MichaelX.Y.
Zhang

PartnerOffice Managing Partner, Shanghai
LANGUAGES
Chinese (Mandarin)
LINKEDIN
Zhang Michael

Overview

Michael Zhang addresses the full range of legal and regulatory needs of U.S., European, and other foreign companies doing business in the Greater China region and Chinese companies’ transactions and compliance matters abroad. He is managing partner of the Shanghai office.

Serving as a bridge—offering legal and business guidance rooted in a deep understanding of both China’s legal system and international business practices—Michael represents startups, middle market businesses, and Fortune 50 companies across sectors such as life sciences, semiconductors, electronics, electric vehicles and retail.

Michael advises on corporate structuring, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactions. He counsels inbound clients on launching, expanding or restructuring operations in China, and outbound clients on complex equity and asset deals throughout Asia, North America and Europe.

With significant experience in antitrust law, he advises on pre-merger filings, price fixing investigations, and monopolistic agreement concerns under Chinese and East Asian regimes. Clients value his ability to manage both global and local competition law risks in strategic transactions.

Michael also helps clients navigate China’s personal information protection law and cybersecurity regime. He has advised many U.S. and international clients on privacy and data security issues.

His practice also includes advising clients on complicated cross-border matters in the areas of labor and employment, intellectual property, bankruptcy, trade regulatory and compliance, and dispute resolution (including litigation and arbitration).

Experience

Representative Matters

Corporate and M&A.

Represented a leading Chinese pharmaceutical group in multiple equity investment transactions in the US and European countries.

Represented ad hoc note holders committee in restructuring and liquidation of joint venture in China. 

Represented a leading Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical group handing in its US equity investment projects.

Represented a leading US pharmaceutical company in its acquisition of a Chinese medical software company.

Represented a US Nasdaq listed pharmaceutical company in its joint venture transaction with a leading private pharmaceutical group in China.

Represented multiple venture capital funds in their strategic investment transactions in target companies in China and East Asia.

Represented a leading Chinese co-working space company in its investment projects in Vietnam, UK and Australia.

Compliance (Antitrust, data privacy and labor).

Represented international textile labelling company for its PRC pre-merger filing under a global acquisition transaction, and advised client re pre-merger filings at Asian jurisdictions.

Advised a world leading apparel brand company on personal information protection compliance and multi-level protection scheme.

Assisted a world leading shoe brand company on updating PRC customer privacy policy.

Advised a world education brand company on issues regarding PRC employee privacy policy.

Advised a US SaaS company on entering PRC market and data security issues.

Advised a world leading apparel brand company on data cross-border transfer issues.

Advised world leading sports brand company for its antitrust compliance action, and provided antitrust training for its China sales team; handled multiple complicated China related commercial contractual disputes for this client.

Advised Chinese leading mobile service carrier group regarding global and China antitrust issues of a patent pool.

Advised an US cold-warehousing company in setting up its Asian executive employment policies and contractual arrangements.

Dispute

Represented a famous capital management company in an international arbitration case at CIETAC involving a famous Chinese SOE.

Credentials
Education

LL.B., Law School of Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (formerly Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade)

Admissions

National Bar Exam

Non-practicing People’s Republic of China attorney

Honors

A-List: Growth Drivers, China Business Law Journal, 2025-2026

Thought Leader, Antitrust/Competition Law, Mondaq, Autumn 2023

Best Lawyers in China, Best Lawyers, 2020-2021

China’s Elite 100 lawyers (Foreign firm), China Business Law Journal, 2019-2023

Client Choice Top 20 Lawyers in China, Asian Legal Business, 2016-2018

Recommended by China Business Law Journal at Healthcare, Pharma & Life Science Award of 2016 China Business Law Awards

Mondaq Thought Leader Autumn 2023
Michael Zhang - China Business Law Journal 2026
Thought Leadership

Co-Presenter, "Establish Your U.S. Compliance System: A Strategic View from China and the United States,” China Intellectual Property Magazine, October 21, 2021

Speaker, "Recent Trends in Inbound and Outbound M&A Transactions for China," Sheppard Mullin, Seoul, Republic of Korea, August 2017

Speaker, "Are You Really Ready To Be a Transactional Lawyer?" East China University of Politics Science and Law, Shanghai, China, October 2016

Speaker, "On Your Way to China? – Basic ABCs for Corporate Investment in China," Korea In-house Counsel Association, Seoul, Republic of Korea, October 2014