Julia Zhang is a partner in Haiwen’s Beijing office. She has 16 years of experience in cross-border investment and M&A, private fund formation and investment, regulatory compliance for financial institutions, asset management, and general corporate matters.

Julia joined Haiwen in 2011.

Julia has long advised leading domestic and international investment institutions, financial institutions, state-owned enterprises, and multinational corporations on a full range of equity and debt financing, private equity and securities fund formation and investment, cross-border asset management, financial institution establishment and regulatory compliance, and general corporate matters. Her industry experience covers artificial intelligence, telecommunications, consumer, education, mining and natural resources, manufacturing, healthcare and biopharmaceuticals, securities, insurance, banking, and public funds.

In cross-border investment and M&A, Julia has represented major Chinese state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds in their significant outbound investments across Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe, including joint ventures and acquisitions in telecommunications, airport operations, mining, and seed industries, and has assisted clients with post-investment management and exits. She also regularly advises multinational corporations and renowned investment institutions on their inbound investments in China, covering joint venture formation, equity acquisitions, and restructurings.

In financial institutions and asset management, Julia has assisted international financial institutions in establishing securities joint ventures in China, achieving foreign-controlled and wholly-owned status, and completing business restructurings. She has represented foreign financial institutions in applying for QFII, CIBM, and Hong Kong SFC licenses and handling ongoing compliance matters. Julia also serves as perennial legal counsel to domestic and international asset management institutions, assisting with the establishment of asset management and fund products, and the review and negotiation of custody and product agreements.

In private funds, Julia has represented renowned domestic and international fund managers in private fund manager registration, QDLP and QFLP qualification applications, and the formation of multiple RMB and cross-border private funds. She provides long-term legal services on fund document negotiations, custody arrangements, and day-to-day operations.

Julia has been named “Client Choice Lawyer” by Asian Legal Business (ALB) China for 2024 and 2025. She has also been recognized as an “A-List Rising Star” by China Business Law Journal (CBLJ) (2023–2024), a “Leading Partner” by Legal 500, a “Highly Recommended” lawyer by IFLR 2026 and IFLR1000 China 2026, and a “Stellar Accolade” recipient by LegalOne. She serves as an external expert on the Investment Committee of Hainan Provincial Financial Group, a think tank expert for the Sustainable Development Project of the Shanghai Federation of Industrial Economics, and a core editor of the Shanghai Enterprise ESG Standard Drafting Expert Group. Julia has also been selected for the Beijing Lawyers Association Foreign-Related Legal Talent Pool and the Beijing Top 100 High-End Foreign-Related Legal Professionals program.

LL.B., China University of Political Science and Law (2006)
LL.M., China University of Political Science and Law (2009)
LL.M., University of Missouri-Kansas City (May 2010)

PRC Qualified Lawyer
Passed New York Bar Examination

Native Mandarin; Fluent English