Tao Chen

Practice Areas

Corporate and M&A, Cross-border Investment and Compliance，Dispute Resolution

Career

Mr. Tao CHEN is a Senior Equity Partner at Beijing DHH Law Firm. He holds multiple leadership roles including Director of the firm’s Financial Business Center, Head of the Financial Investment and Dispute Resolution Department, and Deputy Director of the International Business Center. He also serves as a Researcher at the DHH Research Institute. Prior to joining DHH, Mr. Chen practiced at Zhong Lun Law Firm and gained invaluable in-house experience at major financial institutions such as Northeast Securities Co., Ltd., building a unique cross-sector career since 2010.

Professional Memberships

He is an active member of the Beijing Lawyers Association’s Committee on Cross-Border Investment and M&A and led the drafting of the “White Paper on Foreign-Related Legal Services by Beijing Chaoyang District Lawyers”.

Publications

His academic thought leadership is evidenced by articles published in leading law journals, including “Research on Acting-in-Concert in Listed Companies Held via Family Trusts” and “Legal Regulation of Restrictive Conducts in International Technology Licensing”.

Personal

Mr. Chen adheres to a philosophy of professionalism, efficiency, and innovation. With dual qualifications in China and New York State and a career spanning law firms, securities companies, and financial institutions, he possesses a distinctive “law + finance + industry” composite skillset. He is recognized for delivering efficient, precise, and strategic legal solutions in complex, high-stakes matters.

Clients

Mr. Chen’s client base features major state-backed financial institutions and leading technology and industrial enterprises, including China Development Bank, China Orient Asset Management Co., Ltd., and China International Economic and Trade Trust Co., Ltd.

Experience

With over 14 years of experience, Mr. Chen combines a strong academic foundation with extensive practical expertise. His background as both external counsel and in-house legal/compliance professional at financial institutions gives him a pragmatic, business-oriented approach to legal problem-solving, especially in structuring complex transactions and managing integrated legal and geopolitical risks.

Industry Sector Expertise

He possesses deep industry knowledge in financial services, semiconductors, energy, and technology. His expertise covers the full spectrum from fund formation, M&A, and cross-border transactions to regulatory compliance and related dispute resolution. He is particularly noted for his work in military-civilian integration projects and cross-border fintech investments.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

The People’s Republic of China; New York State, USA; Cross-border matters involving the United States, Russia, and Southeast Asia/Belt and Road jurisdictions.

Languages Spoken

Mandarin (Native), English (Fluent).

Work Highlights

- Private Equity Investment in a Military-Civilian Integration Semiconductor Enterprise: Acted as lead counsel for Huihua Fund Management Co., Ltd. in a CNY 1 billion investment. The work involved navigating specialized policy compliance and complex IP due diligence, resulting in the creation of a “Legal Due Diligence Manual for the Semiconductor Industry”.

- Russia Mining Investment via China-Russia Fund: Led a cross-border team addressing challenges under Russian mining law and U.S. sanctions. Completed a dual-layer geopolitical and compliance risk assessment within 45 days and compiled the “Cross-Border Energy Investment Compliance Guide”, now a key reference for Belt and Road investments.

- USD Investment by Glodon Co., Ltd. into a U.S. Private Equity Fund: Advised on a USD 20 million investment, developing a “functional clause matrix” to optimize the LPA and assess OFAC risks. This case pioneered a “law + fintech” service model and was selected as DHH’s Non-litigation Case of the Year.

Awards

Education