ENG

  • Duchao ZHANG

    Equity Partner / Beijing

  • Tel +86-10-5796-5268

    Email zhangduchao@zhonglun.com

  • Practices

    Bankruptcy-Insolvency & Reorganization, Litigation & Arbitration, White Collar Crime & Criminal Compliance

CV

Duchao ZHANG

Mr. Zhang specializes in dispute resolution and debt restructuring, especially complex transactions and disputes involving commercial litigation, reorganization, pre-reorganization, out-of-court restructuring, corporate control as well as special investment opportunities. He is experienced in developing diversified and comprehensive plans that integrate debt restructuring, litigation and non-litigation solutions catering to commercial needs of his clients.

As a bankruptcy case administrator or litigation agent, Mr. Duchao Zhang has been directly overseen or participated in numerous well-known large-scale projects in China. Additionally, he has served as a legal counsel to various domestic banks such as Agricultural Bank of China, and foreign banks including BNP Paribas, UniCredit Bank Ag, and Intesa Sanpaolo Bank, as well as Asset Management Companies (AMCs) such as China Great Wall, China Huarong(now CITIC Financial), and China Cinda; trust companies such as Bohai Trust, Guolian Trust, and Jilin Trust; and also financial leasing companies such as Bohai Leasing; internet financial companies such as CreditEase and Jinxin Network; large state-owned enterprises such as China Energy Investment Group, China National Petroleum Corporation, FAW Group, China National Machinery Industry Corporation, CRRC, and Sinotrans;local state-owned enterprises such as Shanxi Coal International Energy, Shandong Energy, and Jinchuang Investment; private enterprises such as HNA Group;emerging internet enterprises including Meituan,,Didi, and Tidy Washing Technology, and Zhigui Technology, traditional companies like Yili Group and Tong ren tang Group, as well as legal counsel to foreign listed companies and entrepreneurs from the United States, Singapore, and other countries, involved in numerous litigation and arbitration, debt restructuring, or non-performing asset disposal projects, providing comprehensive legal services.

Besides, Mr. Zhang also serves as a strategic partner, providing legal support to state-owned capital such as China Great Wall Fund and Galaxy Investment, as well as professional investors like Xingfu Anji (Under China Fortune Land Development) and Bohai Trust, in special situation and debt restructuring relief projects/fields. Simultaneously, Mr. Zhang offers one-stop services to distressed enterprises and shareholders, ranging from scheme design to fund introduction and asset promotion.

Representative Matters

Domestic listed company bankruptcy reorganization cases:

  • Appointed as the bankruptcy reorganization administrator for Sichuan Golden Summit (Group) Co., Ltd. (600678.SH)

  • Appointed as the bankruptcy reorganization administrator for Yanbian Shixian Bailu Papermaking Co., Ltd. (600462.SH)

  • Appointed as the special legal counsel for the investor of Peking University Founder Group, participating in overall risk management of the corporate and shareholder for Peking University Founder Group and other listed companies.

  • Appointed as the legal counsel for a controlling shareholder of an A-share company, participating in the bankruptcy reorganization and shareholder debt restructuring work of the listed company.

  • Appointed as the legal counsel for the controlling shareholder of Poten Environment Group Co.,Ltd. (603603.SH) in the bankruptcy reorganization project.

  • Appointed as the legal counsel for the investor in the restructuring of Shandong Oriental Ocean Sci-Tech Co., Ltd. (002086.SZ) and involved in the bankruptcy reorganization case of the listed company.

  • Appointed as the legal advisor bankruptcy reorganization project for the controlling shareholders of three listed companies in the manufacturing, non-ferrous metals, and financial industries.

  • Appointed as the bankruptcy administrator for a cultural industry A-share listed company and provided legal advice and support on investor introductions and related work.

  • Appointed as the legal advisor for cooperation partners and financing parties in the bankruptcy reorganization and related company debt restructuring of Pangda Automobile Trade Co., Ltd. (601258.SH)

  • Appointed as the legal counsel for a state-owned enterprise in the acquisition of a traditional Chinese medicine A-share listed company through debt restructuring.

  • Appointed as the legal counsel for an asset management company in restructuring project, providing legal services for the state-owned equity acquisition project of Anyang Iron and Steel Co., Ltd (600569.SH).

  • Appointed as the legal counsel for a state-owned enterprise in the urgent resolution of bond default risks of a large enterprise group and related listed company debt restructuring and credit enhancement projects.

  • Others (omitted).


Bankruptcy Cases Involving Listed Companies in Hong Kong and the United States:

  • Acting as the administrator for the bankruptcy reorganization project of Shandong Qunxing Paper Co., Ltd. (03868.HK) and its affiliated companies.

  • Serving as the administrator for the bankruptcy reorganization project of Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd.(NYSE: STP).

  • Acting as the Vice Chairman of the Financial Debt Committee and special legal advisor for 19 enterprises, including Fengxiang Co., Ltd (09977.HK), in bankruptcy reorganization and related litigation projects involving financial institutions.

  • Serving as the legal counsel for the restructuring of the o actual controller of a Hong Kong listed company (Financial Holdings Group, Environmental Enterprise).

  • Providing legal services for the debt restructuring project of a Hong Kong-listed company in the energy industry.

  • Acting as the legal counsel for the overall risk mitigation and compliance project of a consumer service listed company in Hong Kong and its domestic A-share listed companies.

  • Representing a leading technology company in debt restructuring projects with a large international technology group, designing restructuring plans for clients.

  • Other (omitted).


Projects related to large financial institutions, state-owned enterprises liquidation, and project of policy research:

  • Served as the bankruptcy administrator for the bankruptcy liquidation case of Xin Hua Securities Co., Ltd.;

  • Acted as legal counsel for the bankruptcy liquidation projects of subsidiaries under MCC.

  • Appointed as special legal counsel for self-liquidation and bankruptcy liquidation projects of enterprises under State Energy Group.

  • Served as legal counsel and lead author on bankruptcy risk isolation issues in AMC investment and acquisition projects for a major asset management company.

  • Others (omitted).


Other insolvency restructuring projects of large domestic and foreign enterprises:

  • Acted as restructuring consultant for a state-owned enterprise as a shareholder and investor, providing legal services for debt restructuring and derivative litigation for BYTON.

  • Provided legal services for an asset management company as a capital provider in participating in an equity acquisition project of a distressed listed steel company.

  • Served as bankruptcy restructuring council for a foreign investment institution participating in the bankruptcy liquidation project of a new energy enterprise in Chongqing.

  • Served as legal counsel for a real estate company and its actual controller, assisting and guiding the merger and reorganization case of 19 companies including real estate group.

  • Represented investors in debt restructuring projects of a tourism development company in Shandong.

  • Represented investors in debt restructuring and derivative litigation of a mining company.

  • Represented creditors in the bankruptcy liquidation project of Jiugang Group Yicheng Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.

  • Represented foreign creditors in the bankruptcy liquidation project of China International Packaging Corporation

  • Represented creditors in the bankruptcy liquidation project of Wuxi Hu'an Cable.

  • Provided legal services for debt restructuring projects of a steel group corporation, one of a central state-owned enterprise.

  • Provided legal services for bankruptcy reorganization projects of Haixin Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd

  • Provided legal services for bankruptcy reorganization projects of Haiwei Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd.

  • Provided legal services for bankruptcy reorganization projects of Shanxi Liansheng Energy Co., Ltd.

  • Provided legal services for debt restructuring projects of Shandong Changxing Wind Power Group Co., Ltd

  • Provided legal services for bankruptcy reorganization of Tongliao Changxing Wind Power Co., Ltd.

  • Provided legal services for the restructuring project of Zouping Xinxing New Energy Development Co., Ltd

  • Provided legal services for the restructuring project of Jiangsu Luling Industry Chemical Group Co., Ltd.

  • Other bankruptcy reorganization and debt restructuring projects of large energy groups.

  • Others (omitted)


Represented technology companies, real estate, and construction enterprises in bankruptcy mergers and acquisitions and special situation projects: 

  • Served as legal counsel for an internet company's insolvency restructuring acquisition of controlling stake in a real estate technology company.

  • Acted as legal counsel for a technology insolvency restructuring project under the laws of PRC.

  • Appointed as legal counsel for Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd. to participate in the bankruptcy restructuring and bond default project of Wuyang Construction Group Co., Ltd.

  • Provided legal services for a technology company's debt restructuring acquisition of a detergent enterprise.

  • Represented Jilin Provincial Expressway Co., Ltd. in formulating bankruptcy reorganization plans and acquiring control of target companies.

  • Represented Sinotrans Limited in bankruptcy liquidation and related litigation cases involving real estate;

  • Legal counsel for shareholders and largest creditors of Runhe Real Estate in bankruptcy reorganization projects;

  • Others (omitted)


Projects in other legal areas

  • Represented a state-owned bank in a series of cases involving a de facto merged bankrupt enterprise and the actual controller’s bankruptcy claims disputes.

  • Represented a petroleum technology company and an equipment manufacturing enterprise in drilling equipment procurement contract disputes.

  • Represented a listed energy company in a series of litigation cases in a provincial high court.

  • Represented a South Korean company in a technology transfer contract dispute with a Chinese technology company.

  • Represented a Henan real estate company in a real estate dispute involving joint development.

  • Represented a central state-owned enterprise and a provincial real estate company in a series of real estate disputes.

  • Represented a state-owned bank's branch in Zhejiang Province in a real estate dispute concerning the cooperative development of a real estate company.

  • Represented a central state-owned enterprise in cooperation with a  real estate company in real estate development dispute cases;

  • Represented a large real estate company in Hebei Province in a real estate dispute case concerning the cooperative development of a real estate company.

  • Represented a subsidiary of a central state-owned enterprise in directed development real estate dispute series cases with a real estate company.

  • Represented a hospital in Hebei Province in a Supreme Court retrial case involving renovation and decoration engineering project.

  • Represented an Inner Mongolia energy enterprise in a loan contract dispute with an exploration company;

  • Represented a trust company in reorganization case involving a Shanxi energy group as a creditor.

  • Represented a well-known internet company in a customized development technology product contract dispute with a listed company.

  • Represented the headquarters of a state-owned bank in administrative litigation cases brought by an investor against the China Banking Regulatory Commission and other entities.

  • Represented an investment management company in a case involving a lease contract dispute involving a state-owned entity.

  • Represented a fund company in equity disputes and other criminal-civil crossover series cases.

  • Represented a real estate enterprise in various criminal-civil crossover series cases.

  • Others (omitted).

Honors and Awards

Top 10 typical bankruptcy reorganization and liquidation cases issued by the Supreme People's Court of China

Top 10 typical commercial cases issued by the Supreme People’s Court of China

Distinguished Lecturer, New York Institute of Finance

INSOL International Fellow. (International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals)

Memberships & Affiliations

Member, INSOL International

Lecturer, New York Institute of Finance

Publications

Debt Restructuring,CITIC press,December 2020

Bankruptcy and Litigation Practice Handout,Law Press,February 2023

Empirical Study on Solutions to Funds Occupation and Illegal Guarantees in Listed Companies, Law Press,May 2024

Mineral Resources and Mineral Rights Disputes: Case Study on The Practice Of Mineral Resource and Mineral Right Disputes,Law Press,August 2020

White paper on industrial data element registration(2023) (Member of Editorial Board),China Academy Of Industrial Internet, November 2023

Effectiveness evaluation of compliance management system for small and medium-sized enterprises (Member of Editorial Board),China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, May 2022.

Compliance Guidelines for Generative Artificial Intelligence Data Applications (Drafter), China Electronic Chamber of Commerce

  • Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications

    PRC Bar

  • Education

    LL.M., LL.B., Jilin University School of law

  • Professional Experience

    Partner, Non-equity partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm, 2021 to present
    Associate, King & Wood Mallesons, 2011-2021

  • Languages

    Chinese
    English