Simon Chan
PEOPLE

Simon Chan

Partner
chan.simon@dorsey.com

Overview

SIMON CHAN IS KNOWN FOR HELPING CLIENTS FIND INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS FOR VUCA (VOLATILE, UNCERTAIN, COMPLEX, AMBIGUOUS) SITUATIONS. HE ADVISES OUR CLIENTS ON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE FINANCE, CROSS-BORDER M&A TRANSACTIONS, AND COMPLEX LEGAL & COMPLIANCE CASES.

Simon is a partner and Corporate Group Head in our Hong Kong office. He served as our Office Head from 2016 to 2023. As a core member of our firm’s Mergers and Acquisition and Capital Markets Groups, he led some of the high profile client M&A deals and leading global offerings on HKEX. His practice focuses on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, international corporate finance transactions and sophisticated multi-jurisdictional legal matters. A major portion of his practice is devoted to advising MNC, banks, financial institutions, conglomerates, technology companies, private equities, business owners, and family offices. Our clients rely on Simon for their most important transactions and complicated legal and business situations.

In his around 27 years of legal practice, Simon also acts as lead international counsel on complex regulatory compliance issues ranging from corporate governance, restructuring, international financial regulatory compliance, international economic sanctions compliance, inbound/ outbound investment screening and approvals, global data protection & privacy compliance, disputes prevention strategies, international wealth management and asset protection. With Simon’s background in international legal affairs, he often works with business owners and family offices who are ‘citizens of the world’ on global wealth management and asset protection strategies.


Education & Admissions

Harvard Law School Executive Education (LLF Program, 2017)

Peking University (Chinese Law Certificate Course, 2010)

Tsinghua University (Chinese Law Certificate Course, 1995)

University of Hong Kong (P.C.LL, 1996)

University of Hong Kong (LL.B., 1995), Honors

Admissions

  • New York
  • Hong Kong

Languages

  • English, Cantonese and Mandarin

Experience

Representative Transactions

Known for his practical problem solving skills for multinational clients, Simon acted as lead counsel for a range of transactions, including:

Select M&A and Private Equity Transactions:

  • Advised on the U.S. securities laws and U.S. tender offer compliance issues of a takeover involving a leading Hong Kong based Family Office worth around U.S.$ 4.5 billion.
  • Advising a Hong Kong publicly traded company on an outbound M&A in the United Kingdom
  • Advising an open-source artificial intelligence company on complex corporate structure and deal documentations involving compliance with trade and technology restrictions and investment screening and approval issues.
  • Regularly advises on U.S. Securities Laws and its exemption on cross-border tender offer/takeover transactions of FPIs. 
  • Advised several Fortune 500 and MNC clients in their cross-border structuring and reorganization exercises involving off-shore, mid-shore and on-shore companies.
  • Acted as special US counsel in advising various HKEX traded companies in various takeover exercises.
  • Advised The Coca-Cola Company with respect to a complex cross-border reorganization of Coca-Cola Bottlers Manufacturing Holdings Limited in relation to the still beverages business in China.
  • Advised Guangzhou R&F Properties Co., Ltd. in its sale of 70% interest in certain properties located at Guangzhou International Airport R&F Integrated Logistic Park to The Blackstone Group Inc. valued at approximately US$1.0 billion.
  • Advised Hong Kong’s leading publicly listed electrical and mechanical engineering company in an outbound M&A involving certain equity interest in a leading New York based independently owned vertical transportation company.
  • Acted as US legal counsel to Wheelock and Company Limited in its privatization by way of Hong Kong court approved scheme of arrangement.
  • Acted as US legal counsel to Allied Properties (H.K.) Limited in its privatization by way of Hong Kong court approved scheme of arrangement.
  • Advised as US legal counsel for O-Net Technologies (Group) Limited in its privatization by way of approved scheme of arrangement under the laws of the Cayman Islands.
  • Advised as US legal counsel for SHK Hong Kong Industries Limited in its privatization by way of Hong Kong Court approved scheme of arrangement.
  • Represented iServe, a world leading e-commerce intelligence company headquartered in the US, in the acquisition of Practicology Ltd., a privately owned ecommerce consultancy company headquartered in London with presence in Hong Kong, China, Australia and Middle East.
  • Advised Scoular Company, a leading U.S.-based agricultural marketing company, in its acquisition of the Special Crops Division of Legumex Walker Inc. for transaction value of CAD$174.6 million.
  • Advised Carlisle Companies Incorporated in the sale of Carlisle Transportation Products to private equity firm, American Industrial Partners for USD375 million.
  • Advised Danish optics technology company, OPDI Technologies, on the joint venture transaction with Hong Kong publicly traded company, O-Net Communication. The deal is one of the recent largest Chinese outbound investments into a product/technology originated from Denmark.
  • Acted as U.S. counsel to New World Development, a leading Hong Kong blue chip conglomerate, focusing on property, infrastructure and services, department stores and hotels in its tender offer to privatize its Hong Kong listed property flagship in the PRC for HKD22 billion (equivalent of around USD2.8 billion).
  • Advised Hong Kong based private equity firm, Joint Treasure International, in the global auction sale of their multi millions dollar real estate development project located in Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A.
  • Advised Imation in the acquisitions of Japan’s TDK recording business and Memorex from Hong Kong sellers.
  • Advised Energizer in the USD930 million global acquisition of Schick and Wilkinson Sword razor lines from Pfizer. 

Select International Capital Markets transactions:

  • Acted as US counsel to sole sponsor, Guotai Junan Capital Limited in connection with UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP’s (HKSE : 9880) Global Offering and HK IPO in reliance on Reg S/ 144A
  • Acted as special U.S. counsel to Readboy Education Holding Company Limited, one of the largest smart learning device service providers in China in its primary listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and concurrent Regulation S offering.
  • Advising on various pre-IPO advice on novel legal and technical issues which are unique to the e-commerce industry in China.
  • Advised numerous HKEX listed issuers on compliance with U.S. securities law issues concerning rights issue, takeovers, privatization, and other corporate finance exercises. 
  • Advising numerous HKEX IPO candidates and sponsors underwriters on U.S. and international due diligence and legal opinion issues involving listing applicants’ entities and operations in the U.S., U.K. and other overseas jurisdictions. 
  • Advised numerous US, UK and Canadian issuers and private equity funds on their fund raising needs from Hong Kong and Asian investors.
  • Advised Powerlong Real Estate Holdings Limited, a leading property developer in the PRC, as to United States, Hong Kong and English law in connection with its various issuance of high yield bonds in 2017,2018, 2019 and 2020.
  • Advising Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed issuers on U.S. and International Economic Sanction law regimes and related compliance issues pursuant to HKEX listing rules and guidance letters.
  • Acted as U.S. counsel to Genscript Biotech Corporation in its initial public offering in Hong Kong and concurrent Regulation S international offering outside the U.S. The sponsor was Haitong and the co-underwriters were Haitong and JP Morgan. Dorsey also acted as International Sanction Law counsel to Genscript covering sanction law issues involving Hong Kong, U.S., EU and United Nations, in compliance with HKEX LD76 of 2013 and relevant requirements.
  • Advised Fulum Group, a leading Hong Kong based Chinese restaurant chain, as special U.S. and prospectus drafting counsel in its Hong Kong IPO and concurrent Reg S offering. 
  • Advised Tsui Wah Holdings Limited, the leading Cha Chaan Teng chain owner and operator in Hong Kong, as special U.S. and prospectus drafting counsel in its Hong Kong IPO and concurrent Rule 144A / Reg S offering (USD97 million). 
  • Advised Xiao Nan Guo Restaurants Holdings Limited, the largest self-owned mid-to high-end Chinese cuisine full-service restaurant chain headquartered in the PRC, as special U.S. counsel in its Hong Kong IPO and concurrent Rule 144A / Reg S offering (USD65 million). 
  • Acted as US counsel to BNP Paribas, the sole sponsor and global coordinator for the IPO of Huiyin Household Appliances where the deal was named “Deal of the Year” by The Asset magazine. 
  • Advised Hopewell Hong Kong Properties Limited, one of the leading developers, owners and operators of high quality properties in Hong Kong, as special U.S. counsel in its proposed spin-off from Hopewell Holdings Limited, a listed company in Hong Kong, via an initial public offering in Hong Kong and concurrent Rule 144A/ Reg S offering. The proposed deal was co-led by BOC International and Credit Suisse, with JP Morgan, HSBC and CITI as co-underwriters (offering postponed due to adverse market conditions). 

News & Resources

Articles

Dorsey Legal Arcade: Video Game Industry Legal Updates Volume 1, Issue 4
Dorsey Legal Arcade: Video Game Industry Legal Updates Volume 1, Issue 2
Private Equity and Venture Capital Pre-IPO Investments are now used by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Validate Pre-Revenue/Profit Biotech Companies
Hong Kong Offers New Capital Markets Opportunity for Life Sciences and Healthcare Companies
China’s Greater Bay Area Puts Hong Kong in the Lead as Super Connector to the World
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Comments on Alibaba's IPO on NYSE
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Appears in “Justice For All”, as a representative of the Hong Kong Law Society, TVB Hong Kong
"A Legal Guide to Doing Business in the Asia-Pacific," ABA Publishing, Co-author
Hong Kong’s Latest Eleven Principles on Directors’ Duties
Options for Secondary Financing in Hong Kong – Private Placement
"Shaping a new Hong Kong IPO Frontier/Profile," Asia Legal Business Issue, co-author, Issue 8.2
"Justice For All, The Book (Chinese Language)," co-author

News & Press Mentions

Dorsey Advises Sponsor in UBTECH ROBOTICS IPO
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Featured in Asian Legal Business June 2023 Edition
Dorsey Wins China Business Law Journal 2022 Cross-Border Deal of the Year Award
The Legal500 Interview with: Simon M. Y. Chan, Esq., Hong Kong Office Head
HKGCC Member Profile Interview – October Issue of the Bulletin Magazine 2022
Dorsey's Hong Kong Office Receives for Seventh Straight Year Caring Company Award
Dorsey’s China Practices and Attorneys Receive Multiple Legal Awards and Rankings
德汇中国业务及律师近期荣获多个法律奖项和排名
Dorsey & Whitney’s Hong Kong Office Receives for Sixth Straight Year Caring Company Award
Dorsey Represents R&F Properties in Sale of 70% Stake in the Integrated Logistics Park near Guangzhou Airport
德汇代表广州富力地产股份有限公司出售价值约10亿美元的广州国际机场富力综合物流园70%权益
Trying to Manage Cross-Border Risks in a Volatile and Uncertain Time
Dorsey & Whitney’s Hong Kong Office Receives for Fifth Straight Year Caring Company Award
Capital Markets Lawyer David Cameron Joins Dorsey in Hong Kong as Partner
Dorsey’s Hong Kong Office Recognized as Cross Border M&A Law Firm of the Year
Dorsey & Whitney’s Hong Kong Office Receives Caring Company Award Again
Dorsey Names Simon Chan as Hong Kong Office Head
Dorsey Advises Powerlong Real Estate Holdings Limited in Tender Offer
Dorsey Advises Powerlong Real Estate Holdings Limited with Issuance of High Yield Bonds
Dorsey Ranks #6 in Hong Kong M&A Legal Rankings
Dorsey & Whitney Represents Entone in Acquisition by Amino
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Comments on New Visa Policy for Chinese and U.S. Citizens
Dorsey & Whitney Represents Fulum Group in IPO
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Discusses Impact of 10-year China Tourist Visas
Chief Executive Magazine Quoted Hong Kong Partner Simon Chan
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Comments on Alibaba’s IPO Implications for Tech CEOs
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Comments on Alibaba's IPO in the Washington Post

Select Presentations

  • Webinar presenter, "Legal Training & Update on Global Offerings & HKEX IPOs," January 2024
  • Presenter and panel speaker, “International Legal & Regulatory Compliance” at the Legal Summit 2023, July 18, 2023
  • Presenter, Special Training Session for Hong Kong Stock Exchange “US Securities Laws Issues concerning Process of De-Listing of Chinese Concept Stocks”, September 2, 2022
  • Webinar presenter, “Legal Tools for Managing Cross-border Risk in a COVID-19 World,” Live Web Broadcast, March 26, 2020
  • Panel speaker, “How to prepare your business for IPO,” organized by the TiE IPO Club, May 8, 2018
  • Webinar moderator, “M&A in Asia: Beyond the Trends,” Live Web Broadcast, November 16, 2017
  • “CRS, Forex Control and AML in PRC: A New World for Cross-border Capital Movement,” seminar in Hong Kong, June 27, 2017
  • Webinar moderator, “Hong Kong IPO Trends 2017,” with Hong Kong Stock Exchange representative, Live Web Broadcast , February 17, 2017 
  • Seminar on “China Outbound M&A Legal Risk and Opportunities,” China CFO World Summit in Shenzhen, May 10, 2016
  • Seminar on “Hong Kong Legal & Judicial System and Legal Profession of Hong Kong,” The Law Society of Hong Kong, March 7, 2016
  • “Pre IPO Consideration & Preparation in Hong Kong,” seminar in Hong Kong, January 25, 2016 
  • “U.S. Economic Sanctions and Non-U.S. Companies,” seminar in Hong Kong, November 20, 2015
  • “Application of Hong Kong Listing Decision LD76 of 2013 and applicable U.S., EU and UN Economic Sanction Rules, for Hong Kong listing applications,” seminar in Hong Kong, November 19, 2015
  • Co-Chair and moderator of the Hong Kong Law Society and International Bar Association Young Lawyers Conference entitled “The Fundamentals of International Legal Business Practice,” September 2, 2015 
  • The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies In-house Seminar on “Application of U.S. Securities Laws on Hong Kong Listing Candidates And Companies Already Listed on HKEx,” March 27, 2015
  • Hong Kong panel speaker, “Offshore 2020 – Looking Forward: An Industry on the Move,” October 7, 2014
  • Panel speaker, “Hong Kong – An International Hub for Legal & Arbitration Services,” Seminar in Cambodia, organized by the Department of Justice of Hong Kong, February 20-21, 2014
  • Keynote speaker, “Startup Saturday 2014 Conference : Crowd-funding," January 25, 2014
  • “Offshore 20:20: Opportunities and Challenges Facing the Offshore Industry,” Hong Kong panel speaker, November 1, 2013
  • “Assessing Asia Via Hong Kong & Non-competes,” seminar in Minneapolis, October 1, 2013
  • “Asia Deal Trend – A Paradigm Shift,” roundtable in New York, September 25, 2013
  • “Private Equity and Venture Capital Primer,” seminar in Hong Kong, September 28, 2012
  • Panel speaker, “Going Global for the Chinese Wind Energy Industry,” Bloomberg New Energy Finance Leadership Forum, 2011

Professional & Civic

Professional Achievements

  • Committee Co-Chair of the Law Committee, The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
  • Member of the Americas Committee of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
  • Member of the Legal Committee of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
  • Hong Kong Law Society CPD Accreditation Sub-Committee
  • Member of the Greater China Legal Affairs Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong
  • Member of the Pro Bono & Community Work Recognition Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong
     

Accolades

  • IFLR 1000 M&A Practice, 2023
  • Asian Legal Business Law Firm of the Year for Diversity, 2023
  • Asian Legal Business Employer of Choice, 2023
  • Corporate INTL Global Awards Winner – Cross Border M&A Lawyer, 2019
Simon Chan