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Weiguo (William) He

Partner
About

Weiguo (William) He practises corporate law and has extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions and ‎investments in the mining, real estate and technology sectors. William is Head of the Canadian firm’s China ‎Practice Group and has played a key role in its successful development over the years.‎ He is bilingual in English and Mandarin Chinese, and assists clients in both languages.

William has also worked with colleagues in DLA Piper’s global offices on strategic consultations ‎concerning dispute resolution and taxation matters.

William is Deputy Director of the International Natural Resources Research Centre of Tsinghua University ‎School of Law and served as Joint Supervisor for LL.M. Students of Tsinghua University School of Law. ‎He has also taught Introduction to Business Law at Simon Fraser University. Currently, William is Arbitrator ‎of China Mining Association Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration and Arbitrator of Zhanjiang ‎Arbitration Centre.‎

William is President of Tsinghua University Alumni Association (Vancouver), former Director of a TSX-‎listed mining company, former director of a well-known charity organization and is currently a member of ‎the Fund-Raising Committee of BC’s Children’s Hospital Foundation.‎

William frequently advises clients on:‎

  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • China Practice
  • Strategic Consultations on Cross-Border Disputes and Tax Disputes
Areas of FocusCorporate
Bar admissionsBritish Columbia, 2007Massachusetts, 2007National Lawyer Qualification Certificate of China, 1999New York, 2008Ontario, 2011

EXPERIENCE

Mining

  • Acted as Canadian counsel to China National Gold Group Corporation in its subsidiary’s purchase of the ‎remaining 82 percent interest in the Jinfeng Mine located in China from Eldorado Gold Corporation, ‎valued at approximately US$300 Million.‎
  • Represented the financing bank in China Gold Corporation Group's acquisition of 42% shares of ‎Jinshan Gold Mines Inc. for $218 million.‎
  • Acted for a large Chinese SOE on its proposed acquisition of certain coking coal assets in BC at over ‎USD$ 1 billion dollars.‎
  • Acted for a large Chinese SOE in their proposed investments in and acquisition of Cardero Resource ‎Corp. (TSX: CDU) at hundreds millions of dollars.‎
  • Acted for a large Chinese SOE in its proposed strategic investment in Colonial Coal (TSX-V: CAD).‎
  • Advised Canadian Dehua International Mines Group Inc. on issues relating to its mining joint ventures ‎with SOEs Shougang Corporation and Kailuan Coal Corporation.‎
  • Advised Canadian Dehua International Mines Group Inc. on its mining assets dealings with an SOE ‎Feikuang Mining Group Corporation.‎
  • Acted for MagIndustries Corp. (TSX: MAA), a mining company with potash assets in Congo (ROC) in its ‎proposed strategic investments by Qinghai Salt Lake Co., Ltd.‎
  • Acted for Yinggu Co., Ltd., a Chinese public company in its acquisition of gold mine assets in Canada.‎
  • Advised Canada Resurgence Developments Corp, a subsidiary of an SOE Zaokuang Mining Group ‎Corporation on its acquisition of mining and forestry assets and financing and operational matters.‎
  • Act for Beidou International Resources Inc. in its numerous investments in public mining companies.‎
    Real Estate
  • Acted for the Canadian subsidiary of Greentown, one of the largest real estate developers from China, ‎on its real estate investments in Vancouver.‎
  • Acted for the Canadian subsidiary of Beijing Shokai, one of the largest real estate developers from ‎China, on its real estate project in Vancouver.‎
  • Acted for a Chinese company in the purchase of one of the largest shopping malls in British Columbia ‎at high tens of millions dollar amounts, along with related tax matters.‎
  • Acted for a Chinese investor in its investments in a commercial real estate project (Duck Island ‎Commercial Real Estate Project); the project’s development cost is estimated to be over $600 million.‎
  • Acted for New Continental Developments Inc. in its acquisition, financing and development of a real ‎estate project, including a teaching building, a student dormitory building, a hotel and a parking facility.‎
  • Acted for a real estate company in its acquisition of an industrial project in Burnaby at over $50 million.‎
  • Acted for an investment company in its proposed acquisition of a hotel in downtown Vancouver.‎
  • Acted for a real estate developer in its project development and financial matters in West Vancouver.‎
  • Acted for numerous real estate companies in their development, financing and shareholding related ‎matters in Metro Vancouver.‎

Corporate and Technology

  • Acted for a HK Billionaire family in its investment in a technology company at around $100 Million.‎
  • Acted for the founder of one of the most well-known investment funds in China in its investments in a ‎technology company at over ten million dollars.‎
  • Acted for the Lead Investors Group in its investment in a financial technology company.‎
  • Acted for the seller group in the SOE Beijing Sanyuan Food Co., Ltd. and its partners’ acquisition of a ‎famous dairy business and brand in BC.‎
  • Acted for Suzhou Jinfu New Material Co., Ltd., an A-Share Listed company (SHE: 300128) for its ‎investment in US and Canadian companies with advanced technology in display industry.‎
  • Acted for Canada Zhoufa Agricultural Holding Company Limited in its strategic investment in Empire ‎Industries (TSX-V: EIL) and numerous investments in other technology companies of around $30 Million.‎
  • Acted for Hedy Nan Investments Inc. on its joint venture with first nation partners in seafood business.‎
  • Advised Canadian Glacier Clay Cosmetics Corporation on its investment in and acquisition of a ‎Canadian cosmetics company and subsequent operational matters.‎
  • Acted for COFCO, one of the largest food companies from China, on its corporate and tax matters.‎
  • Advised China Visa Applications Centre (Vancouver) on its immigration matters.‎
  • Advised DAQO New Energy Limited (NYSE: DQ), on its proposed joint venture and operations.‎
  • Advised Sinovel Group, one of the largest wind power companies in China, on its Canadian operations.‎
  • Advised multiple SOEs on various legal matters, including Sinotrans Canada Inc., China Shipping ‎‎(Canada), Air China (Canada), China Development Bank and so on.‎

Dispute Resolution and Tax

  • Advised the former President of the Sino-Forest Corporation on CCAA and class action proceedings.‎
  • Advised Bank of China on a matter involving fraud funds of over US$300 Million.‎
  • Advised multiple clients on commercial litigation, in particular those relating to real estate and fraud ‎investigations, together with litigation colleagues.  Multiple cases were settled at favourable terms.‎
  • Advised multiple clients on very significant tax disputes and audits with tax colleagues. 
Languages
  • English
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
Education
  • LL.B. & B.C.L., (with Distinction), McGill University, 2006
  • LL.M., International Business Law, McGill University, 2003
  • Master of Civil and Commercial Law, Tsinghua University, 1999

Awards

  • Lexpert Rising Star: Leading Lawyer Under 40 in 2011
  • Graduated with Distinction, McGill Faculty of Law, 2006
  • The LSA Graduating Student Award, awarded to students who have made outstanding contributions to the Faculty during their years of study, McGill Faculty of Law, 2006
  • Aubrey Senez Scholarship for Law, McGill University, 2001
  • National Second Prize for the Best Publications in China, Awarded by the State Copyright Bureau of China, 2001

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