Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Llinks Law Offices is seen as a rising star among Chinese banking and finance firms. “Llinks has really become increasingly prominent over the years in the capital markets space,” says one peer at a rival firm. “It really does top transactions that are ‘firsts’ or innovative in the market.”

When it comes to equity capital markets work, Llinks often represents both issuers and underwriters in IPOs and follow-on offerings. On the debt side, it represents issuers and underwriters in investment-grade, high-yield and convertible bond work.

Llinks is also known for its solid relationships with, and understanding of, state entities including China Securities Regulatory Commission and Mofcom. One partner even has experience sitting on the CSRC Public Offering Examination Committee.

In 2010, Llinks’ capital markets lawyers represented Top Spring Holdings (Top Spring) in its US$200 million Hong Kong Stock Exchange IPO and rule 144A/Reg S international offering.

Christophe Han, Charles Qin and Michael Mei are all leading partners at the practice.

Peers in the market recognise Llinks for its solid understanding of the Chinese market and its ability to earn top quality mandates despite its relatively small size. One partner at a rival firm says: “Although Llinks is not the largest firm, it is really known for doing top quality work.”

A key deal this past year was advising on the restructuring of SVA Information by the Shanghai Media Group (SMG). Llinks represented SMG on: its takeover of listed companies within SVA Information, the sale of the listed companies’ assets to Shanghai Yidian, and on the resulting restructuring. Partners Christophe Han and Wayne Chen led Llink’s team in the Rmb1.99 billion (US$308 million) deal, which was made even more complex because the sale of the assets and the restructuring were mutually conditional and had to be executed at the same time.

Llinks’ M&A team also represented TB Partners in its acquisition of a stake in Qinheyuan Aged Care Service Group. The group provides aged care services and has 11 subsidiaries in the PRC.

Llinks Law Offices’ robust M&A practice lands on many top mandates in the construction and real estate sector. As an example, Llinks recently advised HNA Hotel in its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Guangzhou Huancheng Real Estate. Guangzhou Huancheng owns the 100,000 square metre Tianhe project, which will necessitate several years of project cooperation between HNA Hotel and Skyfame Realty.

Llinks also recently advised private fund Pasley on its acquisition of Belgravia Place from Groverner, which involved highly leveraged financing and complex structures and finance arrangements. Llinks’ construction and real estate team advised Pasley on Chinese law in relation to the construction, project financing and equity transfer aspects of the deal.

HHP

Jun Dai leads the dispute resolution practice of HHP, which advises domestic and international clients on a wide range of litigation matters. The firm recently represented a Shanghai-based financial institution on large enforcement proceedings being levelled against it. The financial institution was charged for its failure to fulfil its capital contribution obligation to an FIE.

Llinks Law Offices

The dispute resolution team at Llinks is led by experienced partner Charles Qin, who is particularly strong on arbitration proceedings. This past year, Qin and partner Michael Mei advised on arbitration proceedings relating to an equity investment and debt finance dispute concerning three international investment entities.

Wang Jing & Co

Wang Jing & Co is known for its strong shipping and maritime practice and insurance practice. Its dispute resolution team supports clients on a variety of disputes relating to cargo, collisions and ship related matters, but has also defended clients in court on engineering and international trade related matters.

The Customs and taxation team at Llinks is made up of experts with legal training and ‘Big Four’ accounting firm experience. The team routinely acts for international companies, state owned enterprises and private businesses. Tax and customs partners often contribute opinions and legal interpretations to leading publications, trainings and seminars.

Llinks recently advised a Fortune 500 company in the rapidly moving consumer goods sector on a complicated, internal customs risk control system. This was one of the first risk control projects managed by Chinese lawyers instead of an accounting firm. The firm is also assisting in developing a risk control system for a leading multinational’s operations in China.