Founded in Paris in 1920, Gide is a leading international law firm with 12 offices spread throughout the world.
Gide is physically present in six regions of the world, with 11 offices, enabling it to act on cases globally.
A country that is now a key player in the global economy, China is also a particularly complex, contrasting and paradoxical territory whose legal and cultural specificities are likely to destabilize Western investors. With a presence in China dating back to 1987, Gide was one of the first foreign law firms to operate in mainland China. Our long history with China means that we have one of the most experienced China teams of any international law firm. Our practice is handled by a team of Western and Chinese lawyers, working from two offices in Beijing and Shanghai, able to provide our clients with on-the-ground support and legal advice based on practical experience on all aspects of their activities doing business right across China.
Gide advises clients on legal issues and risks facing businesses, investors and authorities in Greater China. These include foreign direct investment, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, large scale corporate transactions and restructurings, banking & finance, projects and public-private partnerships (PPPs), infrastructure and energy, taxation, construction and real estate, employment, competition and trade. All of our lawyers have received Western and Chinese legal education or training, allowing us to provide our clients with international and local insights, commercial understanding and technical expertise.
We offer a high calibre service, that combines solid legal knowledge, a highly commercial approach to clients' needs and local insights, across a full spectrum of sectors and industries. Working in Chinese, English and French, our team strives to always provide clients with efficient, practical and relevant advice to issues they face in China. Through our deep knowledge of Chinese decision and law making processes, we can also help clients with all their regulatory and administrative dealings.
Our team writes and speaks widely on the subject of doing business in Greater China. We also publish investment guides and client alerts on topical developments affecting investors so our clients and contacts can keep abreast with key issues affecting their activities in China.
Our integrated team benefits from a large and active China Desk in Paris, comprising experts with hands on experience on a broad range of Greater China matters, both inbound and outbound. Gide China has indeed significant experience providing cross-border advice for various Chinese companies with their go-global strategy. Our lawyers are skilled in the most complex transactions covering a wide range of industries. The team understands both the Chinese and overseas business environments and is able to provide a comprehensive and professional service that meets our Chinese clients’ requirements throughout the world.
A ‘great team with a very practical mindset’, Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. supports both large Chinese industrial organisations and French and other European manufacturers and retailers – notably automobile manufacturer Renault and pharmaceuticals giant Ipsen – with tax structuring and planning for major transactions. The tax team works closely with related practice areas such as corporate and projects to provide a comprehensive and tailored service for its clients. Guo Min specialises in PRC taxation and accounting, and works on M&A, cross-border restructurings and joint venture projects. Significantly, Min is PRC Bar-qualified, meaning she is able to litigate in China. Tax restructuring is a key strength of the practice, making up a large amount of its workload alongside the tax implications of large acquisitions.
Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Tax : Foreign Firms
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. features a team noted for its value chain coverage, acting primarily for French companies and Chinese stakeholders on inbound China-based investments and investments relating to Francophone African countries, respectively. Leadership of the team is divided between David Boitout and Fan Jiannian, both based in Shanghai, and Guo Min, who works out of the Beijing office and has her roots in tax law, a practice focus which presently manifests into her advising clients on tax issues arising from transactions in the sector. Beijing-based counsel Xi Chen is another key figure at the firm, noted for inbound and outbound work focused on acquisitions and greenfield projects.
Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Projects & Energy : Foreign Firms
As a leading French corporate firm, Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. is well-placed to advise French companies on entering the Chinese market through strategic M&A and joint ventures, and is also engaged to handle transactions by companies exiting China. In addition to its French client base, the team is increasingly instructed by Chinese clients to advise on outbound investments into France. David Boitout leads the team alongside Fan Jiannian and Guo Min.
Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Corporate & M&A : Foreign Firms
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.‘s competition group covers notifications to the Chinese competition authority and handles an array of PRC anti-monopoly law-related compliance issues. It also assists with reviewing corporate and commercial policies and contracts for non-compliance risks, and provides competition and antitrust law training for clients’ employees. In Beijing, merger notification and compliance specialist Xi Chen heads the firm’s China competition practice while partner-level support is provided by Shanghai-based Asia practice leader David Boitout and cross-border M&A expert Jiannian Fan, along with China tax team head Min Guo in Beijing.
Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Antitrust & Competition : Foreign Firms
Gide Loyrette Nouel is an esteemed full-service firm, handling complex cross-border transactions and reorganisations for a mix of international and Chinese corporations. It has notable experience in advising PRC corporates on onshore and offshore investment structures as well as tax efficiency issues. Along with handling transfer pricing and general compliance issues, the team is also highly skilled in advising on contentious tax matters. The law firm is able to conduct income tax reviews on behalf of individuals, and has notable expertise in the energy and natural resource and infrastructure sphere. It regularly advises on matters with European or francophone-nation aspects.
Chambers Greater China Region 2023 - China - Tax : Mainland China - Based (International Firms)
Gide Loyrette Nouel's corporate practice primarily acts for French corporates on inbound transactions, including acquisitions, joint venture formation and equity investments. It also represents Chinese clients in outbound transactions. The client roster includes both multinational and domestic clients in the automotive, fashion, biotechnology, and oil and gas sectors. Stellantis and Talend are among the firm's key clients.
Chambers Greater China Region 2023 - China - Corporate / M&A : Highly regarded (International Firms)
Gide Loyrette Nouel's corporate practice primarily acts for French corporates on inbound transactions, including acquisitions, joint venture formation and equity investments. It also represents Chinese clients in outbound transactions. The client roster includes both multinational and domestic clients in the automotive, fashion, biotechnology, and oil and gas sectors. Stellantis and Talend are among the firm's key clients.
Chambers Global 2023 - International - Corporate / M&A
Regularly acting for domestic and foreign clients on projects in China, Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I., which 'fully understands clients' needs', has also recently assisted with projects in France, Turkey, Cameroon, Guinea, Congo and Mauritania. The names to note in Beijing are office head Min Guo and 'clear thinking and energetic' counsel Xi Chen, who advises on energy and infrastructure projects. David Boitout and Jiannian Fan are the key Shanghai contacts.
Legal 500 Asia 2022 - Projects & Energy: Foreign Firms
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. has an established record in advising foreign clients on complex, cross-border transactions involving China, including corporate and M&A matters. The firm's growing China outbound practice encompasses significant investments by Chinese investors (both state-owned and private companies) in France, but also elsewhere in Europe, Africa and South East Asia. David Boitout is particularly focused on transactions involving growth markets, and Shanghai office head Jiannian Fan is a cross-border M&A expert. Min Guo leads the Beijing office.
Legal 500 Asia 2022 - Corporate & M&A: Foreign Firms
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.'s competition team advises on both transactional and compliance matters, including notifications to SAMR and PRC anti-monopoly law-related compliance issues. Counsel and China competition practice head Xi Chen is a merger notification and compliance specialist. Partner-level support is provided by David Boitout and Jiannian Fan in Shanghai, along with Beijing-based Min Guo.
Legal 500 Asia 2022 - Antitrust & Competition: Foreign Firms
At France-headquartered firm Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I., the China tax practice has a significant strong track record in transaction-related tax advice. Its scope of practice covers the tax aspects of group reorganisations, M&A tax planning and structuring, joint ventures and major projects, and financing. Other key areas include business establishment and operations, tax compliance, transfer pricing, tax audits and disputes, and individual income taxation. Although traditionally known for advising predominantly French clients, the practice's client base has evolved to cover both Fortune 500 companies and large European multinational groups, which are active in a range of sectors, including automotive, construction, engineering, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, energy and utilities, and media and advertising. Beijing office head and PRC taxation and accounting specialist, Min Guo, leads the firm's China tax practice. Guo is also an expert in structuring the tax aspects of company reorganisations, international tax, customs law and foreign exchange controls.
Legal 500 Asia 2022 - Tax: Foreign Firms
Gide Loyrette Nouel is an esteemed full-service firm, handling complex cross-border transactions and reorganisations for a mix of international and Chinese corporations. Has notable experience in advising PRC corporates on onshore and offshore investment structures as well as tax efficiency issues. Along with handling transfer pricing and general compliance issues, also highly skilled in advising on contentious tax matters. Able to conduct income tax reviews on behalf of individuals, and has notable expertise in the energy and natural resource and infrastructure sphere. Regularly advises on matters with European or francophone-nation aspects.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2022 - Tax
Gide Loyrette Nouel's corporate practice primarily acts for French corporates on inbound transactions, including acquisitions, joint venture formation and equity investments. Also represents Chinese clients in outbound transactions. Client roster includes both multinational and domestic clients in the automotive, apparel, biotechnology, and oil and gas sectors.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2022 - Corporate / M&A
Gide Loyrette Nouel's corporate practice primarily acts for French corporates on inbound transactions, including acquisitions, joint venture formation and equity investments. Also represents Chinese clients in outbound transactions. Client roster includes both multinational and domestic clients in the automotive, apparel, biotechnology, and oil and gas sectors.
Chambers Global 2022 - Corporate /M&A
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. has an established record in advising foreign clients on complex, cross-border transactions involving China, including corporate and M&A matters. The firm's growing China outbound practice encompasses significant investments by Chinese investors (both state-owned and private companies) in France, but also elsewhere in Europe, Africa and South East Asia. David Boitout is particularly focused on transactions involving growth markets, and Shanghai office head Jiannian Fan is a cross-border M&A expert. Min Guo leads the Beijing office.
Legal 500 Asia 2021
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. has an established record in advising foreign clients on complex, cross-border transactions involving China, including corporate and M&A matters. The firm's growing China outbound practice encompasses significant investments by Chinese investors (both state-owned and private companies) in France, but also elsewhere in Europe, Africa and South East Asia. David Boitout is particularly focused on transactions involving growth markets, and Shanghai office head Jiannian Fan is a cross-border M&A expert. Min Guo leads the Beijing office.
Legal 500 EMEA & Asia 2021
Regularly acting for domestic and foreign clients on projects in China, Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I., which 'fully understands clients' needs', has also recently assisted with projects in France, Turkey, Cameroon, Guinea, Congo and Mauritania. The names to note in Beijing are office head Min Guo and 'clear thinking and energetic' counsel Xi Chen, who advises on energy and infrastructure projects. David Boitout and Jiannian Fan are the key Shanghai contacts.
Legal 500 EMEA & Asia 2021
At France-headquartered firm Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I., the China tax practice has a significant strong track record in transaction-related tax advice. Its scope of practice covers the tax aspects of group reorganisations, M&A tax planning and structuring, joint ventures and major projects, and financing. Other key areas include business establishment and operations, tax compliance, transfer pricing, tax audits and disputes, and individual income taxation. Although traditionally known for advising predominantly French clients, the practice's client base has evolved to cover both Fortune 500 companies and large European multinational groups, which are active in a range of sectors, including automotive, construction, engineering, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, energy and utilities, and media and advertising. Beijing office head and PRC taxation and accounting specialist, Min Guo, leads the firm's China tax practice. Guo is also an expert in structuring the tax aspects of company reorganisations, international tax, customs law and foreign exchange controls.
Legal 500 EMEA & Asia 2021
Primarily acts for French corporates on inbound transactions, including acquisitions, joint venture formation and equity investments. Also represents Chinese clients on outbound transactions. Client roster includes both French and domestic clients in the automotive, apparel, biotechnology and oil and gas sectors.
Chambers Global & Asia Pacific 2021
Esteemed full-service firm, handling complex cross-border transactions and reorganisations for a mix of international and Chinese corporations. Has notable experience in advising PRC corporates on onshore and offshore investment structures as well as tax efficiency issues. Along with handling transfer pricing and general compliance issues, also highly skilled in advising on contentious tax matters. Able to conduct income tax reviews on behalf of individuals, and has notable expertise in the energy and natural resource sphere. Regularly advises on matters with European or francophone-nation aspects.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2021
