Cooley to Launch in Hong Kong

Hong Kong – March 12, 2019 – Cooley is continuing its global growth with the announcement of plans to launch in Hong Kong. Leading Hong Kong corporate lawyer Will Cai is joining the firm from Skadden, where he had been a partner since 2014.

Cooley is the #1 law firm in the US advising on tech and life sciences IPOs and has been the #1 law firm taking companies public in the United States over the last five years. In addition, Cooley is one of the world’s top firms working on global capital markets transactions for non-US issuers.

“Given our proven success in capital markets in the United States, Asia and around the world, a physical presence in this leading center for finance and innovation is a fundamental next step in our global growth strategy,” said Joe Conroy, Cooley’s chief executive officer. “Will’s exceptionally strong background in US and Hong Kong capital markets deals and cross-border M&A further extends our ability to support our global clients seamlessly.”

For more than a decade, Will Cai, who is qualified in the US and Hong Kong, has been a trusted legal adviser for many of Asia’s most exciting companies on their landmark transactions across capital markets and M&A. He represents Chinese issuers and global investment banks in US and Hong Kong capital markets transactions. He frequently advises private equity funds and multinationals on their investments in the Greater China region, as well as Chinese companies on cross-border M&A work. Since 2008, he has worked on more than 40 completed IPOs in the US and Hong Kong capital markets.

“Cooley’s unique platform, leading client base and collegial culture make this opportunity extremely attractive,” said Cai. “I am looking forward to playing a role in its continued investment and achievement across the Asia-Pacific region and globally.”

Cai, a native Mandarin speaker who is fluent in English, earned his JD from Stanford Law School and his LLB from China University of Political Science and Law. Prior to joining Skadden, he worked for the Supreme People’s Court of China as a judicial clerk. He will lead Cooley’s capital markets practice in the region.

Following on the success of the firm’s Shanghai office, which opened in 2011, Cooley expanded its Asia-Pacific presence with its launch in Beijing in 2018. The firm represents some of Asia’s most innovative and dynamic tech and life sciences companies, advising on their financing, joint venture and other strategic transactions. In addition, Cooley has helped more than 80 fund managers form 100+ Chinese venture capital and private equity funds. It was named Investment Funds International Firm of the Year at the China Law & Practice Awards and has been broadly recognized for its strong tech, life sciences and VC practices.

Cooley LLP has submitted an application with The Law Society of Hong Kong to form a registered foreign law firm as its Hong Kong office. Upon registration, it will enter into an association with Cai, Lee & Partners, the local Hong Kong solicitor’s firm recently formed by Will Cai and Cooley partner Pang Lee, who is also qualified in Hong Kong and whose work focuses on global private equity and venture capital fund formation matters. Both the registered foreign law firm and the association with the new local firm are subject to approval by The Law Society of Hong Kong. Cooley’s Beijing and Shanghai offices operate as representative offices of Cooley LLP.

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