Jay is Eversheds’ Head of China Corporate Practice. Jay is also the chief representative and a partner of the firm’s Beijing office. He is a qualified solicitor of England and Wales.

Jay has extensive experience in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, investment funds, joint ventures and corporate finance. Since 2000, Jay has been involved in representing Chinese state-owned enterprises and large private companies in relation to their international joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and international fund raisings. He also advises international corporations, financial institutions and investment funds in connection with their direct investments and private placements in China and Europe.

Prior to joining Eversheds, Jay worked for leading international law firms including Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher in London, and Skadden Arps and Uría Menéndez in Beijing, focusing on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. He writes frequently on M&A and corporate finance and has published papers and articles on China Law and Practice, Global Legal Insights, law360.com, the Journal of Business Law and Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly.

Jay studied law at Bristol University and Oxford Institute of Legal Practice. He also studied business at Thunderbird – The American Graduate School of International Management. Jay’s native language is Chinese. He is fluent in English.

Client testimonials

“We have relied on Jay Ze to help us solve strategic and difficult issues that really matter to us. Leveraging his vast cross-border M&A experience, Jay guides us through the challenges of negotiating with a sophisticated multinational company in an extremely complicated, large and politically charged transaction. Jay has demonstrated that he is a first class M&A lawyer, and a trusted adviser with superb commercial acumen and judgment.”

Senior Project Team Members, A Leading Chinese State-Owned Enterprise

Peer comments

“Eversheds opened its Beijing Office in May 2013 as a “greenfield” operation. Jay Ze has been instrumental in the successes that we have achieved in Beijing. He has a “can do” attitude, a tenacious approach to business development and demonstrates an acute awareness of how to do business in China. Jay’s skills came to the fore in how he identified and then won the mandate to act for China National Nuclear Corporation on its investment in the Hinckley Point C Nuclear Power Station. This is a complex and significant transaction/deal value (£20bn+) that underscores Eversheds strategy in Beijing to target outbound investment opportunities. The deal is tangible evidence of the first class entrepreneurial and legal skills possessed by Jay Ze and his ability to make an impact in Eversheds’ global business.”

Client testimonials

“We have relied on Jay Ze to help us solve strategic and difficult issues that really matter to us. Leveraging his vast cross-border M&A experience, Jay guides us through the challenges of negotiating with a sophisticated multinational company in an extremely complicated, large and politically charged transaction. Jay has demonstrated that he is a first class M&A lawyer, and a trusted adviser with superb commercial acumen and judgment.”

Senior Project Team Members, A Leading Chinese State-Owned Enterprise

Peer comments

“Eversheds opened its Beijing Office in May 2013 as a “greenfield” operation. Jay Ze has been instrumental in the successes that we have achieved in Beijing. He has a “can do” attitude, a tenacious approach to business development and demonstrates an acute awareness of how to do business in China. Jay’s skills came to the fore in how he identified and then won the mandate to act for China National Nuclear Corporation on its investment in the Hinckley Point C Nuclear Power Station. This is a complex and significant transaction/deal value (£20bn+) that underscores Eversheds strategy in Beijing to target outbound investment opportunities. The deal is tangible evidence of the first class entrepreneurial and legal skills possessed by Jay Ze and his ability to make an impact in Eversheds’ global business.”

Stephen Kitts, Asia Managing Partner, Eversheds