International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP has been recognized in China Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2025 awards in the M&A category for its work advising Trina Solar on the sale of its U.S. solar module manufacturing facility to T1 Energy Inc.
The annual awards highlight significant China-related deals and cases based on their complexity, impact, and innovation.
Trina Solar Sells U.S. Solar Module Plant to T1 Energy
In the M&A category, Dorsey represented Trina Solar, a world-leading solar product manufacturer listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in the sale of its 5GW solar module manufacturing facility in Wilmer, Texas to T1 Energy Inc., a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The transaction was structured to address potential “foreign entity of concern” (FEOC) risks under recently enacted U.S. legislation. Before the enactment of One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Dorsey anticipated the risks of the tax-code changes and formulated a tailored risk-mitigation strategy for Trina Solar.
Dorsey advised Trina Solar on the development of a risk-mitigation strategy and on the execution of the transaction, including matters related to corporate reorganization, intellectual property, securities law compliance, financing, employment, and immigration. The transaction involves entities across multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, China, Singapore, Switzerland, and certain other European countries.
As the first and largest transaction of its kind, the deal attracted significant industry attention, with multiple solar companies adopting a similar approach.
The transaction was led by Catherine Pan-Giordano, Leader of Dorsey’s U.S.-China Practice Group. The Dorsey team also included David Mack, Kevin Maler, Anthony Epps, John Chase, Justin Huff, Andrew Herr, Liqiu Tang, and Patrick Peng.
Through continuous reporting on China’s legal market and independent analysis China Business Law Journal selects standout deals and cases based on factors including deal size, industry impact, structural innovation, judicial precedent setting, and social contribution.