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Kun Zhao, Esq.

Kun Zhao, Esq.

Kun Zhao is counsel in the Princeton, N.J. office of Hill Wallack LLP and a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions, Chinese Foreign Direct Investment, Business & Commercial Services, and Complex Litigation practice groups.

Mr. Zhao has extensive experience in representing domestic and international corporations in mergers, acquisitions, disposition of assets, recapitalizations, and stock sales and exchanges in the U.S. He advises angel and institutional investors in various venture capital investments in a variety of industries. Mr. Zhao also counsels Chinese private and state-owned entities in establishing subsidiaries and branch offices in the U.S. and represents them with regard to corporate, intellectual property, immigration, employment, regulatory, and compliance issues and litigation in their operations.

Mr. Zhao is admitted to practice in the states of New Jersey (2007) and New York (2006), and the federal District of New Jersey (2008), Southern District of New York (2009), and Eastern District of New York (2007). He earned his J.D. from Willamette University College of Law and his LL.B. from East China University of Politics & Law. Mr. Zhao has law degrees and extensive law practice experience in both the U.S. and China. He is fluent in English, Mandarin and the Shanghai dialect.

Representative Matters:

Mergers & Acquisitions; Venture Capital

Mr. Zhao has extensive experience in representing both public and privately-held entities in mergers & acquisitions matters in a broad range of industries. He also represents angel investors and venture capital firms in funding start-up companies. He:

  • Represented angel investors and venture capital firms in funding a variety of start-up companies in the areas of biomedical engineering, material science, sensor technology, and drug discovery
  • Advised a major Chinese agrochemical company in its acquisition of a well-known U.S. formulator and distributor of agricultural chemicals located in Minnesota
  • Represented a Chinese-owned entity in its acquisition of a research and development firm in sensor technology with potential applications in geophysics, transportation, consumer products, and military uses
  • Counseled in negotiation and closing of a $245 million merger and acquisition in water industry in China

Corporate Matters

Mr. Zhao advises clients on a wide array of issues including securities law compliance, corporate governance matters, local and federal employment law compliance, intellectual property, and commercial leasing negotiations. He:

  • Served as counsel to an international biology contract research organization overseeing legal matters in its operations in the U.S. and China
  • Served as counsel to a pharmaceutical services company with cross-border operations on corporate and contractual matters
  • Represents and counsels diverse clients from international food distributors to in-growth biochemical corporations with cross-border operations on a broad array of contractual and corporate issues
  • Counsels and represents corporate clients on employment policy and employment relationship disputes

Intellectual Property

Mr. Zhao is experienced in providing clients with effective and aggressive legal strategies in resolving complicated and challenging IP matters. For example, he:

  • Has successfully represented clients in the chemical industry in a complex multi-party and multi-patent litigation at ITC
  • Represents clients in patent, trademark, and copyright infringement cases in federal courts and ITC
  • Represents clients in pre-litigation dispute resolution and risk analysis relating to IP issues
  • Drafts and negotiates intellectual property license and assignment agreements

Complex Litigation

Mr. Zhao has a broad range of experience involving complex litigation matters in state and federal courts as well as before the International Trade Commission (“ITC”). For example, he has:

  • Litigated cases in areas of patent, trademark, and copyright infringement; product liability; commercial contracts; employment law; international trade; and real estate
  • Represented and successfully defended clients in chemical industry in Section 337 investigation involving patent infringement at the ITC
  • Litigated and tried a Title VII employment discrimination case against a national food franchise at American Arbitration Association
  • Obtained reversal on three appellate matters

Leadership:

  • Member, Asian-Pacific American Lawyers Association New Jersey
  • Member, Chinese Business Lawyer Association

Presentations & Publications:

  • Co-Author and Editor, Chinese Direct Investment Law Blog (www.uschinalawblog.com)
  • Invest in the U.S. – Legal Guide for Chinese Companies, Zhejiang Ningbo Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation Bureau and Ningbo Enterprises Association for Foreign Economic Relations & Trade (June 2012)
  • Invited lecturer, Forms of Business Organizations, New York Small Business Development Center, (04/2009, 09/2010, 03/2011)