Ms Joey Chau > Kirkland & Ellis > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile

Highly regarded for its expert handling of cross-border SPAC and de-SPAC transactions, in conjunction with a strong corporate finance offering, the Kirkland & Ellis International LLP team is renowned for its ‘responsiveness’ and ‘professionalism’. The firm regularly advises on major take-private transactions and sales of shares, with the duo of Joey Chau and Brian Ho spearheading the practice from Hong Kong. Mengyu Lu is knowledgeable on multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions, while Jesse Sheley and Peng Yu predominantly concentrate on the TMT and life sciences spaces. All lawyers mentioned are Hong Kong-based.

Joey Chau jointly leads the team at Kirkland & Ellis alongside Brian Ho; the group is known for its vast experience in advising on the full gamut of corporate mattes, including spin-offs, privatisations, and convertible offering-related mandates. Praised by clients for her ‘exceptional ability to think creatively‘, Chau is noted for her strong specialism in public M&A and take-private transactions. Ho is an expert in corporate finance work, particularly in relation to de-SPACs. Jesse Sheley is a key contact for SPAC clients within the tech and financial services sectors, while Peng Yu is recommended for his broad knowledge of the TMT and life sciences sectors, often advising on joint ventures and investments. Nicholas Norris left the firm in January 2024.

Kirkland & Ellis maintains a solid roster of New York and locally-qualified practitioners based in Hong Kong, who work closely with PRC-based lawyers to provide a ‘very strong’ service to both issuers and underwriters on Hong Kong listings and follow-on offerings, as well as US IPOs and Rule 144A and Regulation S offerings. Mengyu Lu heads the team from Hong Kong, following David Zhang’s departure in January 2024, and draws upon vast experience assisting Chinese companies go public on the HKSE, including under the relatively newly enacted Rule 18A aimed at helping pre-revenue biotech companies go public. Lu is also one of a number in the team, including Joey Chau and Brian Ho, who have real world expertise of handling mandates under the newly enacted Hong Kong SPAC regime, with all three recently being involved in the first announced de-SPAC transaction since the introduction of the new listing regime in 2022.