DLA Piper today announces the appointment of Carolyn Dong as a partner in the firm’s Greater China practice. Carolyn will join the Finance and Projects group along with a team of four other lawyers.
Carolyn joins DLA Piper from King & Wood Mallesons where she was a partner in the energy, resources and projects group. A team of four dedicated energy-sector lawyers, who will be based across DLA Piper’s Hong Kong and Beijing offices, will also join the firm with Carolyn. Prior to King & Wood Mallesons, Carolyn was an associate within the projects group of a magic circle firm and has held senior positions with a large Chinese oil company as well as one of the world’s largest multinational energy companies.
Carolyn has extensive experience acting for many of China’s largest state-owned enterprises and financial institutions, as well as US/European Fortune Global 500 companies, in large-scale project and structured financings in the energy and resources sector. Her expertise includes foreign direct investment, corporate structuring and corporate governance issues in China as well as advising Chinese companies and State-owned oil majors in outbound M&A, investment transactions and related financings. With more than 20 years of legal and corporate experience in the energy industry, Carolyn has been involved in many transactions and projects across Asia Pacific and globally.
Bob Charlton, Asia Pacific Managing Director of DLA Piper, said: “Our firm remains focused on supporting the energy and resources, as well as the finance and projects, markets in the Asia Pacific region. We believe the addition of Carolyn and this strong team of four talented lawyers to our offices in China will significantly strengthen the firm’s relationships with major Chinese energy companies and add value to our clients’ strategies in outbound investments.”
Damian McNair, Asia Pacific Head of Finance and Projects, said: “Carolyn’s appointment represents a strategic addition to our Asia Pacific team. Her experience advising major China-based, Asia Pacific, US and European energy companies is a perfect fit for our very active energy practice across the region.”
“China is one of the world’s biggest consumers of industrial commodities, consuming about 40 per cent of the world’s copper as well as vast quantities of iron ore and coal,” said Global Chair of DLA Piper’s Energy practice, Robert Gruendel. “We believe there will be more outbound interest in the investment of natural resources from Chinese companies across the globe and in particular Africa and Latin America. The joining of Carolyn and the team will add a strategic advantage for our clients in Greater China and internationally.”
Carolyn said: “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to join one of the world’s biggest law firms to further develop my practice. I look forward to expanding my international horizons and delivering the advantages of DLA Piper’s strong global platform for my clients in the region.”
Carolyn received an LLM from the School of Law, Nottingham University in the UK. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master degree in International Economic Law from the Peking University School of Law. Carolyn is a qualified PRC lawyer.
