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Overview
SIMON CHAN ADVISES CLIENTS ON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE FINANCE AND CROSS-BORDER M&A TRANSACTIONS. HE IS KNOWN FOR FINDING PRACTICAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY SOLUTION FOR VUCA (VOLATILE, UNCERTAIN, COMPLEX, AMBIGUOUS) LEGAL AND BUSINESS SITUATIONS.
Simon is the head of our firm’s Hong Kong office. He is a core member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisition and Capital Markets Groups. 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, conglomerates, technology companies, global brands, private equities and family offices on M&A, IPO & global offerings and cross-border legal and business strategies to help our clients grow their business in today’s VUCA environment. In his around 25 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, disputes prevention strategies, wealth management and asset protection.
Education & Admissions
University of Hong Kong (LL.B., 1995), Honors
University of Hong Kong (P.C.LL, 1996)
Tsinghua University (Chinese Law Certificate Course, 1995)
Peking University (Chinese Law Certificate Course, 2010)
Harvard Law School Executive Education (LLF Program, 2017)
Admissions
- New York
- Hong Kong
Languages
- English, Cantonese and Mandarin
Experience
Client Achievements
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 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 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:
- 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
March 08, 2022
September 29, 2021
March 12, 2018
February 13, 2018
September 19, 2014
Dorsey Partner Simon Chan Appears in “Justice For All”, as a representative of the Hong Kong Law Society, TVB Hong Kong
2007
"A Legal Guide to Doing Business in the Asia-Pacific," ABA Publishing, Co-author
May 2010
Hong Kong’s Latest Eleven Principles on Directors’ Duties
August 3, 2009
"Shaping a new Hong Kong IPO Frontier/Profile," Asia Legal Business Issue, co-author, Issue 8.2
2008
"Justice For All, The Book (Chinese Language)," co-author
2007
News & Press Mentions
February 22, 2022
February 25, 2021
February 28, 2020
November 3, 2016
September 15, 2016
July 26, 2016
December 18, 2014
December 10, 2014
September 25, 2014
September 19, 2014
January 28, 2014
December 16, 2013
November 8, 2013
Events & Speaking Engagements
March 23, 2022
October 24, 2019
November 15, 2017 (U.S.) and November 16, 2017 (HONG KONG & CHINA)
March 21, 2006 - March 21, 2006
Select Presentations
- Webinar Presenter, on “Legal Tools for Managing Cross-border Risk in a COVID-19 World,” Live Web Broadcast, March 26, 2020
- Panel speaker at the “How to prepare your business for IPO,” organized by the TiE IPO Club, May 8, 2018
- Webinar Moderator, on “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, on “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
- “Offshore 2020 – Looking Forward: An Industry on the Move,” Hong Kong panel speaker, October 7, 2014
- Panel speaker at the “Hong Kong – An International Hub For Legal & Arbitration Services,” Seminar in Cambodia, organized by the Department of Justice of Hong Kong, February 21, 2014
- Panel speaker at the “Hong Kong – An International Hub For Legal & Arbitration Services,” Seminar in Vietnam, organized by the Department of Justice of Hong Kong, February 20, 2014
- “Startup Saturday 2014 Conference : Crowd-funding," keynote speaker, 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
- “Going Global for the Chinese Wind Energy Industry,” panel speaker at the 2011 Bloomberg New Energy Finance Leadership Forum
Industries & Practices
Banking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Asia-Pacific
- Banking & Financial Institutions
- Capital Markets
- China
- India
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Technology
Professional & Civic
Professional Achievements
- Member of Law Committee of The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
- Regulatory Impact Assessments Working Group of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
- Member of Americas Committee of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
- Member of Legal Committee of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
- Member of The Law Society of Hong Kong International Legal Affairs Committee
- Member of Public Affairs Forum of the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Government
- Board Member of the Hong Kong Cricket Club
