Asia Desk

Integrating international knowledge with deep understanding of local practices and regulatory landscape



Get in touch

For further advice please contact us for a consultation.

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+44 (0)3330 143 401 [email protected]

From devising an appropriate market-entry strategy to bridging cultural differences and navigating the complex and ever evolving regulatory framework of China, we provide expert guidance on international enterprises to successfully moving into China and Chinese companies to expand and thrive across borders and continents.

Summary

gunnercooke’s China practice group comprises of a team of dedicated specialists in the Chinese market, operating globally and in Hong Kong and mainland China. The team is led by Dr Michelle Chen, who is based full time in London.

We advise both foreign and domestic private sector businesses and international institutions, utilizing our global perspective to generate exceptional results. We have a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial culture and regulatory landscape both in China and UK, which enable our team of cross border experts to provide both strategic and day to day operational advices you need to succeed.

gunnercooke advises businesses on all aspect of operating in China and UK, including all forms of co-operation arrangement, capital investment, dispute resolution and anti-corruption compliance.

We operate across diverse sectors, from finance to energy, infrastructure and mining, integrating our international capacity with local know-how, acting as both a trusted advisor and an expert transactional operator. Where necessary, we represent clients in commercial arbitration and court litigation.

We have worked with the world’s best companies and are trusted advisers to CEOs in both the UK and China.

Notable matters our partners have worked on

  • Advising a prestige UK University’s first historical joint venture with a Chinese provincial government
  • Advising an overseas investor in their first UK acquisition and joint venture science park project worth £200m
  • Advising an overseas investor in their acquisition of the business unit of a world-famous DIY tool brand worth over £30m
  • Advising numerous Chinese state owned and private enterprises in various sectors to successfully set up their operation in the UK and provide on-going legal support
  • Advising numerous Chinese financial institutions in resolving regulatory and compliance issues
  • Advising various UK companies on their entries into China including the setting up of WFOEs and joint ventures; and on-going regulatory and compliance issues.

Our work:

From the market-entry strategy to contract drafting and guidance on bridging cultural differences, and the regulatory patchwork of modern China, we assist you at all stages of your activities in China.
We can advise you on:

  • Structuring and completing all forms of corporate transactions and investments, including due diligence investigations, negotiations and all documentation
  • Merger control and antitrust policies
  • Foreign Corruption Practices Act (FCPA), Bribery Act, anti-bribery and general legal compliance, anti-fraud investigations and related areas
  • Protection, licensing and transfers of technology and intellectual property rights
  • Dispute resolution and arbitration

Chinese Companies Investing overseas:

  • Converting overseas opportunities into successful transactions
  • Designing tax efficient business structures
  • Establishing distribution structures
  • Recruiting and managing a workforce
  • Dispute resolution and arbitration

Projects we advise on:

Doing business with China

  • Strategic positioning
  • Joint ventures
  • Intellectual Property and Brand integrity
  • Employing and managing talent in China
  • Developing and executing your long-term plan effectively.
  • Regulatory and compliance
  • Dispute resolution and arbitration

Doing business from China

  • Market entry analysis
  • Capital and transaction strategy
  • Assurance and risk management
  • Contracts
  • Commercial
  • Finance
  • Tax & compliance
  • Property
  • HR and employment
  • Brand strategy and IP
  • International dispute resolutions
  • Arbitration and litigation.

Clients we advise include

  • State-owned enterprises;
  • Listed companies;
  • Multinational private conglomerates.

Client testimonials

“What Michelle Chen did was successfully negotiate between an 800 year-old university with a modern, fast developing city in China. This deal was unprecedented for the University. Without Michelle’s deep knowledge of the sector as well as Cambridge University I don’t think we would have succeeded. I don’t know what we would have done without her.”

– Professor Sir Mark Welland, University of Cambridge

Key Contacts

News and Insights from our Partners


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