Banking & Finance (International Firms) - China
What the team is known for
The established banking and finance practice of Herbert Smith Freehills maintains strong relationships with Chinese banks and financial institutions for outbound financing work. The law firm regularly acts for the Hong Kong subsidiaries of Chinese banks on lending into the wider region, including the Pacific area and South America, and is an established choice of counsel among international and regional lenders. The practice maintains a flow of work on term loan facilities and loan restructuring and is also experienced in handling syndicated lending, project and trade finance. The firm's key clients include the Greater Bay Area Development Fund Management, NH-Amundi Asset Management and Kemexon.
Strengths
"Herbert Smith Freehills is very professional and knowledgeable on banking and finance matters. We feel very secure engaging them."
"I found the team to be very sound and they were able to manage the complexities well."
Work highlights
Herbert Smith Freehills advised NH-Amundi on a senior mezzanine loan worth GBP50 million to prevent the insolvency of a subsidiary.
Notable practitioners
Alexander Aitken is an established lawyer who leads Herbert Smith Freehills' Asian finance team and is active in both Chinese and Indian financial markets. He has significant expertise in outbound matters relating to trade and project financing. "It is always a pleasant experience working with him. His acumen is not only legal, but his overall understanding of the business and financial terminology is unbelievable."