Overview
Peter Lu is Global Head of the Firm’s China Practice. He advises clients on their most strategic mandates, with a particular focus on corporate matters, complex restructurings and strategic litigation. Across these three core areas, Peter advises clients on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, directors’ duties, governance matters, complex restructurings, disputes, crisis management and more. He advises private, public and state-owned enterprises across a number of industries, including healthcare, financial services, media, infrastructure, consumer, energy, transportation and professional services.
Peter is acknowledged for the time he takes in getting to know his clients’ legal and commercial objectives, his skillful negotiation, his ability to see the “big picture” and his solution-driven approach. Legal 500 comments: “Peter is a first class lawyer and deal maker, crossing both China and the West … He anticipates moves, offers pragmatic solutions to complex problems with excellent around the clock client care.”
Peter has taught M&A, governance and litigation courses at Peking University, Tsinghua University, Oxford University, Nottingham University, Vrije University Amsterdam and China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC). He has also been invited to testify on the issues of UK-China trade, and most recently, the NSI Act, before the UK Parliament.
Results
Transactional matters
- Advised Novartis Groupe France SAS sold the company CellforCure and its cell and gene therapy development and production site in Les Ulis, France, to Seqens SAS
- Advised Bank of China on M&A, general corporate, and restructuring matters*
- Advised ICBC on selling certain shares held by the bank*
- Advised China Telecom on corporate and compliance matters in Europe*
- Advised Tencent on leading the Series A investment into a UK Artificial Intelligence company*
- Advised AVIC Cabin System on the administration of AIM Altitude and the purchase of certain assets from the administrator*
- Advised AVIC Cabin System on the negotiation with leading aircraft manufacturers and airlines in relation to the administration of AIM Altitude*
- Advised Baotech Capital in the widely publicised proposed acquisition of a large British steel company, its proposed acquisition of a global leader in art valuation and proposed acquisition of certain assets of Wirecard*
- Advised a large international private-owned group as the majority shareholder on the administration of a miming company*
- Advised Chinese Taiping Insurance in various corporate and regulatory matters*
- Advised a Chinese development bank in its capacity as a major shareholder of a British multinational universal bank, regarding a GBP 5.95 billion rights issue*
Contentious matters
- Advised China Taiping Insurance on complex dispute matters*
- Advised Novartis on a contractual dispute and winding up proceedings of a counterparty in HK*
- Advised Novartis on a Swiss arbitration in relation to a high value contract dispute*
- Advised Bank of China on complex dispute, compliance and investigation matters*
- Successfully defended a financial institution in relation to an adverse media dispute*
- Advised a major global bank on a successful settlement of a high value and complex dispute which recovered the full amount of the dispute*
- Successfully resisted a freezing order application on behalf of a high net worth individual in the context of complex enforcement proceedings*
- Successfully resisted a money laundering and criminal investigation on behalf of a high-net-worth individual, discharged freezing orders in less than six months and recovered in costs from a government body for misuse of its power*
- Successfully recovered in excess of US$130 million in misappropriated funds from an insolvent wealth management on behalf of a high net worth individual*
- Conducted a multi-jurisdictional fraud investigation into a high net worth individual and his business empire*
- Advised a Chinese conglomerate in a multi-jurisdictional high-value arbitration involving an Egyptian contractual dispute*
- Advised a global bank on a complex multi-jurisdictional sanctions investigation and remedial strategy*
- Advising a high net worth individual in multiple arbitration in the PRC, HK and the UK in relation to certain guarantees of US$100 million*
- Successfully defended a global bank in a high value wire transfer fraud*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott
Recognitions
- Legal 500 UK, Recommended, 2021, 2025
- Global Restructuring Review GRR 100, Recommended, 2023
Community
- Law Society of England and Wales, member
Credentials
Education
University College London, LLB, 2008
York University, MSc, 2003
Nottingham University, BSc, 2002
Admissions
England and Wales
Languages
English
Mandarin