Cori A. Lable, P.C.

Partner Litigation

Los Angeles – Century City +1 310 552 6230

Cori A. Lable, P.C.

Overview

Cori’s knowledge of the law is beyond comparison in the region... she has a strong commercial sense and will think outside the box for clients to get a positive end result. - Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2022

Cori Lable is a partner in Kirkland’s Los Angeles office and a member of the Firm’s Government & Internal Investigations Practice Group. She previously spent ten years working in Hong Kong, where she launched Kirkland’s Government and Internal Investigations practice in that city. Cori concentrates her practice on advising multinational clients globally on risks related to cross-border investments and operations, including corruption, economic sanctions and trade compliance, money laundering and financial fraud. Cori has extensive experience working with clients in the private equity, asset management, hospitality, industrials, and pharmaceutical and medical device sectors facing regulatory and criminal enforcement actions related to potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other U.S. securities, trade compliance and export controls statutes.

Cori has been named as a leading anti-corruption practitioner for India and China by Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Chambers Greater China and Chambers Global, in which clients praised her “broad experience on compliance matters and internal investigations across Asia,” and singled her out for “great knowledge and acumen in terms of moving the deal forward, navigating the local legal landscape and best protecting clients.” According to Chambers Greater China, Cori is recognized as “an expert on matters relating to anti-corruption and financial misconduct, as well as internal investigations.” A client opined that she is “a steadfast and experienced counsel with a very solid relationship with the major PE firms.” She is also “excellent for transactions involving multiple investors and is skilled at navigating complex issues in challenging markets”, while offering “very pragmatic advice.” India Business Law Journal has described Cori as “the best in class in the FCPA practice area.” Cori’s practice has spanned the Asia-Pacific region, where she has led numerous investigations in jurisdictions including India, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Malaysia.

Cori also regularly advises clients on portfolio-wide compliance risk assessments and due diligence related to investments and acquisitions in Asia; global cybersecurity and data breach investigations and litigation; and provides advice on the design and implementation of international risk compliance programs. She publishes and speaks frequently on these topics.

Investigations and International Risks

  • Lead counsel to global renewable energy company in Taiwanese Ministry of Justice investigation of potential bribery in Taiwan

  • Lead counsel to Special Committee of Board of Directors for prominent Australian integrated entertainment company in relation to workplace misconduct allegations against company’s CEO

  • Lead counsel to global alternative asset management firm in DOJ./SEC investigation of potential improprieties in China operations

  • Lead counsel to global energy services platform in investigation of accounting fraud allegations relating to operations in UAE, UK, India and Singapore

  • Lead counsel to global intermodal logistics company investigating anti-corruption and accounting fraud allegations across India, China, Korea, Indonesia and Japan

  • Lead counsel to international medical device manufacturer in investigation of potential distributor misconduct in Thailand

  • Lead counsel to global industrial manufacturer in investigation of allegations of corruption in China subsidiary

  • Lead counsel to global technology distributor in DOJ/SEC investigation of potential corruption issues in Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam

  • Lead counsel to Indian real estate asset management company in investigation of potential procurement fraud issues

  • Lead compliance counsel to one of Asia’s largest renewable independent power producers

  • Lead counsel to multinational software company in antitrust investigation before Hong Kong Competition Commission, resulting in first-of-its-kind negotiated settlement

  • Lead counsel to leading medical device company investigating potential procurement and bid-rigging issues in Korea

  • Independent legal counsel to Indian Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code resolution professional on U.S. sanctions and securities law matters

Transactional and Regulatory Compliance Advice

  • Webull Corporation, a leading digital investment platform, on its business combination with SK Growth Opportunities Corporation (NASDAQ: SKGR), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company

  • Bain Capital on its formation of a US$250 million manufacturing park joint venture for new economy infrastructure (“JV Platform”) with DJ New Ease Group. The JV Platform will focus on the development and operation of modern manufacturing parks in China’s core economic hubs

  • An investor consortium on its acquisition and development of Subway’s China business, which operates the quick-service-restaurant business in mainland China under the master franchise granted by the SUBWAY® brand owner. It is the largest master franchise in Subway history and reportedly one of the largest across the global quick-service-restaurant industry. This transaction was named “Deals of the Year 2023” by China Business Law Journal

  • AP Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: APCA), a special purpose acquisition company, on its proposed business combination with JEPLAN, Inc., a global leader in chemically recycled PET technology. The transaction values the combined company at an estimated equity value of approximately US$480 million on a post-money basis. This transaction was named “Best M&A Deal - North Asia” by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2023

  • Bain Capital on its acquisition of Porus Labs, a leading manufacturer of agricultural and specialty chemicals based in India

  • L Catterton Asia Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: LCAA), a special purpose acquisition company formed by affiliates of L Catterton, a leading global consumer-focused investment firm, on its business combination with Lotus Technology Inc., a leading global luxury electric vehicle maker that operates under the iconic British brand, Lotus. The combined business is listed under the ticker symbol “LOT”. The transaction values the combined business at a pro forma enterprise value of approximately US$5.4 billion

  • Nexus Point Capital in its leveraged acquisition of Honour Lane Shipping Ltd. This transaction was named “Deal of the Year - Mid Cap” by AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards 2022

  • Bain Capital on its leveraged buy-out of VXI Global Solutions, a leading provider of Business Process Outsourcing services to businesses around the world, from the Carlyle Group 

  • LimeTree Capital, a fiduciary private equity investment manager with a focus on under-researched real estate asset classes across Asia, on a platform consolidation of the commercial car park assets held by its two China-focused private investment funds 

  • The Blackstone Group on its acquisition of all of the issued share capital of Interplex Holdings Pte. Ltd., which was indirectly owned by funds managed by Baring Private Equity Asia, in a transaction valued at approximately US$1.6 billion 

  • TPG, a leading global alternative asset firm, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, a globally diversified investment institution that prudently invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi, on the acquisition of a minority stake in The CrownX 

  • A consortium of investors, comprising Centurium Capital, PW Medtech Group Limited (HKSE: 1358), CITIC Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Temasek and Marc Chan, in the take-private of China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBPO), a leading fully integrated plasma-based biopharmaceutical company in China, at a valuation of approximately US$4.6 billion. This transaction was named “Pharmaceuticals, Medical and Biotech M&A Deal of the Year” by Mergermarket China’s 2021 M&A Awards, “Deals of the Year” for 2021 by China Business Law Journal, “M&A Deal of the Year” for 2021 by China Law & Practice and “Private Equity Deal of the Year” by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2022

  • Artisan Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: ARTAU), a special purpose acquisition company founded by renowned Hong Kong cultural entrepreneur Adrian Cheng, on its business combination with Prenetics Group Limited, a global leader in genomic and diagnostic testing. This transaction was named “Deals of the Year 2022” by China Business Law Journal 

  • Azentio Software, a Singapore-headquartered software products business owned by funds advised by Apax, on its binding agreement to acquire certain software assets from Path Solutions, a provider of core banking software

  • Azentio Software, a Singapore-headquartered software products business owned by funds advised by Apax, on its binding agreement to acquire Beyontec, a leading insurance technology company 

  • Carlyle on its acquisition of Jagex, a leading developer and publisher of video games. Jagex is one of the largest and most successful British video game studios, developing and publishing video games on PC and mobile, and is best known for its online role-playing living game franchise, RuneScape, which has attracted almost 300 million player accounts since its launch 20 years ago 

  • Apax Funds in their acquisition of the software products business of 3i Infotech Limited (NSE: 3IINFOTECH), an Indian IT solutions company listed on the National Stock Exchange of India Limited 

  • Sea Limited (NYSE: SE), a leading global consumer internet company, in the acquisition by its digital entertainment arm, Garena, of Phoenix Labs, an acclaimed independent games development company founded in Vancouver

  • Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK), a leading global real estate services firm, on international risk compliance in the formation of a new asset services company with Vanke Service

Honorable Christopher F. DroneyUnited States District Court for the District of Connecticut

Partner, Ropes & Gray LLP

More

Thought Leadership

Publications

Co-author, “Developments in Singapore International Risk Enforcement,” Anti-Corruption Report (March 13, 2024)

Co-author, “Mitigating the Unique Sanctions Risks of Singaporean Trade,” Law360 (February 10, 2023)

Author, “Anti-Corruption Provisions in Commercial Agreements: China,” Thomson Reuters Practical Law (April 2021)

Co-author, “INSIGHT: Hong Kong Financial Regulator Can Seize Devices, Access Accounts,” Bloomberg Law (April 27, 2020)

Co-author, “Hong Kong’s Corruption and Markets Regulators Have Signed a Collaboration Memorandum to Combat Financial Crime,” Hong Kong Lawyer (December 9, 2019)

Co-author, “Newly Released Draft Measures on Data Security Management Strengthen China’s Data Protection Framework,” Pratt's Privacy & Cybersecurity Law Report (November/December 2019)

Co-author, “The U.S. Probe of Chinese Banks—What Counterparties Need to Know,” Bloomberg Law (September 6, 2019)

Co-author, “Shifting U.S. Enforcement Priorities—Should Chinese Companies be Worried,” Bloomberg Law (June 17, 2019)

Co-author, “A Shift in U.S. FCPA Policy—Should Chinese Companies be Worried?” Bloomberg Law (June 10, 2019)

Co-author, “India From Baksheesh to Bribery: Understanding the Global Fight Against Corruption and Graft,” Oxford University Press (April 2019)

Quoted, “From the March Issue: Adapting to Volatility,” Asian Legal Business (March 27, 2019)

Co-author, “Anti-corruption due diligence in cross-border transactions,” Thomson Reuters (March 19, 2019)

Quoted, “What's Next: Google & The Great Firewall, Plus Taking Net Neutrality to SCOTUS?” Law.com (August 8, 2018)

Co-author, “Heads or Tails? Are Europe’s GDPR and China’s Cybersecurity Law Two Sides of the Same Coin?” China Business Law Journal (May 25, 2018)

Quoted, “The GDPR and China’s Cyber Law: Following One Doesn't Mean Following Both,” The American Lawyer (May 24, 2018)

Co-author, “Singapore Introduces Deferred Prosecution Agreements,” New York University Compliance and Enforcement Blog (April 4, 2018)

Co-author, “Challenges and Advice for Multinational Companies in Complying With Chinese Cybersecurity Law,” New York Law Journal (February 2018)

Co-author, “How Should Chinese Companies Face Increased U.S. Enforcement Risk From Their Global Business Operations?” China Business Law Journal (January 31, 2018)

Co-author, “U.S. Expands Efforts to Target Corrupt Foreign Officials,” Westlaw Journal on White-Collar Crime (August 2017)

Co-author, “Third parties – corruption risk and control,” Fraud Intelligence (June/July 2016)

Co-author, “Clearing India’s corruption hurdle,” PERE News (June 2016)

Co-author, “From Corruption To AML: The Future Of Chinese Enforcement,” Law360 (March 2016)

Co-author, “Bribery and Corruption Reporting Obligations: China,” Practical Law Global (July 2015) (updated August 2017)

Co-author, “Corruption and Bribery Concerns Affecting Japanese Pharmaceutical Companies Operating in the United States,” New York Pharma Forum (January 2015)

Seminars

Panelist, “What Will Sanctions Compliance Look Like in 2024?” Dow Jones Seminar, Hong Kong (January 2024)

Moderator, “Cross-Border Regulatory Enforcement Case Studies,” Cambridge Forum on Investigations & Enforcement in Asia-Pacific, Singapore (December 2023)

Moderator, “Implementing Effective Anti-Bribery Compliance in Southeast Asia,” ALB Singapore In-House Legal Summit, Singapore (May 2023)

Moderator, “Corruption Issues Affecting M&A Deals,” International Bar Association India Mergers & Acquisitions Conference, Mumbai (April 2023)

Moderator, “Compliance Hot Spots for 2023,” ALB India In-House Legal Summit, Mumbai (March 2023)

Panelist, “Focus on APAC: A Look Back at 2020 and What Lies Ahead in 2021,” Legility Symposium (May 2021) 

Panelist, “Technology, Behavioral Science and Investigations,” GIR Regional Spotlight Asia Conference (December 2020)

Panelist, “WeChat, TikTok, and Messaging Applications: U.S. Regulatory Implications for Private Fund Sponsors,” Kirkland Regulatory Solutions Group Webinar (September 2020)

Presenter, “Regulatory Issues in Cross-Border M&A,” Nishimura & Asahi Cross Border M&A Seminar, Tokyo (February 2020)

Co-Presenter, “Compliance Representations and Warranties in Cross-Border Transactions,” Japanese Institute of International Business Law, Tokyo (February 2020)

Panelist, “Conflicts of Interest: Local Issue, Global Dilemma,” Blackpeak Seminar, Hong Kong (November 2019)

Moderator, “’Speak Up’ and Whistleblowing: Encouraging Internal Reporting and Open Lines of Communication,” ACI Asia-Pacific Summit on Anti-Corruption, Singapore (October 2019)

Keynote Speaker, “Fundamentals of Cybersecurity,” American Women’s Association, Hong Kong (February 2019)

Moderator, “Global Turbulence, Regional Solutions,” AVCJ India Forum, Mumbai (December 2018)

Keynote Speaker, “Diligence and Compliance Pre- and Post-Transaction,” Exiger Lunch & Learn Seminar, Hong Kong (October 2018)

Presenter, “U.S. Economic Sanctions and Regulatory Developments Affecting Cross-Border Transactions,” Kirkland & Ellis Client Seminar, Tokyo (May 2018)

Moderator, “Focus: India,” Asialaw Asia-Pacific In-House Counsel Legal Summit, Hong Kong (May 2018)

Presenter, “Cybersecurity: Global Legal and Compliance Developments,” IDEX Legal Counsel Congress Roundtable, Mumbai (April 2017)

Panelist, “International White Collar Practice,” Women’s White Collar Defense Association Annual Meeting, Miami (March 2017)

Moderator, “What keeps us awake at night — the industry perspective,” Ethixbase — 2nd Asia Pacific Ethics & Compliance Summit, Singapore (November 2016)

Presenter, “Focus on India,” AdvaMed/APACMed Legal & Compliance Meeting, Singapore (November 2016)

Panelist, “Cybersecurity for Alternative Investments: Managing Operational and Regulatory Risks,” Eze Castle Integration Regulatory Seminar, Hong Kong (November 2016)

Panelist, “Trends in Compliance and Investigations,” Thomson Reuters APAC Legal Workshop, Hong Kong (May 2016)

Panelist, “Stake in India: Emerging Issues for Sophisticated Investors,” IDEX Legal Counsel Congress Roundtable, Mumbai (April 2016)

Panelist, “How to Control Risks When Working with Consultants and Facilitators,” ACI's 5th India Summit on Anti-Corruption, New Delhi (February 2016)

Panelist, “Cyber Crime and Virtual Currencies,” ABA Criminal Justice Section White Collar Crime Institute, Shanghai (November 2015)

Panelist, “Asia E-Discovery Best Practices,” Epiq Systems Strategic Advisory Meeting, Hong Kong (June 2015)

Panelist, “Legal and Practical Considerations in Conducting a Corruption or Fraud Investigation: The First 48 Hours,” Global Legal Confex, Delhi (April 2015)

Panelist, “Anti-Corruption Issues When Selling into China,” ABA Section of International Law Teleconference (June 2014)

Panelist, “Anti-Corruption Compliance in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Industry,” Knowledge Congress Webinar (May 2014)

Presenter, Ropes & Gray/McKinsey & Company Shanghai Medical Device Roundtable (April 2014)

Recognition

“Highly Regarded” and “Women Leaders,” Financial Services Regulatory, IFLR1000 (2020–2024)

“Litigation Star,” White Collar Crime, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific (2020–2024)

“A-List Visionaries (International),” China Business Law Journal (2023–2024)

Leading Individual in Anti-Corruption and Compliance, Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2017–2024)

Leading Lawyer in Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (International Firms) — China, Chambers Global (2018–2024)

Leading Lawyer in Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (International Firms) — China, Chambers Greater China (2022–2024), Chambers Asia-Pacific (2017–2021)

Recommended in Business Crime Defense & Investigations, Mainland China & Hong Kong SAR, Who's Who Legal (2019–2024)

“White Collar Crime Lawyer of the Year,” Euromoney APAC Women in Business Law Awards (2022) 

Honoree, Global Investigations Review, “Women in Investigations” (2021) 

“Top 100 Women in Litigation,” White Collar Crime, China and Hong Kong, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific (2020–2021)

“Dispute Resolution Star,” White Collar Crime, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific (2019)

Finalist, “Rising Star of the Year,” Asia-Pacific Dispute Resolution Awards (2015)

“Rising Star,” White-Collar Criminal Defense, Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2012–2015)

“Rising Star,” White-Collar Criminal Defense, Top Women Lawyers in Massachusetts (2013–2015)

Memberships & Affiliations

Executive Committee, Hong Kong Chapter, Women’s White Collar Defense Association (2017–2024)

Mentor, Women in Law Hong Kong Mentoring Programme (2016–2024)

Board of Directors, Playworks Massachusetts (2012–2014)

Member, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Leadership Council (2010–2014)

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2023California
  • 2004Massachusetts
  • Hong KongRegistered Foreign Lawyer

Courts

  • United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

  • Yale Law SchoolJ.D.2004
  • Cambridge UniversityM.Phil., Historical Studies2001
  • Yale UniversityB.A., Historymagna cum laude1998