Elizabeth Cole

Elizabeth Cole, the administrative partner-in-charge of the Shanghai office who also splits her time with the Beijing office, is a member of Orrick's Corporate Group.  Ms. Cole has been practicing with international law firms in Asia since 1992, including working in Brisbane, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.  Her experience includes: 

• PRC Direct Investment. Represented numerous multinationals on the establishment, structuring and operation of their businesses in the PRC, including preparation of the joint venture agreements, articles of association, and all associated contracts such as land use contracts, franchise agreements, trademark licenses, management contracts and technology transfer agreements.
• Mergers and Acquisitions. Advised on mergers and acquisitions throughout Asia and Australia, including acquisitions of a mobile content developer, a medical diagnostics company, independent power project assets and the assets of an oil and gas company.
• Information Technology. Represented clients in relation to software licensing, development and maintenance agreements and the establishment and operation of online operations in Australia and Asia.
• Life Sciences. Represented major pharmaceutical and medical device companies in the establishment and acquisition of manufacturing and R&D operations in China and advised on related operational issues.
• Financing. Advised on debt restructurings and project financings in the PRC, Indonesia, Singapore and India.
• Employment Law.  Assisting clients to review employment contracts and policies to ensure that their employment contracts, hiring and firing practices, and workplace practices and policies are compliant with local PRC regulations, including the new Labor Contract Law and Employment Promotion Law.

Before joining Orrick, Ms. Cole was the managing partner of the Shanghai Office of Deacons.

Admitted in

• California
• New South Wales
• Hong Kong
• Victoria
• Queensland

Memberships

• Australian Chamber of Commerce Shanghai, Board Member
• American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai
• Expatriate Professional Women's Society, former Board Member
• The American Bar Association (ABA), International Section, Co-chair of the China Committee
• The Law Society of England & Wales
• The Law Society of Hong Kong

Multimedia

Publications

• "China Rolls Out Labor Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law," Employment Law Client Alert, January 2008.
• "On a Safe Track? Recent Reforms in China's Pharmaceutical Regulatory Regime," Asian Counsel, September 2007.
• Co-author, "Health Check: An Update on Recent Developments in Pharmaceutical Policies and Regulations in China," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, March 2007.

Speeches & Programs

• "Recent Legal Developments In The People's Republic Of China," International Legal News, Summer 2008.
• "Doing Business in China: Staying Ahead of the Competition and Out of the Penalty Box - Do's and Don'ts in Managing Your Workforce," Orrick Global Law Symposium, San Francisco, January 2008.
• "Employment Law in China - A Comprehensive Overview of Chinese Employment Law in the Context of the New Labour Contract Law," JSB Group Ltd., London, November 2007.
• "China's New Employment Laws - A Perspective for Global Companies," The Hong Kong Corporate Counsel Association, October 2007.
• "Making it work: The Private Equity Experience in China," Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA) Conference, Shanghai, October 2007.
• "U.S.-China Dialogue on Rule of Law Foundations for Global Product Safety and Health," American Bar Association, San Francisco, August 2007.
• "China F1 - Negotiating the Straightaways and Turnaways of China's Fast Changing Regulatory System," ABA International Law Section, Spring Meeting, Washington D.C., May 2007.
• "Regulatory Update," Pharma 2006, Beijing, November 2006.
• "China/U.S./Australia – Free Trade Agreements," ABA Annual Meeting, August 2006.
• "Due Diligence Issues in China M&A," Asia In-House Counsel Conference, September 2005.
• Chairperson - "Pension Reform in China," at FundsWorld China, Shanghai, November 2004.
• "Government Licensing and Free Trade Agreements," LawAsia Conference on Trade Law, May 2004.