Henry Xiao is a Senior Partner at Beijing Dacheng Law Offices, LLP (Shanghai) and a key member of the firm’s Dispute Resolution practice group and Manufacturing sector group (including the automobile sector). Prior to joining the firm, Henry was a partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm, and he formerly worked as a PRC legal consultant at Rodyk & Davidson, initially in its Shanghai Office and then in its Singapore Head Office. Besides,
Henry is also a member of the Board of Real Estate Law Studies of Shanghai Bar Association.

Henry specializes in multiple areas of practice, including commercial dispute resolution (litigation, arbitration, mediation and crisis management), real estate, cross-border investment (FDI and outbound investment), and general corporate matters. He has successfully represented clients in numerous foreign-related litigation and arbitration cases and out-of-court settlement negotiations. In addition, he has also participated in the handling of a great deal of foreign direct investment and merger and acquisition projects.

Henry is particularly skilled in handling complex situations that demand lawyers to be familiar with the operational details of non-contentious projects and to possess superb negotiation skills while simultaneously being creative and capable of delivering vigorous performances in the courtroom. While assisting clients to resolve their legal issues, he can accurately understand their business needs and deliver creative legal solutions for them with his unique insights and skills.

Acted for a well-known Singapore real estate developer in a lawsuit against a POS machine vendor (who is a big name in the third-party payment industry) for tort liability in excess of RMB100 million, which is a new type of case with no precedent in China, obtaining a judgment in favor of our client.

Acted for a well-known US-based multinational manufacturing company and its China subsidiary in a cross-border product quality dispute involving global supply chain against an internationally renowned NEV brand and its upstream suppliers, obtaining a judgment in favor of our client.

Represented a famous Turkish home appliance brand in a cross-border product warranty claim against its Chinese supplier. This dispute arose from massive product failures reported by the customers after the PC tablets had been sold in the Turkish market from which our client suffered huge warranty losses. We eventually managed to work out a practical, winning strategy to procure a settlement particularly satisfactory to our side.

Acted for Signify (formerly known as Philips Lighting) in a product quality dispute arising from a sales contract with its supplier of certain lighting products. The supplier first signed a settlement agreement with Signify after agreeing to take product-recall actions due to some recognized product defects, but at a later stage it brought legal action against Signify attempting to refute the settlement altogether. We represented Signify in all legal proceedings and successfully defended the client against every single claim raised by the counterparty.

Represented Philips Lighting in a dispute with one of its top distributors, which is Philips' largest A/R case across China in recent years. Our team was engaged when the case seemed to be moving towards stalemate, and we successfully resolved the deadlock by piercing the corporate veil to add the man behind the scene as an additional defendant, and hence succeeding in having his personal assets seized by the court, which paves the way to a winning case and a smooth enforcement of the final judgment.

Acted for Dyson in handling multiple distribution contract disputes and labor disputes in China, as well as providing related advisory opinions.

Advised an Australian listed company on a bio-pharmaceutical project in Shanghai that fell into trouble because of a series of defaults by the Chinese party, securing a smooth exit from the JV with the foreign party’s damages claim settled on acceptable terms.

Acted for Meiqi (Hong Kong) in handling its exit from Meiqi Changzhou Carpet Co., a Sino-foreign joint venture co-invested with its Chinese shareholder, Changzhou Global Carpet Co. Through a combination of negotiation and mediation with the Chinese shareholder, organizing the liquidation and dissolution, and initiating litigation, we ultimately assisted the client in successfully recovering its investment and withdrawing from the joint venture.

Acted for BEAUTY SOLUTIONS, a US-based company manufacturing and selling anti-aging skincare and unique niche cosmetics worldwide, in its trademark infringement claims against a Chinese company.

Defended a Japanese MNC against a claim by a PRC listed company in excess of USD200 million before Tianjin High Court and PRC Supreme Court, involving issues of the fraud exception to the autonomy of documentary letters of credit.

Represented a German automotive design house in its dispute with a Chinese automobile manufacturer arising from the automobile design service contract through arbitration before China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and through litigation before Zhejiang High Court.

Represented a European fashion giant in an arbitration case before Shanghai International Arbitration Center against a local shopping mall developer in respect of the premature termination of a ten-year lease of commercial premises.

Represented BYD Europe in an arbitration case before CIETAC against a HK supplier arising from the performance of a purchase contract.

Acted for a German auto parts giant in an arbitration case before CIETAC in respect of the assets transfer and related commercial disputes in China.

Represented Tyco in successfully responding to Shanghai Customs investigation by its anti-smuggling division.

Represented Ymatou.com in handling the claims by professional complainants and the advertisement investigations initiated by Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation.

Advised a Chinese automobile brand on a series of high-profile legal and PR crises.

Advised a Sino-foreign automobile conglomerate on tackling nuisances committed by a group of its distributors.

Advised a US leading fashion brand on a couple of marketing related compliance issues, including tackling the investigations initiated by local administrative authorities, reviewing its advertising claims, etc.

Advised Richard Mille, a Swiss-based luxury watch brand, on its China business as its primary outside counsel.

Advised AkzoNobel on regulatory issues related to its Dulux products, including compliance issues arising in the transportation of dangerous goods, HSE risk assessment and response strategies, chemicals control regulations, marketing compliance, consumer complaints, etc.

Advised 3M, Nouryon, Dorchester, MetLife, adidas, ThermoFisher, GAC FCA, Volvo China, BYD, etc. on their general corporate and compliance related matters.

Provided PRC legal services for Carlyle Group and Onyx Group’s joint global acquisition of Allison Transmission Division of General Motors.

Advised an American investment company on its global acquisition of Delta Air Lines.

Advised a Prudential-led real estate fund on successfully disposing of a real estate project in Chongqing that was stranded because of the PRC party’s legal troubles, after negotiating and executing all details of the exit.

Advised a state-controlled Free Trade Zone developer on a cross-border transaction to be entered into with a Tokyo-listed media giant as regards the acquisition of satellite television business in PRC.

Advised Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and Pudong New Area People’s Government on the negotiation and preparation of Shanghai Disney theme park project.

Advised Hines on its development projects in Shanghai and Beijing, including New Jiangwan project, 21st Century Tower project and River House project, etc.

Advised a Chinese privately-owned real estate giant on acquiring a copper mine located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from its owner, a Canadian public company.