Orrick announced today that seasoned M&A practitioner Jinsong (“Jeff”) Zhang has joined the firm as a partner in our M&A and private equity practice. Jeff joins from King & Wood Mallesons, where he was a partner resident in New York. He previously served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of CITIC Securities USA, a broker-dealer firm registered with the SEC/FINRA, and the U.S. arm of China’s largest full-service investment bank. Jeff will split his time between our Beijing and New York offices.

“Having deep experience in the PRC and in the U.S., Jeff brings a strong set of skills executing cross-border M&A transactions, as well as relationships with the New York banking community that will greatly benefit our clients in China,” said Ed Batts, head of Orrick’s Global M&A and Private Equity practice.

“We’re very pleased to add a partner of Jeff’s caliber to our growing team. Jeff will be an invaluable resource on the ground in China, helping our clients navigate the U.S. and other international markets, on transactional, as well as regulatory and compliance matters,” added Xiang Wang, Orrick’s Asia Managing Partner.

Jeff has extensive experience representing both Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies in cross-border public and private M&A, tender offers, privatizations, spinoffs and joint ventures. In recent years, he has advised Chinese clients in a variety of sectors including financial institutions, Fintech, technology, real estate and health care in their U.S.-bound transactions. Jeff is also very active in advising Chinese financial institutions on U.S. regulatory and compliance matters. Having practiced for more than a decade in New York, and having served as GC and CCO for CITIC Securities USA, Jeff offers Chinese clients a unique perspective when advising on their transactional and compliance matters in the U.S.

“Orrick offers my clients a global, fully integrated and full-service platform to support their growth into the U.S. and other international markets. I’m excited to collaborate with Xiang Wang and my many new colleagues across Asia, the U.S., Europe and Africa, and help the firm continue to grow its position as a leading M&A practice,” said Jeff.

A PRC native admitted in both the PRC and New York, Jeff earned a J.D. from Duke University, an LL.M. from Case Western Reserve University, an LL.B. from China University of Political Science and Law, and completed his coursework at Fudan University’s LL.M. program in international economic law. He previously practiced with Skadden Arps and Linklaters.

Jeff is the 17th partner to join Orrick’s Global M&A practice since 2016 and the third in China in the past year. The firm’s M&A practice ranked #13 for global M&A volume in 2017 (Mergermarket). Jeff’s arrival follows the additions last year in Hong Kong of cross-border M&A partners Scott Peterman, from Jones Day, and Mark Lehmkuhler, formerly with Davis Polk, as well as the addition this year of James Atkin, as global co-head of our Oil & Gas practice in Tokyo, from Vinson & Elkins. Earlier this year, Orrick announced the arrivals of cross-border M&A partners Paul Doris, from Watson Farley & Williams, in London, and David Schwartz, from Hughes Hubbard & Reed, in New York.