James C. Lin

Advises on some of the most significant capital markets transactions in Asia, including numerous U.S. and Hong Kong IPOs.
James focuses on public and private corporate finance transactions, including initial public offerings, convertible and high-yield debt offerings and private equity investments, and mergers and acquisitions. He has worked on some of the most significant capital markets transactions in Asia, including with companies from the technology, media, healthcare, financial services, natural resources, real estate and energy sectors.
He is recognized as a leading capital markets lawyer by publications including Chambers, IFLR1000 and Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Chambers says James is “an adept adviser on IPOs and follow-on offerings, with additional expertise in investment-grade DCM work.”
James is fluent in English and Mandarin.
Experience highlights
Equity
U.S. Listings
- Black Spade Acquisition Co., Gobi Acquisition Corp., Magnum Opus Acquisition, Missfresh, Summit Healthcare Acquisition Corp., Full Truck Alliance, Waterdrop, Onion Global, Tuya, Adagene, Provident Acquisition Corp., Kuke Music, Gracell Biotechnologies, Genetron, Kingsoft Cloud, LIZHI INC, I-Mab, Molecular Data, 36Kr Holdings, ECMOHO, Youdao, 9F Inc., Up Fintech Holding (Tiger Brokers), Tencent Music Entertainment, MOGU, CNFinance, Studio City, Cango, Uxin, Puxin, iClick Interactive, Sogou, Zai Lab, Sea Limited, RISE Education, iDreamSky Technology, Xunlei, Zhaopin, JD.com, Cheetah Mobile, Taomee Holdings, ChinaCache, Xueda Education, Zuoan Fashion, RDA Microelectronics, Baidu, Changyou.com, Shanda Games, Himax Technologies
HKEX IPOs
- Interra Acquisition Corporation, CANbridge Pharmaceuticals, HUTCHMED, Baidu, Antengene, NetEase, Akeso, Inc., Venus Medtech, CStone Pharmaceuticals, BeiGene, Razer, Orient Securities, AAG Energy, BAIOO, Kerry Logistics Network, Forgame, PICC, China Yongda Automobiles, China Communications Services, Prada SpA, China Flooring, Air China, China Merchants Bank, Aluminum Corporation of China, KWG Property
Debt and Equity-Linked
Investment-Grade Debt
- Tencent Music Entertainment’s debut $800 million SEC-registered notes offering
- Tencent Holdings’ $300 million Regulation S private bond offering
- CNOOC’s $4 billion SEC-registered guaranteed notes offering
- Baidu’s $1 billion SEC-registered notes offering
- Sinopec’s $3.5 billion Rule 144A/Regulation S notes offering
- Temasek Holdings’ $1.7 billion Rule 144A/Regulation S notes offering
- PT Pertamina’s (Persero) $2.5 billion Rule 144A/Regulation S senior notes offering
- Several schedule B debt offerings by Export-Import Bank of Korea, Korea Development Bank and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power
High-Yield Debt
- China Aoyuan Property’s $100 million Regulation S high-yield notes offering
- China Orienwise’s $100 million Rule 144A/Regulation S high-yield notes offering
- Asia Aluminum’s $535 million Rule 144A/Regulation S high-yield notes offering
- Galaxy Entertainment’s $600 million Rule 144A/Regulation S high-yield offering
Convertible Bonds
- Convertible and exchangeable bond offerings by HKEX- and U.S.-listed companies, including Zhongsheng Group, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Asia Cement, 51job, YY Inc., Canadian Solar, China Power International, Ctrip, JinkoSolar, ReneSola, Shanda Interactive, Solarfun Power and SK Telecom
Insights
News
Credentials
Recognition
Chambers Global and Greater China Region – Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms), China
Chambers Global – Capital Markets: Debt (International Firms), China
IFLR1000 – Capital Markets: Equity, Hong Kong, Highly Regarded
Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Capital Markets (Equity), Hong Kong
American Lawyer – “Emerging Star,” 2010
Education
- cum laude
- Rotary Foundation Scholar
- St John's College
- Rotary Foundation Scholar
- St John's College
- summa cum laude
- Phi Beta Kappa
Professional history
- Partner, 2007-present
- Davis Polk since 1998
Qualifications and admissions
- Hong Kong
- State of New York