Formosan Brothers Attorneys-at-Law
Formosan Brothers Attorneys-at-Law is a full-service Taiwanese law firm that was established in 1997. It has offices in Taipei and Hsinchu. Attorneys from the firm are licensed to practice both in Taiwan and foreign jurisdictions such as the US.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is best known for its restructuring and insolvency, project development, bankruptcy and telecommunications work. The firm also actively advises clients in banking and finance, debt and equity capital markets and M&A practices and related regulatory mandates.
The firm covers a wide range of topics from artificial intelligence, blockchain, wireless communication, smart factories and renewable energy industries such as offshore wind power and solar power industries, to biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries such as cell therapy, regenerative medicine and genetic testing.
Key clients
Formosan Brothers has a strong client base in the aviation, technology and real estate industries.
Tsar & Tsai
Tsar & Tsai is a full-service Taiwanese law firm established in 1965 by Ruchin Tsar and Paul Tsai and has since grown to encompass over 70 professionals. The firm provides services to local and foreign clients on all aspects of commercial transactions, and on domestic and international dispute resolution and litigation.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is best known for its finance, M&A and capital markets work in the transactional space.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include Taiwania Capital Management Corporation, Academia Sinica, Lai Sun Development Company, 58 freight, Marelli Corporation, GlobalWafers, Advantage Partners, SF Holding, and HP.
Research period review:
32nd edition (2022/2023)
The finance team was active in financing and regulatory mandates for projects in the energy, education, and real estate sectors.
In the capital markets area, the team advised on IPOs, rights issues, privatisation, equity transactions, and zero-coupon convertible bonds primarily for issuers, sellers, and investors.
The corporate team was very active in cross-border acquisitions for both buy and sell sides. The team advised clients across regions in the US, UK, Germany, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan in different sectors such as energy, logistics, consumer goods and services, chemical, technology, and telecommunications.
Deal highlights: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Cathay Sustainable $2.7 billion 605MW Greater Changhua 1 offshore wind financing
Lai Sun Development $1.19 billion rights issue
58 freight $ 400 million HKEX IPO
GlobalWafers $1 billion currency linked zero coupon convertible bonds issue
INEOS $5 billion acquisitions of BP
SF Holding HK$17.6 billion acquisition of Kerry Logistics
Client Feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
M&A
"Obtained the TFTC's decision within a requested timeline."
Matt Liu
"Understood well the timeline of the deal and handled the case to meet the timeline."
Baker McKenzie
Baker McKenzie is a Chicago-based international law firm with over 6000 lawyers across 77 offices. In Asia-Pacific it has 17 offices including in Taipei where it has been servicing clients since 1975 and is one of the few international firms in the market.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm has a very strong finance practice working with Taiwanese and global banks and borrowers on M&A mandates and the financing of national infrastructure projects. It also has a strong capital markets practice.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include ANZ Banking Group, Far Eastern International Bank, BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered Bank, ING Bank, Lotus Pharmaceutical and Cathay Financial Holding.
Chen & Lin
Established in 1992, Chen & Lin is an independent Taiwanese law firm with offices in Taipei and Hsinchu.
Focusses / specialisms
On the transactional front the firm is best known for its M&A, capital markets and finance practices.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include CTBC Bank, Nanzong Construction Development, Walsin Lihwa Corporation, Holmbergs Safety System, Taiwan Pulp & Paper Corporation and Alchemist Capital Partners Korea.
Ching Cheng Attorneys
Founded in 2012, Ching Cheng Attorneys is a full-service law firm based in Taipei. The firm has established partnership with law firms in China, the US and South Korea, including Akin Gump, Yingke Law Firm, Hiways Law Firm, and SIGONG Law.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is experienced in corporate and M&A. It advises clients in healthcare and life sciences on cross-border and domestic deals such as investments, joint ventures and acquisitions.
Apart from general corporate, the firm provides legal services in capital markets and securities. The firm is experienced in share structure design, relevant legal documents review/draft, and legal planning for IPOs. The firm’s banking and finance team regularly advises clients on hedge funds and financing related mandates.
Active industry sectors include semiconductor and LED, medical, pharmaceutical and entertainment.
Key clients
The firm advises clients in a wide range of sectors including financial institutions, research organisations, academic organisations, universities, technology and pharmaceutical companies
Eiger
Eiger is a full-service law firm founded in 2001 with offices in Taipei and Shanghai.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is recognised for its work in the M&A area and actively advises clients on banking & finance, and corporate and investments matters.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include UPS, Hasbro, Santera and Formula Chemicals.
Client Feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Banking
“Their advice is timely, commercial and fees are reasonable.”
M&A
“Very responsive and experienced.”
Eiger Law
Established in 2001, Eiger is a full service law firm with offices in Taipei and Shanghai.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm has a focus on the APAC and Greater China region and is recognized for its corporate and M&A work.
Sectors of activity include banking and financial services, technology, hospitality and pharmaceuticals.
Key clients
Clients include Subway, Hasbro, Santera, UPS, and Formula Chemicals.
K&L Gates
K&L Gates is one of the few international firms with a substantial presence and domestic capabilities in Taipei.
The firm is best known for its M&A and capital markets work in the semiconductor and IT hardware business, artificial intelligence and disruptive technology, renewable energy and life sciences sectors.
Key clients of the firm include New Green Power, Swancor Holding, Cloud Mile, Aslan Pharmaceuticals, Yuanta Securities and KGI Asia.
During the research period, the firm has been involved in the largest ever secondary market sale of a solar portfolio in Taiwan, corporate restructuring mandates, and acquisitions and divestments in offshore wind, semiconductors and medical devices. The firm has also assisted clients in various funding rounds and in convertible bonds, ADS and GDS offerings.
Deal highlights
-BlackRock Real Assets acquisition of New Green Power and J&V Energy Technology solar assets
-FLEXium Interconnect $100 million zero coupon convertible bond issue
-Stonepeak Oceanview (Cayman) Holdings $101 million acquisition of Swancor Renewable Energy
LCS & Partners
LCS & Partners is an independent Taiwanese corporate law firm based in Taipei. It is Taiwan’s exclusive member firm of the global legal networks World Services Group and ALFA International. The firm was founded in 1998 and has grown to approximately 50 legal professionals.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is best known for its M&A, cross-border investments and financing, renewable energy, capital markets, private equity funds, restructuring and insolvency, technology law, fintech law, securitisation and entertainment law work.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include KGI Securities, SinoPac Securities, Yuanta Securities, Entie Commercial Bank, Longreach Capital Partners, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Cathay Sustainable Private Equity Fund and Digit Mobile.
Lee and Li
Lee and Li is one of the largest and oldest law firms based in Taiwan. The firm’s history can be traced back to 1953, when founding partner James Lee opened a firm in Taipei and was joined by Dr. C. N. Li in 1965. In 1970, the firm formally changed its name to "Lee and Li". The firm currently employs around 200 attorneys and more than 850 employees.
Apart from its Taipei office, the firm also collaborates with L&L-Leaven, Attorneys-at-Law in Shanghai and Lee and Li - Leaven IPR Agency in Beijing to assist clients in the Greater China region.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is well known for its strength in the banking and finance practices, with experience in syndication lending, project financing, aircraft financing, ship financing, derivatives, factoring, distressed assets management, consumer banking and regulatory compliance. It also has expertise in project finance handling transactions for power plants, high speed railway and mass rapid transportation systems.
Apart from banking and finance, the firm is strong across multiple practice areas including capital markets, M&A, and restructuring and insolvency. Its specialisations also cover general corporate matters, investment, litigation and dispute resolution, patents and technology, trademarks and copyrights.
Active industry sectors include real estate and construction, digital, TMT and data privacy, life sciences, insurance, environment and energy. The firm also has a Japanese practice group which represented numerous Japanese companies and subsidiaries in Taiwan in corporate legal affairs.
Key clients
The firm’s clients include leading domestic and international banks, securities firms, insurance companies and other financial institutions as well as many other corporate clients.
Lin & Partners
Lin and Partners is a Taipei-based boutique independent Taiwanese law firm with an additional office in Kaohsiung City. The firm provides a full range of legal services to both domestic and foreign clients.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm has transactional capability in banking and finance, M&A, e-commerce & e-payments, energy, gaming and hospitality, government projects, infrastructure and public procurement. Other sectors of focus include gambling, fintech, aviation and shipping.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include Bankers Association of the Republic of China, Ministry of Justice and Taoyuan Metro Corporation.
Client Feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Financial services regulatory
“Very innovative and responsive.”
Nishimura & Asahi
Nishimura & Asahi is a Big Four Japanese law firm with 530 lawyers across 14 offices including 10 overseas. The firm opened its office in Taipei in April 2020 to become the only Japanese firm with a Taiwan practice.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm’s Taipei office is active in the M&A market. It offers legal services related to direct investment in Taiwan by Japanese companies, direct investment in Japan by Taiwanese companies, joint ventures and other M&A mandates, corporate advice, restructuring mandates and listings in Taiwan.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include Walsin Technology, H2O Retailing, Toshiba, Net Protections, Advantage Partners, Tokyo Century, Denso, Hokuriku Electric Power, Toho Gas and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.
PwC Legal
Active in Taiwan since 2000,
PwC Legal extends its services beyond the jurisdiction through its membership of the PricewaterhouseCoopers international network.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is recognized for its corporate and M&A capabilities and has experience in sectors including automotive, technology, retail, and food and beverage.
Key clients
Notable clients include Greendich Enterprise, Uni-President Enterprises, China Petrochemical Development Corporation, President Chain Store, and Ting Hsin Group.
Client feedback: 31st edition (2020/2021)
M&A
"(1) Helped us understand the target company more, clarify legal issues and disclose some potential litigation risks in due diligence process. (2) Assisted in composing SPA as well as transaction related documentation to local government."
"They are not only doing the work, but also providing professional opinion for our strategic move and negotiation with the seller within a limited time. Their international knowledge/experience and resources are also quite abundant. They always have a great attitude so it was a very good experience for us to work with them."
Russin & Vecchi
Russin & Vecchi is an international law firm with eleven independent but affiliated offices spanning the globe. The firm opened its Taipei office in 1976 with an extensive domestic and international practice.
Focusses / specialisms
Russin & Vecchi’s Taipei office is strongest in the banking and finance sector. The firm actively advises clients with corporate and M&A transactions, debt and equity capital markets, mutual funds shipping and restructuring and insolvency.
Key clients
The clientele of the firm includes international banks and financial institutions, manufacturers, computer and computer component suppliers, intellectual property owners, franchisers, traders and securities underwriters.
Winkler Partners
Winkler Partners is a full service Taipei-based law firm that was established in 2002 as Taiwan’s first partnership between Taiwanese and foreign attorneys.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm was traditionally known for its intellectual property work but has since bolted on a transactional team that focuses on corporate transactions and investment matters in Taiwan, including in capital markets, M&A, corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital investments.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include energy, technology, fitness, shipping and consumer goods companies
Zoomlaw Attorneys at Law
Zoomlaw Attorneys at Law is a full-service law firm based in Taiwan. It was founded in 2006 by Dr. Fan Kuo-hua and has served more than 200 clients from various industries and from more than 147 countries since then.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is experienced in advising on general corporate work and M&A transactions, and regularly provides legal services regarding regulatory and compliance works. The firm have assisted several public companies in Taiwan to conduct due diligence on its target acquisition of a mainland Chinese company, which is beneficial to the pre-review before the domestic company's acquisition.
Apart from general corporate work, the firm also has a specialty in cross-border litigation, real estate and family wealth areas. The firm has cooperated with many law firms, providing complete services of inheritance and family business. It has advised families at home and abroad to plan asset inheritance in advance and avoid disputes.
The firm’s managing partner, Dr. Fan Kuo-hua, is experienced in business legal consultation related to international trade and global intellectual property rights.
Key clients
The firm regularly assists domestic and international clients ranging from family business to cross-border companies and financial institutions.
