King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) maintains its position as one of the dominant players in China’s legal market. The firm has been highly praised by its clients and peers in transactional law across China.
In Mainland China and the Hong Kong SAR, KWM are located in 14 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Haikou, Sanya, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Jinan, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Hong Kong. the firm covers the most important regions of China, such as East China, Pearl River Delta, Central Plains and Western China.
The Beijing transactional team is particularly sought after by major domestic and international financial institutions, government-linked companies and other multinational enterprises in China. Its team provides high-quality services across the full spectrum of practice areas.
During the research period, the firm assisted in the $2.6 billion joint venture between LyondellBasell and Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group. The project was socially significant and shortlisted by the Chinese government as a key project to promote the development of Northeastern China.
In another important mandate, the team advised on Liaoning Huishan Dairy Group’s restructuring. Huishan Dairy is currently China’s largest enterprise group producing dairy products in the entire industry chain that has entered the reorganisation process. The case is the largest among 83 successful reorganisation cases in China’s substantial mergers and reorganisations in 2020. The case lasted for three years and finally succeeded last year.
Moreover, the Beijing team led on large deals such as Haier Electronics Group’s $7.7 billion take-private, Tewoo Group’s restructuring, PipeChina’s $38 billion acquisition of PetroChina pipeline business and assets, and Liaoning Huishan Dairy Group’s restructuring.
The firm’s transactional work in Shanghai is also robust. It acted in Sina Corporation’s $2.6 billion take-private financing, Blackstone’s $1.1 billion acquisition financing of R&F Properties’ Logistics Parks stake, and Shanshan’s $1.1 billion acquisition of LG Chem LCD’s polarizer business. The deals involved complicated structures and contracts. Many of them were cross-border businesses subject to supervision by multiple parties.
In Shandong, KWM advised Haier COSMOPlat in its series A financing and INKON Life Technology’s in its non-public A-share issue. While in Sichuan, it provided services to establish Sichuan Bank. And in Tianjin, it represented Colorful Guizhou Airlines’ lease of four A320neo aircraft from GECAS. This case deal is meaningful for both GECAS and CGA, since it was the first time CGA imported Airbus aircraft, and the first time GECAS delivered an aircraft at Airbus’ factory in Tianjin.
Last year, the firm brought in capital markets partners Feng Chuan, Zhou Hao, and Ding Zheng from Grandall Law Firm.
Deal highlights
· LyondellBasell/Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group $2.6 billion joint venture
· Haier Electronics Group $7.7 billion take-private
· PipeChina $38 billion acquisition of PetroChina pipeline business and assets
· Tewoo Group restructuring
· Liaoning Huishan Dairy Group restructuring
· Shanshan $1.1 billion acquisition of LG Chem LCD polarizer business
· Sina Corporation $2.6 billion take-private financing
· Hudian Fuxin $1 billion take-private
· INKON Life Technology non-public A-share issue
· Haier COSMOPlat’s series A financing
Client feedback
“They have good understanding of the business of their clients and are able to provide service and legal advice in a deal-oriented way. They also know the loan market very well with good management of deal flow.”— Banking and finance
“Very professional and proactive.” — Capital markets
“KWM's promptness in providing its legal services is the best I've ever experienced over about 15 years in my inhouse lawyering experience. KWM especially has always responded promptly through WeChat and whenever we needed KWM's support, KWM was ready to support. ” — M&A
“They worked with great tenacity and endured hardships in terms of organising resources to carry out workstreams exactly and completely, meeting demanding questions and timeline, dealing with complex issues.” — M&A
“The team is not only very professional in finance-related laws in Mainland China, but they also have rich experience and knowledge of cross-border loans and APLMA loans in other jurisdictions, which can help us solve various professional and practical problems.” — Project finance
Nie Weidong Richard
“Knowledge of law and rich experience knowledge of industry.”
Lv Yinghao
“Professionalism. Quick response. Attentive to details.”
