Bo Zhou

Practice Areas

MR. ZHOU SPECIALIZES IN LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW PRACTICE (INCLUDING BOTH CONTENTIOUS AND NON-CONTENTIOUS MATTERS), AND ALSO FOCUSES ON GENERAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND CORPORATE MATTERS.

Career

Mr. Zhou joined Fangda as an associate in 2008. He was ranked as a leading individual in labor and employment practice by the legal 500 Asia Pacific in 2020.

Education

Experience

Documentation and Daily Advice:

-Assisted multinationals in their preparation of individual employment documents, including offer letters, labor contracts, and confidentiality and non-competition agreements.

-Advised companies on a variety of regular employment law issues, including statutory annual leave, employment of expatriates in China, disciplinary actions against employees for minor misconduct, change of position and remuneration, work injury, bonus compensation and employee training.

Employee Misconduct Investigation:

-Advised a leading multinational pharmaceutical company in its investigations of non-compliance by several sales teams in China and on its disciplinary actions against the offenders.

-Advised a leading European pest control company in its investigation of non-compliance by several senior executives of its China subsidiary.

-Advised a major European bank in its investigation of non-compliance by an operational team of its China subsidiary.

-Advised a US medical appliance manufacturing company in its investigation of non-compliance by a senior sales manager of its China subsidiary and represented the company in labor dispute arbitrations initiated by two of former sales employees dismissed for serious violation of the company’s rules.

-Advised a leading US car parts manufacturing company in its investigation of non-compliance involving a terminated employee and two high-level managers of its China subsidiary and represented the company in labor dispute arbitrations and litigation initiated by those employee.

Labor Arbitration and Litigation:

-Represented a large US retail company’s China affiliates in winning most of six labor dispute arbitration and litigation cases initiated by former employees dismissed for gross misconduct.

-Represented a high-tech company in the photovoltaic industry in winning all 11 labor dispute arbitration and litigation cases initiated by former employees concerning overtime compensation.

-Represented a German medical device company in winning a labor dispute arbitration initiated by the former head of its China R&D center to challenge his dismissal for serious breach of company policy.

-Represented a US-based spraying equipment manufacturer in winning a labor dispute arbitration against one of its former sales engineers for breach of non-compete covenant.

-Represented a US-based chemical company in winning a labor dispute arbitration and litigation against its former marketing manager for breach of non-compete covenant Represented a high-tech company in winning a labor dispute arbitration and litigation against its former technical director for breach of non-compete covenant.

ESOP:

-Represented a European pharmaceutical company in an ESOP dispute with a former employee in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province.

-Represented a leading e-commerce company in three litigation cases over an ESOP dispute initiated by its former employees and helped the client to settle one case and win the other one.

-Represented a US-based investment company in an ESOP dispute case involving its former CEO in Shanghai.

-Advised a US-based medical appliance company in the localization of its ESOP for the purpose of better incentivizing its local management team in China.

-Advised companies in drafting and reviewing their ESOPs and on various issues concerning the formulation, amendment and implementation of their ESOPs.

Transactional Matters and Layoffs;

-Advised companies in many industries on employment related matters (e.g., HR due diligence, employee dismissal, and compensation plan formation) in relation to various business transactions (e.g., direct investment, acquisition, merger, asset transfer, equity sale, early dissolution and company split).

-Assisted a leading US sportswear company in the layoff of more than 500 factory workers in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

-Assisted a famous US industrial company in the layoff of more than 1,000 factory workers in Shanghai.

-Assisted a German auto parts manufacturer in the layoff of more than 300 factory workers in Xiamen, Fujian province.

-Assisted a European coffee company in the layoff of more than 150 factory workers in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

-Assisted a US industrial company in the layoff of more than 100 factory workers in Beijing.