Llinks Law Offices

Corporate/M&A Department

Partner

David and his colleagues are the pioneers in the area of Chinese sports law, and have obtained prominent position and extensive experience in international sports arbitration and dispute resolution. As one of the few Chinese arbitrators of Court of Arbitration for Sports (“CAS”), David assisted with the establishment of CAS Shanghai Alternative Hearing Centre, the first hearing centre outside the Swiss headquarters in 2012. David was then appointed as arbitrator of CAS ad hoc division for Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. The appointment made him the only Chinese arbitrator with arbitration experience in the Olympics at present, meantime the second Chinese arbitrator appointed for the Winter Olympics in history.

David also acts as legal counsels for various top domestic clubs such as Guangzhou Evergrande, and provides legal service for famous football players and coaches. Till now, David has been in charge of more than 100 domestic and overseas cases. In 2013, David managed to represent Guangzhou Evergrande before FIFA in the claim against Lucas Ramon Barrios for breach of contract. With his team composed of Chinese and European lawyers, the case was successfully closed as one of the few international disputes in which the Chinese club is awarded a high amount of compensation. In early 2014, David dealt with disputes of contract and transfer between Chinese national team player LIU Jian and Qingdao Jonoon Football Club. The case was closed with a complete victory and was praised as the landmark “Bosman” case in Chinese sports law. Besides, he has been invited to join the 2015 China Football Association “Professional League Reform Panel”, participated in the 2017 reform program of China Basketball Association and CBA League, was invited to join one of the teams for revision of the Sports Law of the People’s Republic of China which is responsible for the subject of sports arbitration and participated the revision of the Regulation for the Protect of Olympic Sybols in the State Council draft, provided legal opinions for China Volleyball League as well as China Baseball Association. So far, David and his colleagues have made long-term contribution to reform of associations, leagues for sport projects including football, basketball, volleyball, e-sports, yachting, cycling and baseball etc.

In the area of foreign direct investment/corporate and commerce, David is particularly familiar with the automobile industry, and has acted as an agent for many multinational companies in setting up joint ventures or cooperative companies with large domestic companies in China. David has acted as legal counsels for over 50 sino-foreign joint-venture projects such as GM, Shanghai Auto Industry Company Group etc. with a total value over RMB 10 billion. David used to actively involved in the area of overseas IPO, guiding Chinese enterprises to conduct overseas financing. From 2006 to 2007, David has represented and helped several enterprises to successfully land AIM board in LSE.

Mandarin and English

David Wu graduated from Shanghai University Law School in 1990 (LL.B.) and East China Normal University International Finance School in 1992 (Master). In 1996, David attended the School of Business at Madonna University, Michigan, USA and obtained an MBA in 1998.