Dispute Resolution

  • A leading European real property fund in a CIETAC arbitration involving a RMB720 million real estate transaction dispute against a Chinese real estate developer.
  • A leading state-owned real estate developer in an HKIAC arbitration involving a RMB2 billion real estate transaction dispute with its business partner.
  • Various private equity sponsors in disputes arising from the right of control of real property portfolios invested by them in China.
  • A Beijing real estate developer in a RMB1 billion real estate transfer contract dispute with the purchaser.
  • A Taiwan company in an arbitration before the Beijing Arbitration Commission in a RMB900 million lease contract dispute with a domestic real estate developer.
  • Various world-renowned foreign-invested retail companies in disputes arising from store lease contracts (including built-to-lease contracts) against real estate developers.
  • Various real estate companies in their independent liquidation, compulsory liquidation and bankruptcy restructuring projects.
  • Creditors in various bankruptcy and restructuring cases of real estate developers.
  • A real estate fund in a lawsuit against the owners’ committee stemming from property management issues in a commercial property.

Infrastructure/Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) projects

  • Covanta Energy on its investment, construction and operation of energy-from-waste projects in China; recently on bidding, financing and development of an energy-from-waste project in Zhao County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province.
  • Berlinwasser on its bidding, investment, construction, financing and operation of wastewater treatment projects in China.
  • Shanghai Electric on its investment in and operation of municipal infrastructures, photovoltaic power stations and PPP power projects.
  • MBK Partners on its equity investment in Golden State Environment, a group in the areas of wastewater treatment, municipal water supply and energy-from-waste.
  • Vopak on its set-up of joint venture companies in various cities of China to develop, construct, own and operate liquefied natural gas receiving terminals.
  • Veolia on legal and compliance issues related to its development, operation and management of municipal water supply, wastewater treatment, and energy projects in China.
  • KKR Group on its investment in a Singapore-listed Chinese wastewater treatment company.
  • I Squared Capital on its acquisition of internet datacenter and CHP energy facilities in Jiangsu Province.
  • Brookfield on its acquisition of solar energy projects in China originally owned by TerraForm.
  • GE Renewable on its investment in and construction of an offshore wind assembly base in Guangdong Province.
  • Électricité de France (EDF) on its investment in a wind farm project in Guangxi Province and procurement matters.

Hospitality

  • Hotel owners and hotel managers for over 200 hotels in China (including drafting and negotiating hotel management agreements). Brands involved include over a dozen luxury, lifestyle, upscale and mid-scale brands originating in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
  • Hotel operators in China’s first few international hotel brands franchise projects.
  • Hotel owners and managers in drafting and negotiating branded residences management agreements and the full range of other agreements.
  • Hotel operators in IP-protective actions by collaboration with our highly regarded IP team.
  • Hotel operators and owners in domestic court proceedings and domestic and international arbitration for various types of disputes arising from management or franchise of hotel projects.
  • In conjunction with lawyers from our top-tier compliance practice, assisting hotels with compliance methodologies and responding to regulatory changes and on handling investigations by Chinese government agencies.
  • Clients on governmental licensing, environmental and planning issues.

Project Finance

  • A real estate fund on its acquisition financing of an office building in Shanghai from the Chinese subsidiary of a leading Singapore bank.
  • A leading investment and asset manager on its acquisition financing of a shopping mall in Chongqing from a syndicated group of international lenders.
  • Standard Chartered Bank and other lenders on their onshore/ offshore financing of Nanjing International Finance Center.
  • Aareal Bank Asia and Aareal Bank on the refinancing of the US$107 million loan made to CREO (Shanghai Central Plaza).
  • Shanghai Yaoda Real Estate Development Co. on a RMB2.8 billion syndicate loan granted for Shanghai Intercontinental Center.
  • The syndicated lenders led by Bank of China Shanghai Jing’An Sub-Branch on a RMB8 billion syndicated loan facility for construction and development of hotel and office buildings in Jing’An District, Shanghai.
  • The syndicated lenders in a RMB2.5 billion syndicated loan facility for the construction and development of Shanghai Pudong Kerry Center.
  • The syndicated lenders led by China Construction Bank on a loan facility advanced for construction of the Northern Entrance Highway to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Commercial Leasing and Build-to-Suit Projects

  • Singapore Government Real Estate Investment Corporation on the overall leasing matters of Azia Center, an office building in Pudong Lujiazui.
  • The management office of Shanghai Center on leasing and property management matters.
  • Starbucks on leasing and opening up hundreds of coffee shops across China, including advising Starbucks on its ultra-premium Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai which opened in December 2017 as the first Roastery store outside the U.S.
  • Nan Fung Group on its leasing of 20 floors of Shanghai Nan Fung BM Tower to the WPP Group.
  • J.P. Morgan on its relocation to Shanghai Tower, and leasing of Internet data centers in Shanghai.
  • Corporate Realty Services of Citigroup on various leasing matters all over China, including office/retail space lease for branch offices and space leases for ATMs.
  • Daimler on its leasing of manufacturing plants, warehousing and logistic facilities, training and exhibition halls and construction matters.
  • Philips on its leasing and built-to-lease projects for offices and manufacturing facilities in Shanghai and surrounding areas.
  • Baxter on its leasing of Suzhou Baxter R&D Center in Suzhou Industrial Park.

Property Development, Construction and Asset Management

  • Mori Building on the development, construction, financing and asset disposals as part of the Shanghai World Financial Center project.
  • Kerry Properties on its investment, acquisition, development, operation and financing of real estate projects in Shanghai and other Chinese cities.
  • Hongkong Land on its commercial property acquisition, development and management projects in Beijing and Shanghai.
  • Shanghai Expo Development Group on an office/retail cooperation development project in the Urban Best Practices Area, Shanghai.
  • Kheng Leong on a residential building construction project near Shanghai Changfeng Park.
  • Merlin Entertainments on the construction/renovation and fitting-out of Madame Tussauds wax museums and LegoLand projects in various cities of China.
  • Zoomlion on developing and constructing a manufacturing zone in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  • Novartis on its development and construction of the Novartis Shanghai Campus Project in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park.
  • Huada Semiconductor on its EPC project involving semiconductor production lines in Lingang, Shanghai.
  • Renowned international architectural design companies, including Aedas, Pelli Clarke Pelli and SmithGroup, on drafting standard design contracts and advising on legal issues in projects.

Property Investment, Acquisitions and Disposals

  • Brookfield on its acquisition and disposal of office and retail properties in China, including Brookfield’s acquisition of a large mixed-use project located in Huangpu, Shanghai. This transaction is ranked among the biggest commercial property acquisitions in China by a foreign investor.
  • LaSalle Investment Management on its acquisition of a 31-story, grade A office building in Hongkou, Shanghai.
  • Gaw Capital on its various acquisitions of commercial, office and logistics facilities in China.
  • Warburg Pincus on its equity investment in Creater, a leading urban renovation operator in China.
  • Manulife on its investment in a U.S. dollar real estate investment fund, whose first target portfolio is Corporate Avenue 5, a grade-A office building in Shanghai Xintiandi.
  • Tishman Speyer on its real estate disposals in China.
  • City Developments on its acquisitions of real estate assets in Shanghai and other Chinese cities.
  • CSI Properties on its acquisition of the retail podium of Shanghai Richgate, and its sale of an office building in Shanghai Xintiandi.
  • BM International on its acquisition of a hotel and office complex in Pudong, including Four Seasons Hotel and Four Seasons Place.
  • Prologis on the acquisition, development, operation and disposal of various industrial land and logistics facilities projects in China.