ENG

  • Laura ZHOU

    Equity Partner / Shanghai

  • Tel +86-21-6061-3666

    Email laurazhou@zhonglun.com

  • Practices

    Construction & Project Development, Investment/M&A & Corporate Governance, Financial Products & Trusts

  • Industries

    Urban Infrastructure, Transportation & Logistics, Energy & Power

CV

Laura ZHOU

During Ms. Zhou’s more than twenty years of practice, Ms. Zhou has provided legal services including project investment, project financing, project mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, litigation and arbitration for large well-known environmental and energy enterprises, engineering enterprises, real estate development enterprises, government and financial institutions such as China Three Gorges Corporation, Pipe China, Yangtze Ecology and Environment, Everbright Water, National Green Development Fund, China PPP Fund, China Gezhouba Group, China Jinmao, China State Construction Engineering Co., China Railway Shanghai Bureau Group, China Electric Power Planning & Engineering Institutes, CLP Huayuan Nuclear Power Engineering Technology Co., Xiong’an New Area Reform and Development Bureau, Hainan Provincial Department of Transportation, Pudong New Area Government, Ping An Construction Investment, and China Development Bank.
Ms. Zhou and her team have accumulated rich practical experience in infrastructure and public utility field such as eco-environment protection, water conservancy, new energy, urban renewal, transportation. She has also been invited to participate in a number of research and consultation on infrastructure investment and financing and ESG-related topics entrusted by the PPP Center of the Ministry of Finance and the Asian Development Bank, and she has unique insights into ESG compliance and risk management of construction projects.

Representative Matters

Precinct Development Projects (EOD/Urban Renewal/New Urbanization/Urban Integrated Transformation)

  • Advising National Green Development Fund on its EOD pilot project in Chongqing

  • Advising National Green Development Fund on its EOD pilot project in Anhui Province

  • Advising China Jinmao on its Nanfan Science and Technology City project in Sanya, Hainan, "China's seed industry Silicon Valley" (project planning land area of more than 6,000 mu)

  • Advising China Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd. On its “Aerospace + 5G" application demonstration base – Hainan Wenchang International Aerospace City Project (investment amount is CNY 6.742 billion)

  • Providing Outside General Counsel Services to China Jinmao for Jiashan Window of Shanghai City and Industry Project (total planning area of the project is about 2,878 mu, and total construction area is about 1.81 million square meters)

  • Advising China Construction Fifth Group on its urban renewal project in Changsha Tianxin District Xinpu Area (total area is about 5,895 mu, investment amount is CNY 20 billion)

  • Advising China Construction Second Group on its city-industry integration comprehensive development PPP project in Wuhan City, Hubei Province (total planning area is 50.21 square kilometers)

  • Providing full process legal services to Sinobo Land Ltd. for its bidding for reconstruction PPP project of Beijing Worker Stadium(investment amount is CNY 5.746 billion)

  • Provided legal services such as overall internal control compliance during the project development and construction stage for an international sports industrial park project in Hainan

  • Advising China Construction Eighth Group on its New Urbanization PPP Project in Chonggu Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai (Shanghai's first new urbanization PPP project)

  • Provided legal services for Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province Chip City Science and Technology Innovation Base PPP project (investment amount is CNY 19.4 billion)

  • As a government consultant, provided comprehensive consulting services for the whole process of comprehensive transformation PPP project in Xujiawan area, Weiyang District, Xi'an (investment amount is about CNY 14.827 billion)【one of the second batch of PPP demonstration projects of the Ministry of Finance】

  • Advising China Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd. on its 11 village reconstruction projects in Lianchi District, Baoding City (investment amount is about CNY 23.59 billion)

  • Advising a subsidiary of Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd. on its Hangzhou South Railway Station comprehensive transportation hub East-West Square Project PPP project (The first railway comprehensive transportation hub PPP project in China)

  • Advising Shanghai Construction Engineering Group on its Binhai Port Industrial Park start-up area investment and development construction project in Yancheng (the investment amount is about CNY 13.32 billion)

  • As a government consultant, provided legal services for Tianchang high-speed railway new city core area construction (development) project (investment amount is CNY 3.602 billion)

  • Advising Beijing Urban Construction Six Group on its Jiangxi Province Jingdezhen City Leping City Xixihe Beautiful Rural Pastoral Complex (Phase I) PPP project

  • Advising A subsidiary of Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd. on its Zhongyi (Ningbo) ecological park infrastructure construction project PPP project 【one of the second batch of PPP demonstration projects of the Ministry of Finance】


Environmental energy, ecological and environmental protection and public utility projects

  • Advising China Three Gorges Corporation on its Yangjiang Qingzhou five and Qingzhou seven offshore wind farm submarine cable centralized transmission project

  • Advising Three Gorges Investment on its Shanghai Jinshan Phase I 300MW offshore wind power project

  • Provided perennial legal counsel services for Sunite Youqi Zhixin Energy Co., Ltd.

  • Advising Anhui Jianghuai Songzhi Air Conditioning Co., Ltd. on its Rooftop distributed photovoltaic projects

  • Advising a CLP company in its acquisition of a comprehensive energy project in Sichuan

  • Advising CLP Huayuan Nuclear Power Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. on its A zero-carbon digital rural revitalization project

  • Entrusted by China Public Private Partnerships Center, responsible for the compilation of the “Plant-grid Integration Sewage Treatment PPP Project Contract (Model Edition)" and the “Waste Management PPP Project Contract (Model Edition)"

  • Advising China PPP Fund on its Qinhuangdao sewage sludge treatment PPP project

  • Providing legal service for the concession project (first phase) of the comprehensive waste treatment facilities of Xiong’an New Area Reform and Development Bureau

  • As a government consultant, provided project-based legal services on PPP projects of Yixing environmental hygiene, sewer networks between urban and rural areas in Yixing, and decentralized sanitation in Yixing, Jiangsu.

  • As a government consultant, provided whole-process consulting services for Hebei "South-to-North Water Diversion" surface water plant and its emergency water supply project PPP project

  • As a government consultant, provided Consultation service for the concession project of comprehensive utilization of renewable resources in Kunshan, Jiangsu

  • As a government consultant, provided project-based legal services on PPP projects of Comprehensive management of water environment of Gaoyou Lake

  • Advising Guangxi Beitou Environmental Protection & Water Group Co., Ltd. on its Shanglin County Integrated urban and rural water supply network PPP project

  • As a government consultant, provided expert consultancy services for the World Bank-financed PPP project of the Ningbo Food Waste Treatment Plant and the Food Waste Treatment Plant

  • Providing full process legal services to China Jinmao for the Ecological Environment Improvement and Public Service Supporting PPP Project in Zhangjiagang High-tech Park

  • Provided legal services for the ecological restoration and infrastructure construction PPP project in Tangshan Donghu Area led by China Railway

  • Provided full process legal services for Zhengding Underground Utility Tunnel PPP Project, Changsha underground comprehensive pipe gallery PPP project and other comprehensive pipe corridor national demonstration projects


Transportation projects

  • Providing full process legal services to Shanghai Shen-Tie Investment Co. Ltd. for Shanghai Rail Transit Airport Linking Line Project (it is the first municipal railways in Shanghai and the investment amount is CNY 48.054 billion)

  • Providing full process legal services to Guangzhou Metro Group Co., Ltd. for its bidding for PPP project of Changsha Metro Line 6 (the amount investment is CNY 11.65937 billion, and it is the first PPP project of rail traffic in Changsha)

  • Advising China Railway Construction on its Xuzhou Metro Line 2 PPP project(the amount investment is CNY 17 billion)【Jiangsu PPP demonstration project】

  • Provided project-based consulting services on the first stage of Metro PPP Project of line 1 and line 2 in Wuhu, Jiangsu Province,(the amount investment is CNY 14.6 billion)【one of the third batch of PPP demonstration projects of the Ministry of Finance)

  • Advising China Railway Construction on its Ningxia Shizuishan to Guyuan intercity railway (Wuzhong to Zhongwei section) PPP project (the amount investment is CNY 13 billion)

  • Advising China Railway on its Hohhot Rail Transit Line 1 Phase I Project PPP Project(the amount investment is about CNY 16.7 billion)【one of the second batch of PPP demonstration projects of the Ministry of Finance】

  • As a government consultant, provided project-based legal services on Hainan Yangpu Shugang Expressway PPP project (the amount investment is about CNY 8.4 billion)

  • Providing legal services for Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou Expressway PPP project invested by Shanghai Urban Construction (Group) Co., Ltd., with an investment of CNY 8 billion【one of the third batch of PPP demonstration projects of the Ministry of Finance】.

  • Advising Zhejiang Traffic Engineering Group on its Qianjiang Passage and North Terminal Project PPP Project (the amount investment is CNY 2.452 billion)

  • Advising Zhejiang Jiaogong Hongtu Transportation Construction Co., Ltd on its Zhenhai-Anji Highway Deqing Duihekou to Aibuli section of the project PPP project (the amount investment is about CNY 1.533 billion)

  • Advising Zhejiang Jiaogong Hongtu Transportation Construction Co., Ltd on its EPC general contracting project of Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway Linping section reconstruction project

  • Advising Guangxi Road and Bridge Engineering Group Co., Ltd on its Changbao Expressway PPP project (the amount investment is about CNY 13 billion) and Southeast Ring Expressway PPP project(the amount investment is about CNY 4.4 billion)


M&A

  • Providing legal services to Shanghai Construction Group Co., Ltd. for its acquisition of 51% share of Tianjin Housing Construction Development Group Co., Ltd.

  • Providing legal services to PingAn Construction Investment Co., Ltd. for its share investment of Kunpeng Construction Group Co., Ltd.

  • Advising Shanghai Construction Group on its share acquisition of Yancheng Chonghai Urban Development and Construction Co., Ltd.

  • Advising Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co., Ltd. on its joint venture project with Shanghai Taihe Water Technology Development Co., Ltd.

  • Advising Yangtze Three Gorges Hydroelectric Engineering Co., Ltd. on its strategic restructuring project

  • Advising Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co., Ltd. on its joint venture project of urban pipe network with Chongqing Water Group Co., Ltd.

  • Advising Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co., Ltd. on its number of equity acquisition projects for water supply and drainage, biomass energy treatment, solid waste treatment and comprehensive environmental treatment

  • Advising Tianjin Haihe Kailaiying Biomedical Industry Innovation Investment Fund on its capital increasing project of Tianjin Pharma Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

  • Advising Shanghai Construction Group on its share acquisition of Yancheng Chonghai Urban Development and Construction Co., Ltd.

  • Provided legal due diligence and other legal services for a design institute equity acquisition project proposed by a subsidiary of Shanghai Construction Engineering Group

  • Advising Shanghai Jianyuan Equity Investment Fund on its share acquisition of A Wenzhou PPP project

  • Advising Shanghai Infrastructure Construction Development (Group) Co., Ltd. on its share acquisition of Huzhou Nanxun Shanlian Lake Pen Town PPP project

  • Advising Shanghai Pudong Construction Co., Ltd on its an equity acquisition project


Infrastructure dispute resolution (PPP Project Renegotiation,Litigation and arbitration)

  • As a government consultant, provided legal services for renegotiation of the Fumei Village Water Environment Treatment Project (PPP) in Qiongzhong County, and represented the administrative litigation case of Qiongzhong Fumei Rural Water Environment Treatment PPP Project, with CNY 1.3 billion in dispute.

  • Represented a large state-owned listed company (private party) in an arbitration case related to the construction costs of a fast-track PPP project before Shanghai Arbitration Commission, with a subject matter of about CNY 60 million

  • Represented an arbitration case of construction contract dispute over a bid section of the Hangzhou-Shaoxin-Taizhou Expressway before Shaoxing Arbitration Commission, with the dispute amount exceeding CNY 160 million

  • Represented in a litigation case of construction contract disputes over an PPP contract in Zhejiang, with the dispute amount exceeding CNY 100 million

  • Represented in a litigation case of a senior high school BT project, and the return on investment was supported, with the dispute amount exceeding CNY 100 million

  • Provided legal services to a large environmental protection group on a dispute over a sewage treatment PPP project in Inner Mongolia

  • Providing legal services for renegotiation of Qujing Sanbao to Kunming Qingshui Expressway (Qujing section) PPP project in Qujing City, Yunnan Province

  • As a government consultant, providing legal services for renegotiation of Jiangsu Yuyi port, industrial park and road construction PPP project

  • Providing legal services for renegotiation of a highway PPP project in Yunnan invested and constructed by a large state-owned listed company (private party)

  • Provided legal services for the awarded social capital of a park and its supporting infrastructure PPP project, analyzing the large-scale change of the scope of cooperation by the government party, providing solutions and participating in negotiations

  • Provided suggestions on handling the withdrawal of one of the members of the consortium of tendered private parties in a highway PPP project in Yunnan, issue legal opinions, and review the relevant agreement texts

  • As a government consultant, provided due diligence, path planning and demonstration of legal services for a highway PPP project on the retreat of the original investor who has won the bid but is unable to invest and construct, re-introducing new investors and other issues

  • Provided legal services such as investment withdrawal path analysis, specific implementation planning, and new social capital party entry path analysis for the winning bidder (social capital) of the Expressway PPP project.

  • Provided legal services for the winning private party of a hospital PPP project to the government's change of payment mechanism, performance evaluation mechanism, financing stagnation of financial institutions and other issues

  • Provided legal services for a large state-owned listed company (private party) in the renegotiation of an avionics hub project and a terminal PPP project in Jiangxi Province

  • Provided legal services for the private party (state-owned enterprise) to issue relevant legal opinions, review liquidation agreements, liquidation memoranda, etc. in a tram PPP project in Gansu Province

Honors and Awards

For Individual

National outstanding Party member lawyer, National Committee of the Lawyers Industry of the Communist Party of China 2018

The 6th Outstanding Young Lawyer, Shanghai Lawyers Association 2018

The first batch of young legal talents in Shanghai, Shanghai Law Society

Shanghai 38 Red Flag Bearer, Shanghai Women's Federation 2013-2014

Active members in the performance of their duties, The 6th Pudong New Area of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference

Field of Project & Infrastructure Recommended Lawyer, Chambers Global Guide 2020-2022

Field of Construction Engineering and Project & Infrastructure Recommended Lawyer, Chambers Greater China Region 2022

Field of Project & Infrastructure Recommended Lawyer, Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2020-2021

"Highly appraised" recommended lawyer in the field of project development, IFLR1000 2022-2023

Field of Project & Infrastructure Recommended Lawyer, Asian law Profiles 2021-2022

"Dispute Resolution Star" in Asia-pacific Annual Construction Engineering Field, Benchmark Litigation 2021-2022

Recommended Lawyer, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2017-2019

China Construction Practitioner of the Year 2015, Construction Times/ Engineering News-Record

< > 60 Most Recommended China Engineering Lawyer, Construction Times/ Engineering News-Record 2013, 2015

Memberships & Affiliations

EOD pilot project review expert, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China

Expert, PPP Center in Ministry of Finance

Expert, PPP in National Development and Reform commission

Supervision expert, PPP Demonstration Projects of Ministry of Finance

Expert, PPP in Asian Development Bank(ADB)

Arbitrator, Shanghai Arbitration Commission (mainly on PPP, Infrastructure investment and Construction)

Certified M&A Dealmaker, China Mergers & Acquisitions Association

Member, Expert Commission, China Association, International Engineering Consultants, Invited supervisor, Shanghai Third Intermediate People's Court

Committee Member, the 6th and 7th Pudong New Area of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference

Member, the Committee for Promoting Political Participation and Discussion of the Shanghai Lawyers Association

Part-time Vice President, Pudong New Area Women's Federation

Publications

"Construction Project Compliance and Arbitrationg In The Contesxt of ESG ", Law Press·China, 2022"Energy and Infrastructure EPC Legal Practice", (selected into Beijing International Arbitration Center "Beizhong New Exploration Library of Dispute Resolution"),Law Press·China, 2020

"PPP Project Dilemma Solution and Renegotiation", Law Press·China, 2019

"PPP Projects Operatiogn & Practice", Law Press·China, 2016

"Legal Risk Prevention and Operation Guidance of BT Project", Law Press·China, 2013

Related

  • Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications

    PRC, 2002

  • Education

    JM, Law School, Fudan University, 2005

  • Professional Experience

    ZHONG LUN LAW FIRM, Shanghai Office, 2014 to present
    Co-EFFORT LAW FIRM LLP, 2004-2014
    XING YUN LAW FIRM, Shanghai Office, 2001-2004

  • Languages

    Chinese
    English