Mark J. Lee

Mark J. Lee, a partner in Orrick's Hong Kong office, is a member of the Corporate Group.  Mr. Lee, a highly respected securities and M&A lawyer, is head of the U.S. securities practice for the firm in Asia and heads Orrick's Korea corporate team.  He has represented a broad base of clients, including underwriters, private equity funds, governmental agencies, and telecommunications and technology companies in various high-profile transactions.

In Asia, Mr. Lee represents domestic and multinational companies, as well as all of the major underwriters on a wide variety of matters, including U.S. SEC-registered initial public offerings and Rule 144A/Regulation S offerings.  He also represents clients on significant cross-border M&A transactions for strategic and financial investors.

Mr. Lee is listed in Chambers Asia as a leading M&A and capital markets lawyer.

Mr. Lee's representative engagements include the following.

• Orchid Asia Group Management Limited, an Asia-based private equity fund, on its investment in a PRC manufacturer of precision machinery tools.
• Yorkville Advisors LLC, a U.S. investment fund, on a private investment into Lotus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-listed pharmaceutical products developer, manufacturer and distribution company located in the PRC.
• Yorkville Advisors LLC, a U.S. investment fund, on a proposed private investment into the China-based subsidiaries of a U.S.-listed international manufacturer and distributor of a variety of household appliances.
• One Equity Partners, in the US$69.6 million purchase by its wholly-owned affiliate, OEP CHME Holdings, LLC, of a controlling stake in China Medicine Corporation.
• Shengli Oil & Gas Pipe Holdings Limited, one of the largest oil and gas line pipe manufacturers in the PRC, in its HK$1.58 billion initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with a Rule 144A/Regulation S placement to global investors.
• China Forestry Holdings Co., Ltd., one of the three largest, privately-held, naturally regenerated and plantation forest operators in China in terms of coverage area of owned forest rights, in its US$203 million initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with a Rule 144A/Regulation S placement to global investors.
• SK Telecom Co., Ltd., South Korea's largest mobile telecommunications service provider, in its sale of a 3.7 percent stake in China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited back to China Unicom for approximately US$1.3 billion.
• Gmarket Inc., Korea's largest e-commerce provider, in eBay's all cash public tender offer for up to 100 percent of Gmarket for US$1.2 billion.
• MBK Partners L.P. in a leveraged buyout of Gala Television Corporation, a leading television network that operates three of the most popular and highest rated commercial cable television channels in Taiwan.
• OCI Company Limited (previously known as DC Chemical Co., Ltd.) in the sale of its entire stake in Columbian Chemicals Company to One Equity Partners LLP.
• JP Morgan Global Special Opportunities Group and Intel Capital in their US$45 million Series A investment in Trony Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., a PRC-based solar technology company.
• SinoMedia Holding Limited on its HK$366 million IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.  SinoMedia is a leading media advertising operator in China that focuses on providing nationwide TV advertising coverage for advertisers and advertising agencies.  SinoMedia provides advertising time on CCTV and other major television stations in the PRC. 
• Guotai Junan Securities in the US$385 million listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by Shandong Chenming Paper Holding Limited, the first Chinese company with three categories of shares issued:  A-shares denominated in Renminbi, B-shares denominated in foreign currency (listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange) and H-shares (listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange).  Shangdong Chenming Paper is a leading producer of paper in China.  This transaction received the Capital Markets Deal of the Year Award in 2008 from China Law and Practice.
• Pangaea Capital Management and its affiliates in securing, negotiating and documenting co-investment related agreements with several international co-investors in Pangaea’s acquisition of a 5.61 percent stake of Daewoo Engineering & Construction for approximately US$520 million. 
• MBK Partners, L.P. in its acquisition of China Network Systems, Co., Ltd., a major cable systems operator in Taiwan.
• OCI Company Limited (previously known as DC Chemical Co., Ltd.) in its investment in Evergreen Solar, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed company.
• Gravity, a Korean online gaming company, in its contested proxy contest against certain hedge fund investors.
• Stark Investments in a preferred share investment and collateral arrangement for a gaming company in Macau.
• Gmarket Inc. in its US$144 million IPO on the NASDAQ Stock Market, and in the agreement by Yahoo! Inc. to acquire a 10 percent stake in Gmarket from Oak Investment Partners.
• Elliott Advisors on various matters, including co-investment, LP documentation and proxy matters.
• SK Telecom in a U.S.-registered offering of American depositary shares valued at more than US$1 billion.
• Lone Star Funds in its KRW 1.4 trillion (US$1.2 billion) acquisition of 51 percent of the voting stock of Korea Exchange Bank.
• Korea Electric Power Corporation in the sale of its subsidiary, Powercomm Corporation, to a consortium led by DACOM Corporation, valued at approximately US$682 million.

Before joining Orrick, Mr. Lee was international counsel at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Hong Kong.  He also worked as counsel at the Hong Kong office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.  Mr. Lee has been resident in Asia for more than 13 years.

Admitted in

• New York
• New Jersey
• Hong Kong

Memberships

• American Bar Association
• The Law Society of Hong Kong

Multimedia

Speeches & Programs

• "Venture Investing in Asia: China and Beyond - Planning for a Liquidity Event in China: Considerations for Venture Capital Investors," and "Other Asia Growth Markets: Korea and Vietnam," Orrick Global Law Symposium, Silicon Valley, January 2008.
• "Foreign Direct Investment and Mergers and Acquisitions in Vietnam: Key Issues to Consider," Seoul, November 2007.