Founded by lawyers with more than 15 years of experience at Tier 1 international law firms in Asia. We assist companies of all sizes in the context of their business operations and investments in the region. We also advise tech start-ups founders and private investors in the structuring of their businesses and fundraisings.
We are lawyers with an entrepreneur spirit.
The Firm
Having grown from the world’s factory to a technology and finance powerhouse, China’s Greater Bay Area offers unprecedented opportunities to local and foreign businesses to develop their activities.
With many years of experience in China and beyond, BLF lawyers’ mission is to help companies and entrepreneurs bringing their projects to life and seize the full potential offered by the rise of the Greater Bay Area – in particular companies that create technology, are enabled by technology, or whose business model is fundamentally based on technology.
A French law firm with team of international lawyers qualified in multiple jurisdictions, BLF understands the specifics of the Chinese & Asian legal environments. We have grown our legal practice beyond the traditional commercial and corporate fields to capture our clients’ needs in dealing with legal issues raised by the new economy.
Our Strengths
- Strategic-Partnerships
- Data-Protection-and-Cybersecurity
- Regulatory-and-Compliance
- Technology
- Fundraising
- Traditional-Corporate-and-Commercial
Regional Reach
Be it directly or through our partnerships, we accompany enterprises of all sizes in the context of their operations and legal issues in major Chinese business centers.
BLF is fully involved in the Greater Bay Area technological initiative, assisting its clients understanding and seizing the opportunities of this up-and-coming global economic hub centered around Hong Kong and Guandgong regions.
Through our offices in Bangkok, Thailand we also assist companies regarding their projects in South East Asia.
Where we have a presence
Hong Kong
with M.J.F Bonnici Law Firm
7F, Ka Wah Bank Centre
232 Des Voeux Road
Central, Hong Kong
Guangdong
6/F, Two AIA Financial Centre
1 Denghu East Road
Guicheng, Nanhai District, Guangdong, P.R.C
Where we also operate
We cover all the major Chinese cities through good working relationships with leading local law firms across the nation, many of them setup by former colleagues.
Beijing – Ningbo – Hangzhou – Wuhan Xiamen – Qingdao
Strategic Partnerships.
We help businesses of all sizes across a range of sectors set up strategic partnerships and joint ventures, allowing our clients to enter or expand into new markets, develop new products or reinforce relationships between suppliers and customers.
We are experienced advisers on transactions involving both local and international alliances, together with the associated legal issues each brings with it. We support clients on every aspect of their partnerships and joint ventures, from conception through execution to management, including structuring, contractual architecture, competition issues, employment matters and intellectual property.
Regulatory & Compliance
Regulatory environment in China is constantly evolving across business. As transparency rises in importance and the costs of non-compliance with laws and regulations increase, our clients – no matter their industry – need to adapt to the growing pressure from regulatory bodies.
Drawing our experience, resources and know-how, we support our clients anticipating and responding to new regulatory requirements, developing compliance programmes to satisfy these, and advising on best practice compliance structures and processes.
FUNDRAISING
Entrepreneurs have options when it comes to raising funds for their business. We advise our clients about the various benefits and liabilities of these financing options, helping them to make the most informed choice. From understanding the various mechanisms used to raise money to the pros and the cons associated to each of them, we counsel entrepreneurs and fast-growing companies on friends and family rounds, seed rounds, Series A, Series B, and beyond.
We help our clients incorporate or reorganize to have the right set up before raising funds. We can perform legal due diligence to ensure you have the proper protections and documents in place before seeking investment, help you prepare and negotiate the appropriate documentation with your investors, and assist with post-closing matters.
Data Protection & Cybersecurity
The protection of sensitive data – from personal information to trade secrets to classified information – that organizations create, maintain and process is increasingly vital to business operations and risk management. The localization, the robustness of IT infrastructures on which such data is stored and moved has also become a major area of focus for regulators and enforcement authorities, in China as much as in other jurisdictions.
We assist our clients monitor and understand the data protection and cybersecurity regulations they are subject to, and devise the right internal procedures and policies working hand-in-hand with experienced IT engineering firms.
Technology
We work with many technology companies, offering advice throughout a broad range of areas – from corporate transactions to IP protection, and including regulatory, compliance, employment and contracting issues.
From startups to fast growing and mid-market businesses to mature enterprises, our clients include companies that develop or create technology, are enabled by technology, or whose business model is fundamentally based on technology, including:
Software – FinTech – PayTech – PropTech – Blockchain – Gaming – Ecommerce – Semiconductors
We advise technology companies throughout the business life cycle. We help startups get organized and funded and assist both growing and established technology companies on various legal matters.
Traditional Corporate & Commercial
Having been based in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong for many years, we have advised a myriad of companies on the structuring and restructuring of their business in China and in Asia.
Our experience notably includes the registration, reorganization and liquidation of companies in the region, as well as the drafting and negotiation of cooperation and commercial contracts. We also advise clients on employment and pre-litigation matters.
THE TEAM
BLF is composed of a team of 20+ bi-cultural professionals and internationally qualified lawyers in our various offices. Our lawyers have known each other and worked together for many years – a rare feature in the environment of law firms operating in China and Asia. This stability is an important guarantee of quality for our clients whose legal matters can be followed over time by the same legal professionals.
BLF is the result of the entrepreneurial approach of lawyers who worked at several major international law firms. Our independence and work methods guarantee the flexibility necessary to place the customer relationship at the heart of our activity.
Please see below for the detailed biographies of our key contacts.
Matthieu Bonnici
LinkedIn
m.bonnici@blf-lawgroup.com
An international lawyer with over 15 years of legal experience at top US and UK law firms advising a diverse range of clients on investing and operating in China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
His core practice covers mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and general corporate matters in multiple industries, with a focus on businesses driven by technology. In addition, Matthieu has large experience in China-related disputes, especially with respect to commercial contracts, employment and foreign direct investments.
In a fast-evolving China regulatory framework, Matthieu represents numerous companies in the context of regulatory, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering issues in regulated sectors including financial services, healthcare, food and beverage.
Matthieu is also a frequent advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs and startups in connection with their setup, structuring, operations and fundraising including friends and family rounds, seed rounds and Series A.
He is also the author of various publications on Chinese law.
Bertrand Theaud
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LinkedIn
b.theaud@blf-lawgroup.com
Over the last 20 years, Bertrand has advised numerous clients mergers & acquisitions, private equity, corporate restructuring and general corporate matters across a variety of industries in China and Asia. He has occupied partner and managing partner positions at some of the most prestigious international law firms.
Bertrand has also gained first-hand investment experience during his time acting partner in the China-focused private equity fund of Edmond Rothschild Bank.
A serial entrepreneur, Bertrand has funded, managed and sold various businesses engaged across a diverse range of industries, including Statrys – the bank alternative for businesses in Asia.
Bertrand is a mentor at Chinaccelerator, Asia’s first startup accelerator.
