The China private equity practice at Morrison Foerster routinely acts on major take-private transactions. It is particularly active in relation to the technology, online gaming, e-commerce, fintech, biotechnology, life sciences, and healthcare sectors. In the firm’s mainland offices, Rongjing Zhao, an April 2023 recruit from Kirkland & Ellis International LLP, advises private equity funds on investments and acquisitions in China and the rest of Asia; Siyu Gao focuses on TMT-related private equity investments and M&A; and Bingye Wu and Bilin Chen both assist with M&A, private equity investments and general corporate matters. Over in Hong Kong, Marcia Ellis is the global co-chair of private equity; while Maureen Ho acts for private equity and real estate funds, as well as financial and corporate investors.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Key clients

  • Ark Pacific Capital
  • Ally Bridge Group
  • Alibaba Group
  • Affirma Capital Managers (Singapore) Pte
  • Ascendent Capital Partners
  • Bain Capital Credit
  • BlackRock
  • C2 Capital
  • Celadon Partners
  • Farallon Capital Asia
  • GLP
  • Intudo Ventures
  • Hony Capital
  • Macquarie
  • PAG
  • NewQuest Capital Partners
  • Prax Capital
  • Princeton Digital Group
  • Serenity Capital
  • SoftBank Group Corp
  • SoftBank Vision Fund
  • Vectr Ventures

Work highlights

  • Advising Ascendent Capital Partners, a private equity investment management firm focusing on Greater China investment, on its agreement to privatise Hollysys Automation Technologies.
  • Advised Ascendent Capital Partners, as an existing investor, on a merger of the core overseas education business of NetDragon Websoft Holdings with Gravitas Education Holdings.
  • Advised Celadon Partners on its launch of GeneFab, and advised GeneFab on its acquisition of chemistry, manufacturing and controls capabilities from NASDAQ-listed Senti Biosciences.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Marcia Ellis

Other key lawyers

Rongjing Zhao, Siyu Gao, Bilin Chen, Maureen Ho, Vivian Yiu, Yilong Luo