Banking & Finance (International Firms) | Greater China Region

A&O Shearman maintains a market-leading reputation for advising major lenders and borrowers on a diverse range of high-value and complex transactions. It represents a growing roster of Chinese banks and alternative credit providers. The law firm's experience spans structured finance, syndicated loans and leveraged and acquisition finance, and it is active on project financing as well as on lending to the real estate, automotive and TMT sectors. Clients such as Ant Group and Gaw Capital benefit from the firm's impressive bench strength, with leading practitioners based in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as access to a formidable global network of regional experts. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Clifford Chance's finance team remains a popular choice for major international and PRC lenders for a diverse range of transactions. The team has deep experience in bilateral and syndicated loans, equity and project finance and leveraged finance transactions. It is increasingly active in handling green finance deals and has been heavily involved in advising on recent reforms of banking and loan regulations. Clifford Chance provides assistance to an impressive clientele including state-owned enterprises and major foreign banks, and it is well versed in advising on cross-border transactions across Asia and the EMEA region. Its key clients include PAG Asia Capital, CVC Capital Partners and Wynn Resorts.

Linklaters' compact and highly regarded team advises on market-leading transactions. Its work spans a range of complex structured financings, the firm maintaining an especially strong reputation for leveraged and acquisition finance as well as syndicated loans. Linklaters acts for a prestigious list of international banks and financial institutions and offers experience covering a wide variety of markets including advising on matters related to the UK and the USA in addition to catering to clients across the Greater China region. The firm's key clients include JD Property and Nomura International.

White & Case's banking and finance practice is highlighted for its outstanding handling of syndicated loans, secured and unsecured credit facilities, and acquisition financing. It demonstrates particular strength in handling complex leveraged financing matters, with additional areas of expertise including real estate, project and asset finance. The law firm maintains an enviable list of clients including leading Chinese and international banks, investment firms and private equity clients, and offers expertise handling deals involving various jurisdictions, including Singapore, Japan, the USA and the UK. The firm's key clients include Citicorp International, Citigroup and RRJ Capital.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer maintains an impressive roster of clients, including banks, private equity firms and corporations from the technology sector. It is renowned for its advice to both borrowers and lenders. The law firm is well reputed for its experience advising on leveraged financing matters and continues to advise on cross-border transactions, especially Chinese outbound acquisition finance. The firm's key clients include Affinity Equity Partners, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Latham & Watkins offers robust expertise regarding syndicated loans, leveraged and acquisition finance and refinancing transactions. It also has considerable expertise in large-scale margin lending and is a popular choice of counsel among major international banks, private equity sponsors and corporations. The law firm offers demonstrable expertise in cross-border matters related to Europe, the USA and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The team's key clients include Warburg Pincus, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board and Carlyle.

Norton Rose Fulbright's banking and finance team is skilled at handling syndicated loans as well as structured, commodity and trade finance. It regularly acts on financing for the infrastructure, hospitality, healthcare and retail sectors. The team also offers advice on acquisition finance transactions. The law firm offers strong coverage in Greater China through its offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. It is particularly active on large outbound financing and refinancing. Norton Rose Fulbright skilfully represents major Chinese and international banks as well as borrowers and alternative financiers, and it frequently advises on cross-border mandates across the Asia-Pacific region. The firm's key clients include Agricultural Bank of China, Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of Communications.

King & Wood Mallesons' banking and finance team provides comprehensive advice on Greater China-focused transactions, advising on Hong Kong and PRC law as well as English law. The team draws on expertise from teams based in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, and it is especially active on corporate financing in the aviation and technology sectors. Active across a broad range of work spanning from refinancing and bridge lending to acquisition finance, it handles matters for both domestic and international banks and corporate borrowers, with a client base consisting of large China-based enterprises and corporations. The firm's key clients include China CITIC Bank, China Merchants Bank and MUFG Bank.

The banking and finance team of Mayer Brown is an established player in the market with a well-rounded practice, especially noted for asset finance and real estate finance work. It also advises companies on real estate acquisition finance. Its client roster consists of major financial institutions, domestic and international banks, regional development banks and Chinese corporates. The team offers capability in Hong Kong, English, Australian, Singaporean and US law, and widespread fluency in Mandarin, Cantonese and English.

DLA Piper's finance group holds notable expertise in a range of cross-border deals, including acquisition finance, project finance and syndicated lending. The law firm regularly advises on outbound and inbound investments related to Mainland China, with particular activity in the hospitality, energy, TMT and insurance sectors. Its client base includes major Chinese and international institutional banks as well as large investors, notably Sunlife Insurance, DBS Bank and DZ Bank.

The finance team of Hogan Lovells covers a wide range of financing work, ranging from leveraged and acquisition finance to real estate and pre-IPO finance. It is especially active in onshore and offshore financings involving PRC banks and borrowers, and its client list includes a range of major PRC and international banks. The team benefits from its strong presence in China and its international network, covering the USA and Europe, also assisting Chinese and international companies with corporate finance mandates.

Reed Smith's banking and finance department has been an established choice of counsel for both borrowers and lenders, regularly advising on cross-border transactions. It offers a broad range of financing knowledge, with notable activity on syndicated loans and is well known for its asset finance, leveraged finance and property finance capabilities. The team is also active in financing transactions relating to the shipping and energy sectors. Reed Smith regularly represents an array of financial institutions and corporates. Offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai illustrate the law firm's capabilities in Greater China. Its key clients include Standard Chartered Bank, Goldman Sachs and Minmetals Land.

The banking and finance team at Sidley Austin is well-versed in covering a diverse range of finance work including royalty-backed financing, hybrid fund financing, syndicated loans and direct lending. The team is frequently mandated to advise regional financial institutions on transactions involving offshore centres including the British Virgin Islands. They have become the preferred choice of borrower counsel as they have a strong rapport among Mainland China-based real estate developers and investment trusts as well as clients from the life sciences sector. The firm's notable clients includes Country Garden, Agile Group and China Minsheng Bank.

The financing practice of Slaughter and May is well placed to advise major multinational corporates as borrowers, and also works with Chinese banks. It leverages off a strong M&A team to provide comprehensive advice on acquisition finance. The law firm also regularly advises on syndicated loan transactions and is adept in handling complex debt restructuring matters. Slaughter and May handles lending matters in the energy and natural resources sector both within the PRC and on outbound deals, also being active in the logistics sector. The firm's key clients include Link Asset Management Limited, Xiamen Port Holdings and China Power International Development.

Stephenson Harwood's banking and finance team maintains a strong regional practice with a focus on receivables financing and is active on behalf of both lenders and borrowers. It is recognised for its expertise in fintech and investment products, and demonstrates significant knowledge in trade finance and compliance matters. The team also undertakes noteworthy financing work for market-leading Chinese and international banks.