Haijun Zhang

Personal

Mr. Zhang is a veteran dispute resolution lawyer with over 15 years of experience. His practice spans entertainment law, construction and project development, debt restructuring, and non-performing assets. Tapping into deep roots in the entertainment industry, Mr. Zhang has participated in film and TV projects through both legal and investor roles. His credentials encompass entire life cycles of projects, including project approval, production, distribution, and box office settlements. Mr. Zhang has extended his professional expertise to the creative realm, making valuable contributions as a co-writer on television scripts. The unique combination of industry expertise and legal insight enables him to go beyond conventional legal services and act as a genuine driver in creating commercial value for his clients.

To date, Mr. Zhang has advised over 50 prominent domestic and international clients on both contentious and noncontentious matters across film, music, culture, and sports sectors, covering areas such as film financing, production and distribution, talent management, live performances (including musicals and concerts), contract negotiations, conclusion, and termination for celebrities/online streamers, crisis response, IP disputes, and sports games. He counsels his clientele on both a retainer basis and a project basis.

Mr. Zhang has substantial experience in cross-border and Hong Kong-related entertainment law matters. His clientele includes a top-tier Chinese-speaking superstar, the renowned Hong Kong director Mr. Yau, dozens of production companies including Universe Entertainment and Culture Group Company Ltd. (1046.HK), Sun Entertainment Ltd., Sil-Metropole Organization Ltd., Focus Films Ltd., as well as several European and American entertainment companies. His experience in China's mainland is also substantial, with a diverse client base ranging from many well-known artists, singers, actors, and directors, to leading talent agencies and film production companies.

Furthermore, Mr. Zhang has provided retainer-based legal services to national ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) (Service Center), and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), gaining extensive experience as legal advisor to government bodies.

Practice Areas

Litigation & Arbitration, Construction & Project Development, Debt Restructuring & Non-performing Assets

Professional Memberships

Member of the Board, China Society for Economic System Reform

LL.M. Graduate Practice Instructor, Peking University Law School, January 2024 to present

Former LL.M. Graduate Practice Instructor, Beijing Normal University Law School, September 2020 - September 2023

Work Highlights

Entertainment Law

Representative Clients

• Hong Kong artist Mr. Lau

• Hong Kong director Mr. Yau

• New Peking Opera artist Ms. Chu (deceased)

• Hong Kong screenwriter Erica Li

• Hong Kong screenwriter Eric Lee Sing

• Universe Entertainment and Culture Group Company Ltd.

• Sun Entertainment Cultural Co., Ltd.

• Sil-Metropole Organization Ltd

• Infinitus Entertainment Limited

• Topman Global Limited

• Beijing Meng Zao Zhe Co., Ltd.

• Focus Films Limited

• Focus Music Limited

• Trinity Cine Asia

• China Film Co., Ltd

• Beijing Herui Film Culture Co., Ltd

• Guangdong Shengge Media Co., Ltd.

• Yiming Culture (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

• Meisheng Space Film and Television Cultural Media Co., Ltd.

• Shengdeng Entertainment Co., Ltd.

• Shengshi Sports Club Co., Ltd.

• Chinese heavyweight boxing champion Mr. Junlong Zhang

Entertainment and Film/Media Performance Agency

• Provided legal services to the UK-based distributor Trinity Cine Asia in acquiring theatrical distribution rights for the blockbuster Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 across 37 countries and regions in Europe

• Provided comprehensive right protection services for a widely beloved Chinese singer's world tour, covering issues related to the concert name, trademarks, audio-visual copyrights, image rights, and name rights, with services encompassing trademark strategy, registration, negotiations, platform complaints, communications with regulatory authorities, negotiations with infringers, and civil litigation, during which prominent achievements included causing the takedown of offline infringing content in another city within one day and securing a formal apology from the infringer

• Provided negotiation support to the global talent agency (headquartered in the UK) of a leading Greater Bay Area influencer in reaching a sub-agency agreement with a major platform regarding the artist's exclusive global representation rights and successfully secured a favorable outcome for the client with the agreement finalized within 30 days

• Advised Universe Entertainment and Culture Group Company Ltd. on public relations consultation and other matters in the mainland of China

• Provided retainer-based legal services to several domestic agency companies

• Represented the Chinese heavyweight boxing champion Mr. Zhang, handling his brand agent agreement and an advisory services and representation agreement with a US agency, with services covering promotion and sponsorship agreements, boxing match arrangements, and competitions

• Represented a Hong Kong client in handling the framework agreement for the production and performance of a classic musical which was performed across Macau, Chengdu, Shanghai, and Singapore, with negotiation services including production, revenue sharing, travel expenses, administrative permits for cultural and public security, and fire control, stage equipment clearance, insurance, venue facilities, ticketing, publicity, security, merchandise, copyright, shared investment, sponsorship, signature, dispute resolution, etc.

• Representing a client from Hong Kong in handling its dispute with a Chinese mainland client regarding a TV drama’s commissioned production, supervision, and operation management contract, including drafting and negotiating the contract

• Represented a well-known Hong Kong artist in handling his endorsement for an internationally renowned shampoo brand

• Represented a company based in Shenzhen in assisting its acquisition of a performance trademark, including designing the transactions leading to and arising from the acquisition and completing the trademark acquisition to eliminate intellectual property risks for the performance

• Assisted a Hong Kong music company in handling its digital music distribution agency agreement with a Chinese mainland institution

Dispute Resolution Concerning Talent Agency Contract

• Represented a Chinese artist in the termination of an exclusive representation agreement with an overseas agency, securing a smooth resolution within one month and assisting the artist in safely returning to China

• Represented a Chinese mainland artist surnamed Xiong in resolving disputes arising from his exclusive strategic cooperation agreement and supplementary. agreement with an MCN institution, achieved termination of the agreement and obtained compensation beyond expectations

• Represented the Chinese mainland artist surnamed Song in handling his artist new media operation cooperation agreement with an MCN institution

• Represented the Chinese mainland artist surnamed Xu in handling the termination of his artist management contract with his agency

• Represented a well-known artist in an arbitration case for terminating his contract with his agency

• Represented several agencies in handling disputes with their artists regarding the termination of their contracts

Public Relations for Artists and Talent Agencies

• Represented a well-known artist, in assisting with handling the alleged "advertising slogan plagiarism" public relations crisis for this artist's endorsement of an internationally renowned brand

• Represented a well-known Hong Kong artist, in over a dozen Chinese mainland courts for portrait rights and reputation rights disputes, securing full victories across all proceedings

• Handled portrait and reputation rights protection for well-known entertainment artists in the Chinese mainland

• Assisted the production company in handling the public relations crisis of its film roadshow at Peking University

• Handled public statement consultation for a Hong Kong entertainment company's artists

IP & Entertainment Industry

• Represented the defendants, including a well-known Hong Kong actor, a prominent Hong Kong director, and famous Hong Kong screenwriters, as well as an entertainment company, in a high-profile copyright infringement lawsuit concerning a well-known Hong Kong film, and successfully secured a full dismissal of all claims, including damages of up to CNY 100 million, made by the plaintiff

• Represented a Hong Kong-based company in connection with a film copyright transfer agreement with a Chinese mainland production company

• Provided legal services to a Chinese mainland IP operation company in connection with the introduction of a globally popular live-action animation franchise into the domestic market

• Represented a Hong Kong-based company in handling transaction documents related to the introduction of copyrights for hundreds of classical Chinese books to a prestigious overseas academic institution

• Represented a Beijing-based cultural media company in a dispute between an artist (surnamed Chen) and a Zhejiang-based cultural tourism company

• Handled a copyright issue between a Chinese mainland company and an investment institution regarding the film "Crazy Stone"

• Conducted a copyright compliance review for a script over which the Beijing Film Industry Co., Ltd. planned to cooperate with a party in shooting

Investment, Production, and Screenwriting

• Acted as an investor in the film "Little Love" (2019), which was released in the Chinese mainland, and participated in the entire process from planning, project approval, and filming to the promotion, box office revenue sharing, etc., taking on roles far beyond legal advisor

Mr. Zhang’s bio can be found here: https://en.zhonglun.com/team/zhanghaijun.html

Languages Spoken

Chinese

English

Experience

Equity partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm, March 2024 to present

Managing partner and Director of Executive Committee, Beijing Zhonglun W&D Law Firm, July 2009 - March 2024

Expert in these Jurisdictions

PRC Bar, 2011