Mr. Yuan is a seasoned lawyer focusing on cross border transactions. He worked as senior lawyer (partner and senior counsel) at top US and UK law firms (Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Miller, Canfield,, Paddock and Stone) for more than 10 years. Mr. Yuan’s service areas include Mergers & Acquisitions, IPOs, Private Equity, Joint Venture and Disputes Resolutions.

For Chinese outbound transactions, Mr. Yuan acts for Chinese investors, including large state-owned companies, public companies and large private companies, for their investments around the world, mainly in the US, Canada, Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and South American countries. For inbound investment to China, Mr. Yuan has advised a large number of multinational corporations in connection with their M&A activities and joint venture transactions. His experience includes representing one of the largest private equity firms to acquire a 20% interest in a state-owned enterprise in Shanghai, a major telecommunication company in its joint venture with the largest state owned financial institution in Shanghai, a Chinese auto manufacturer to acquire a Korean auto company. Mr. Yuan was also involved in many investment related disputes, especially those disputes by Chinese companies for their investments in the US. Mr. Yuan also handled many private equity deals and insurance transactions.

Mr. Yuan received his MA in law from Peking University in 1996 and his JD from University of Iowa in 2002. He is an attorney licensed in the State of New York, the State of New Jersey and the State of California. He passed the China bar in 1995.

Key Projects Represented by Mr. Yuan

• CNODC (CNPC’s wholly owned subsidiary) to acquire PetroKazakhstan Inc., deal amount $4.2 billion, the largest cross border acquisition by a Chinese company then
• CNOOC International Ltd. (wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC Ltd.) to acquire 45% interest in AKPO deep sea blocks in Nigeria, deal amount $2.7 billion
• CNODC’s acquisition of MMG, the largest privately owned oil & gas company in Kazakhstan, deal amount $2.3 billion
• CNODC’s joint acquisition with ONGC of a Canadian company’s oil & gas assets in Syria, deal amount €484 million, the first overseas joint venture between a Chinese company and a foreign entity in oil & gas industry

Some Projects Recently Represented by Mr. Yuan

• Represented a Chinese PE’s acquisition and investment to an international school located at the State of Rhode Island
• Represented a group of investors to acquire an intelligent car-rental company
• Represented a Chinese public company to reorganize its US subsidiary
• Represented a leading Chinese hotpot food group for its investments in the US
• Represented a New Jersey based high-tech pharmaceutical company to receive preferred shares investment from Chinese investors
• Represented several US companies for its potential JVs in China
• Counseled a cutting edge theme events company for its operation in the US
• Represented a Chinese real estate developer for its joint venture in the US
• Represented a leading Chinese public media company for its acquisition of commercial real property in Manhattan
• Represented Chinese investors to form private equity funds
• China Exim Bank’s financing for a gas methanol project in the State of Louisiana, deal amount $260 million for phase I
• A large Chinese private company’s real estate development project in New York, including joint venture due diligence, transaction documents
• Zhejiang Ningbo Medical System Co., Ltd’s investment in the US healthcare sector, including an acquisition under US Bankruptcy Code Section 363
• Wuhan Optical Valley Co., Ltd’s investment to a New Jersey based silicon company
• Zhejiang Ningbo Medical System Co., Ltd’s acquisition of a clinical lab based in the State of Virginia
• Sinobioway Biomedicine Co., Ltd’s investment to a bio-tech company in the State of Michigan
• Liuyishou Hotpot’s investments in the US
• A leading Chinese PE to acquire a trading company affiliated with NYSE
• A large Chinese real estate developer’s investment in commercial property in the city of New York
• A leading domestic education institute to acquire a private school at east coast of the US
• A leading Chinese travel agency’s investment in the US
• Several domestic funds’ investment in an agricultural plant in the State of Kentucky
• A domestic fund affiliated with a Chinese public company, its acquisition of a farm with organic products at the upper state of the State of New York
• Several Chinese real estate development companies’ investment in New York and New Jersey commercial real properties, including due diligence, transaction structure and transaction documentation etc.
• A large Chinese private company’s acquisition of a commercial plaza in the State of Hawaii