Joy Xiao
Counsel
Joy Xiao is Counsel with Leech Tishman and a member of the Corporate and Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Groups. Joy is based in the New York office, and concentrates her practice on all aspects of corporate and securities law, focusing on China and Asian-related international business matters. Joy possesses a vast amount of experience in a variety of international legal matters, covering cases across Asia (China, India, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Singapore) and in Australia, South Africa, and a number of European countries, including Switzerland.
Joy is an international business lawyer licensed in both New York and China, and has over 10 years of experience in both Chinese and American law firms, advising clients on cross-border matters involving U.S. capital markets as well as international trade commercial litigation. Joy managed one of China’s largest law firms’ NY office as their sole representative, connecting U.S. law firms with Chinese law firms for comprehensive collaboration opportunities. She is well connected with Chinese lawyers in both mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as businesses entities in Chengdu. During the course of her career, Joy has assisted many international clients with setting up branches in China, handling disputes between China and the U.S., and representing Asian-Americans overseas in business ventures.
Joy regularly represents domestic and international clients in general corporate matters including financial due diligence, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), mergers & acquisitions, and global investment projects. Joy is well-versed in guiding start-up clients through pre-IPO matters including fundraising, and merger & acquisition opportunities, assisting them with going public.
Joy is a skilled commercial litigator, regularly assisting clients with international dispute settlement, arbitration, and litigation. She has represented international business entities in employment disputes, contract disputes, trademark, and patent infringement cases in China.
Joy is a business lawyer with an entrepreneurial mindset. As an Executive MBA student at Cornell, she develops business and finds business opportunities for MBA students as an added value in providing corporate legal services.
Some of Joy’s representative matters include:
- Advised CEO of electric vehicle company on financing project in the U.S. as interim manager and legal counsel, strategizing $50M in financing
- Represented U.S. private equity research firm in China market entry regularly risk analysis, settling an IP lawsuit against its competitor and advising client on China market exit plan during COVID-19 pandemic
- Participated in top 10 China foreign investment project in 2011 involving a Chinese government-owned company investing $20M in hydropower station in Tbilisi, Georgia, conducting legal due diligence on Georgia local regulations, Chinese investment law, and evaluating economic, enterprise, and political risk factors
- Successfully collected a total of $4.3B in investment principles representing 86 foreign investors
- Represented three foreign investors in $5M in real estate investments in upstate NY
- Protected international companies’ IP assets in America and China, including representing a California software company on a software infringement case in China
- Advised an American medical research center in its global pharmaceutical business, resolving patent infringement cases in Beijing, registering patents in China, and effectively reducing the counterfeit’s market share (patent worth $500M); also advised company on expediting its FDA regulatory process by collecting global samples
- Conducted legal due diligence for Sichuan Airlines in opening branch offices and new routes in 10 countries
- Evaluated and developed the Indian automobile market entry strategy, conducting legal due diligence and registering Indian-China joint venture to sell automobile parts and implementing exit plan prior to India-China war
- Participated in national significant international investment dispute, defending Chinese government against a Singaporian company in $200M investment in China eminent domain and also participated in governmental advisory
- Defended multiple foreign manufacturers in global trade disputes and reaching settlements
Academics
Executive M.B.A., SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University
LL.M. in International Legal Studies, American University Washington College of Law
LL.B., Sichuan University
Admissions
New York
PRC China
Experience
Crone Law Group, PC
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole, LLP
CKR Law LLP
Yingke Law Firm
Professional Accolades
Leading International Attorney, China Sichuan Chengdu Bar Association (2020)
Languages
Mandarin
Japanese (Basic)