LAWYER PROFILE
Yu Cao

Yu Cao

Greater China Region 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

Contributions and articles

2 Global Practice Guides

About

Provided by Haiwen & Partners

Greater China Region

Practice Areas

Mr. Cao is a partner resident at the firm’s Beijing office. Mr. Cao’s practice focuses on entertainment and media industry matters. He is extensively involved in transactions including development of film and television projects, Sino-foreign co-productions, production financing (including debt financing and slate financing matters), establishment of production and financing vehicles, large theme park projects, music industry contracts, personal management, as well as advertising and new media. Mr. Cao is also richly experienced in general corporate and finance transactions, such as IPO and M&A matters, which helps him structure complicated transactions in the entertainment and media industries.

Career

Mr. Cao first joined Haiwen in 1996. Mr. Cao worked at a top tier U.S.-headquartered law firm at its Century City office from 2001 to 2002 and as an in-house counsel at Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. from 2005 to 2006. From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Cao was a senior counsel at the Beijing office of another top tier U.S.-headquartered law firm. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Cao served in the capacity of Managing Director of the Office of the Board of Directors and Executive Assistant to the President at China Investment Corporation (CIC), China’s sovereign wealth fund. Mr. Cao returned to Haiwen in the beginning of January 2015.

Professional Memberships

Mr. Cao is a member of the Columbia Law School Chinese Law Steering Committee. He was a key researcher and drafter for the WIPO Study on the Transfer of Rights by Performers to Audiovisual Producers, which was distributed to all the WTO governments. Mr. Cao recently co- authored a chapter in the book Doing Business in China published by Juris Publishing, Inc.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Greater China Region

TMT: Media & Entertainment (PRC Firms) - China

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial
Cao Yu is a market-leading non-contentious media law practitioner who advises foreign clients on inbound film financing and due diligence matters. He is a favourite choice of legal counsel among US-based household names in the film and TV industries operating in China.
领先律师
曹宇律师是市场领军的非诉媒体法律律师,为外国客户提供外来影视融资及尽职调查事宜相关咨询。他作为法律顾问,受到在中国营运的美国影视行业大公司的欢迎。

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • He has frontline experience and has grown alongside the development of the entertainment industry.

    TMT: Media & Entertainment (PRC Firms)Chambers Greater China Region
  • Cao Yu is excellent. He is an experienced go-to lawyer in his field of expertise.

    TMT: Media & Entertainment (PRC Firms)Chambers Greater China Region
  • 他既有一线经验,也是陪伴娱乐行业成长起来。

    TMT: Media & Entertainment (PRC Firms)Chambers Greater China Region
  • 曹宇律师非常优秀。他是其专业领域内经验丰富的权威律师。

    TMT: Media & Entertainment (PRC Firms)Chambers Greater China Region

Ranked Individuals at Haiwen & Partners (34)

China

All Contributions (2)

Provided by Haiwen & Partners

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