Dr. Mengyu Lu
Overview
Mengyu understands business and is hard-working, attentive to what customers think, enthusiastic, professional and creative. She's the best IPO lawyer I've had the pleasure to work with.” - Chambers Greater China 2024
Dr. Mengyu Lu heads the Firm’s Asia capital markets practice. Dr. Lu has extensive experience in initial public offerings, SPACs, pre-IPO financings, mergers and acquisitions, and various follow-on offerings or compliance matters by listed companies. She is particularly well recognized in advising issuers in the “new economy” sectors, including healthcare, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, TMT and consumer sectors. In addition to corporate issuers, she also advises major investment banks, private equity and venture capital firms on capital markets and M&A matters.
Dr. Lu was recognized as a leading lawyer for China equity capital markets by Chambers Global and Chambers Greater China, a “Leading Partner” for Hong Kong equity capital markets by Legal 500, and a “Highly Regarded” lawyer for Hong Kong capital markets by IFLR1000. IFLR named her to its list of 2021 “Asia Best Lawyers”, and Asian Legal Business named her to its 2021 Asia “40 under 40” list. She was also listed in China Business Law Journal’s “China’s Elite 100 Lawyers” in 2016-2018 and 2020-2021.
Experience
Representative Matters
Dr. Lu has advised the following corporate transactions*:
Listings in Hong Kong / U.S.
Healthcare
- Fangzhou Inc, ImmuneOnco Biopharmaceuticals, Sichuan Kelun-Biotech, ADICON, Yunkang Group, Jiangsu Recbio, Arrail Group, CANbridge Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Airdoc, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Keymed Biosciences, Zhaoke Ophthalmology, Suzhou Basecare, MicroPort CardioFlow Medtech, Ocumension Therapeutics, Kangji Medical, Alphamab Oncology, Shanghai Henlius, Viva Biotech, CanSino Biologics, Ascletis Pharma
TMT & Auto
- iMotion, TUHU, Jinxin Technology, ZKH Group, ZX Inc., 360 DigiTech, STAR CM, Li Auto, Joy Spreader, Strawbear Entertainment, BabyTree Group
Consumer & Education
- Super Hi International, Nayuki Holdings, Yum China, Haidilao International, Xiao Nan Guo, China Chunlai Education, China YuHua Education
Industrial, Energy & Natural Resources
- Rizhao Port, Shandong Gold, China Railway Signal & Communication, Qinhuangdao Port, Sinopec Engineering, NVC Lighting
Financial Institutions
- Noah Holdings, Bank of Jiujiang, Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank, China Huarong Asset Management
SPAC & De-SPAC
- Vision Deal, ZG Group
Follow-on Offerings & Pre-IPO Financings
- Will Semiconductor, NIO, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Haidilao, AlphaMab Oncology, Joy Spreader, Viva Biotech, Zhaoke Ophthalmology, Microport Cardioflow, China Cinda, China Galaxy Securities, Datang International Power Generation
Private Equity, M&A & Other Corporate Matters
- Edding Group Company Limited, an integrated biopharmaceutical company, in connection with a proposed merger and reverse takeover with Genor Biopharma Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong-listed biopharmaceutical company under Chapter 18A. The deal represents the first ever reverse takeover relating to a Chapter 18A listed company
- ZG Group, a leading iron & steel e-commerce platform in China, on its business combination with Aquila Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company. The negotiated value of ZG Group in this transaction is HK$10,004,000,000, and the committed PIPE investment as of the signing date is approximately HK$605 million. This is the first de-SPAC transaction in Hong Kong since the introduction of the SPAC listing regime in Hong Kong on 1 January 2022
- Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co., Ltd. (Ribo), a clinical stage company developing innovative RNAi technologies and oligonucleotide therapeutics, on the successful completion of its $40 million Series E1 financing
- Carlyle on its US$210 million investment, as a cornerstone investor, in connection with HUTCHMED’s primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HUTCHMED has primary listings on NASDAQ and on AIM
- Bain Capital in its US$200 million strategic investment in Newlinks Technology Limited, a fast-growing online energy technology platform in China
- Airdoc, a global market leader and pioneer in providing AI-empowered retina-based early detection, diagnosis and health risk assessment solutions, in the successful completion of its Series D financing. Lilly Asia Ventures, Lake Bleu Capital and OrbiMed jointly participated in this investment
- Clover Biopharmaceuticals, a global clinical-stage biotechnology company developing transformative biologics as vaccines and therapeutics for the world’s most debilitating diseases, on the successful completion of an oversubscribed US$230 million Series C financing. The financing round was co-led by GL Ventures and Temasek, with participation from Oceanpine Capital, OrbiMed and existing investor Delos Capital
- EDDA Healthcare and Technology Holding Limited, a pioneer in the field of intelligent robotic solutions for precision surgery, on the successful completion of a US$150 million financing round. Softbank Vision Fund 2 led this investment round with participation from OrbiMed and 3W Fund
- Ocumension Therapeutics (HKSE: 1477) in connection with its subscription of shares in EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYPT). Upon completion of the transaction, Ocumension holds approximately 16.6% of the enlarged total outstanding shares of EyePoint. Ocumension Therapeutics is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical platform company
- Advaccine in a collaboration and license agreement with INOVIO for COVID-19 DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800. Advaccine is an emerging biotech company with next-generation technology in vaccines, both preventive and therapeutic
- BabyTree Group, a leading online parenting services platform in China, on a strategic investment by Alibaba Group
- Xiwang Foodstuffs Co., Ltd., in its US$730 million acquisition of Kerr Investment Holding Corp / Iovate Health Sciences International, Inc
- CICC, as the sole financial advisor to CGN Mining Company Limited, in relation to CGN Mining’s acquisition of 19.99% equity interest in the TSX-listed Fission Uranium Corp. for CA$82 million (equivalent to approximately HK$450 million)
*Including matters prior to her rejoining Kirkland & Ellis
Prior Experience
Sidley Austin, 2015–2021
Kirkland & Ellis, 2011–2015
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2008–2010
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Recognition
“Leading Partner”, Capital Markets (Equity) – Hong Kong, Legal 500 (2025)
Leading Lawyer, Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms) – China, Chambers Greater China (2022–2024)
Leading Lawyer, Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms) – China, Chambers Global (2022–2024)
“Highly Regarded”, Capital Markets: Equity, IFLR 1000 (2022–2024)
“Highly Regarded”, Capital Markets: Debt, IFLR 1000 (2022–2024)
“Leading Individual”, Capital Markets (Equity) – Hong Kong, Legal 500 (2023–2024)
“A-List China’s Elite 100 Lawyers”, China Business Law Journal (2021)
“Best Asia Lawyer”, IFLR Asia Best Lawyers (2021)
“Up and Coming”, Capital Markets: Equity – China, Chambers Asia-Pacific (2021)
“40 Under 40”, Asian Legal Business (2021)
"Top 15 Rising Lawyers", Asian Legal Business (2017)
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- New York
- Hong Kong (Solicitor)
Languages
- English
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
Education
- Chinese Academy of Social SciencesPh.D., Economics
- Duke University School of LawLL.M.
- China University of Political Science and LawLL.B.