned company with long service years. Duan Haiyan advised Ansteel Group on a litigation against its affiliates involving the layoff of 1000 employees before the first and second-instance court.

The private equity and investment funds practice at Zhong Lun has a strong reputation in assisting equity investors on start-up, expansion and mezzanine financing. Anthony Zhao and Luke Zhang advised Best Logistics Technologies for its $760 million series G financing from the investor consortium co-led by Everbright and CITIC. Zhao and Zhang advised Vertex and Warburg Pincus on $100 million series B-1 and Series C financing of Mobike, a major bicycle-sharing service platform.

Zhong Lun has a solid track record advising domestic clients on bidding processes and large public building projects. Jihong Wang advised Power China Road Bridge Group on a Rmb4.6 billion PPP project involving the remould of Jiangdong Road and the construction of a utility tunnel. Wang also advised the same client on re-bidding the highway project in Sichuan with an investment worthRmb24 billion.

The bankruptcy and reorganisation practice at Zhong Lun is experienced in acting as a bankruptcy administrator in cases with domestic and international interests. Shengfeng Xu advised Fujian Nuoqi on its reorganisation programme involving adjustments of the shareholders’s equity and complying with the SEHK regulation, marking one of the first cases in which a H-share listed company is saved through reorganisation. Xu also advised Fujian Anxi Tiekuanyin Group on its Rmb 1.1 billion reorganisation project ordered by the Quanzhou Intermediate People’s Court of Fujian Province.

Zhong Lun’s shipping team specialises in marine transactions and represents clients in many maritime litigation and arbitration cases. Chenbiao Li advised PICC Jiangsu, the underwriter of the MV Smart Lisa, on the collision between the vessel with three other vessels and the terminal of Humen Port in the Pearl River Delta. Li also represented Shanghai Hongpu Steel Construction in a maritime insurance claim litigation against Taiping General Insurance and was awarded Rmb2 million.

Zhong Lun’s taxation and wealth planning practice is known for its international tax expertise. Peter Ni advised CLSA Asia Real Estate Fund and Carlyle Asia Real Estate Fund on the transfer pricing aspects of a Rmb2.6 billion indirect transfer, marking one of the largest indirect transfers in China. Ni also advised Linglong Group on tax rules related to its outbound investment.