Edward Lu

Biography

Edward is a Partner in DaHui Lawyers’ Beijing office and also the Managing Partner of the firm’s Wuhan office. With over a decade of practice, he focuses on complex commercial disputes, investigations, white collar defense, and employment cases, particularly specializing in cross-border matters. He has represented Chinese and foreign clients in over a hundred cases involving Chinese litigation and arbitration, international arbitration, cross-border litigation, government investigations, internal corporate investigations, crisis management, and labor disputes.

Edward’s dispute resolution capabilities have been tested in real combat. He has successfully represented clients in domestic and international arbitration cases conducted in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, Los Angeles, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other seats. He has prevailed in litigation across various courts across China as a trial lawyer and has acted as a leading and coordinating lawyer in a number of cross-border litigations in the courts of Hong Kong, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Dubai, Kazakhstan, the Cayman Islands, and other jurisdictions.

In recent years, Edward has handled many high-profile cases, including representing a Chinese state-owned investment group in a series of corporate control disputes involving over RMB 2 billion in mainland China, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands, with more than 10 arbitration and litigation cases. He has successfully represented an American investment company in a series of post-acquisition Chinese litigation proceedings triggered by the scuttling of an RMB 600 million acquisition. Thanks to his profound understanding of Chinese law and practice, Edward has been invited on several occasions to provide expert opinions on Chinese law to court and arbitration proceedings outside China.

Government and internal investigations are also in Edward’s wheelhouse. He has extensive experience in assisting multinational corporations and Fortune 500 companies with complex government investigations, internal investigations, public incident response, and other crisis management, covering anti-fraud, commercial bribery, non-compliant related-party transactions and trade secret infringement, advertising compliance, labor, inter alia, enabling clients to avoid penalties and recover substantial losses.

Clients describe Edward as “knowledgeable in international dispute resolution”, “very dedicated to exploring different options and formulating various strategies for clients”, “experienced in all types of commercial disputes including real estate, construction and energy” and “an expert in complex labor and employment cases” (The Legal 500).

Edward has been recognized as the A-List: Rising Star Lawyer in 2025 by China Business Law Journal and listed in The Legal 500’s inaugural Arbitration Powerlist – China in 2023. In 2022, Edward was recommended by The Legal 500 in Dispute Resolution for both Litigation and Arbitration and was recognized as one of the Top 10 Outstanding Young Lawyers in China by CLECSS. Edward was also selected as one of the top 30 lawyers in LEGALBAND 30 Under 30 China in 2020.

In addition, Edward publishes articles on legal topics and is frequently invited to speak at events around the world.

Publications

An interview with DaHui Lawyers discussing Crisis Management in China (Lexology, January 2025)
Arbitration Versus Litigation in China – And the Winner Is? (Asian Dispute Review, April 2024)

Speeches

Speaker, “Appeals in fraud and insolvency cases: are the odds stacked against defendants? ” Asset Recovery Asia 2024, Bangkok, November 2024
Speaker, “Distributor Management in the New Regulatory Environment and Discussion of the Latest Issues in Practice”, Observation on Commercial Compliance, Shanghai, July 2024
Speaker, “An Auspicious Start – 2024 Wuhan Dongxihu District Finance Activities”, Wuhan, March 2024
Speaker, “How Do Chinese Companies Face Overseas Disputes under New Norms of International Relationships”, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullican, LLP, DaHui Lawyers, LAWPLUS, Beijing, October 2023
Speaker, Asset Recovery Asia 2023, Kuala Lumpur, May 2023

Notable Representations

International Arbitration and Litigation

Represented a Chinese state-owned company and related parties in a complex corporate control dispute against an HKEX-listed company, its founder, and a founder affiliate, involving multiple proceedings in Hong Kong, PRC, and the Cayman Islands. Over RMB 2 billion in dispute.
Represented a Chinese real-estate company in an HKIAC arbitration. Over RMB 400 million in dispute.
Represented a well-known Asian private investment fund in a share repurchase dispute with the invested Chinese company and its founders, involving an HKIAC arbitration and investigations in Mainland China. Over USD 100 million in dispute.
Represented a Chinese local governmental organ in an HKIAC arbitration seated in Hong Kong concerning a dispute arising out of an investment agreement. Over USD 20 million in dispute.
Represented a Chinese listed energy company in a complex oil and gas exploration dispute against its former partner, involving an LCIA arbitration seated in London and court proceedings in Kazakhstan and London. Over USD 500 million in dispute.
Represented a Chinese listed mining company in an international sale of goods dispute against a world-renowned commodity trading company, involving a London Metal Exchange arbitration seated in London and a South African injunctive court proceeding. Over USD 30 million in dispute.
Represented a subsidiary of a U.S.-listed company engaging in electric vehicle component manufacturing against a former partner in AAA arbitration proceedings involving complex PRC bankruptcy law issues. Over USD 50 million in dispute.
Represented a subsidiary of a Chinese listed engineering equipment company in an ICC arbitration concerning a dispute arising out of an equipment sale and purchase contract.
Represented a Chinese listed construction company in an SIAC arbitration in Singapore against an Egyptian counterparty concerning a dispute arising out of an international equipment supply agreement. Over USD 4 million in dispute.
Advised the subsidiary of a Chinese listed construction company before the courts of Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates concerning disputes arising out of an equipment supply agreement and an agency agreement. Over USD 16 million in dispute.
Assisted a leading Canadian steel company in an insurance contract dispute in Canadian courts against a leading Chinese insurance organization, involving cross-border service of judicial documents and numerous issues related to PRC law.

China Arbitration and Litigation

Represented a Sino-Japanese energy product joint-venture in an English language CIETAC arbitration against the U.S. counterparty arising out of a long-term cooperation agreement. Over USD 40 million in dispute.
Represented a large state-owned overseas engineering contractor in a CIETAC arbitration concerning disputes arising out of an EPC subcontract. Nearly USD 10 million in dispute.
Represented a well-known Chinese e-commerce company in CIETAC arbitrations in Beijing concerning disputes arising out of a distributor purchase agreement. Over USD 5 million in dispute.
Represented a BVI-registered European family company in an SCIA arbitration in Shenzhen concerning a dispute arising out of a share purchase agreement. Over USD 5 million in dispute.
Represented a Chinese digital advertising company in multiple SHIAC arbitrations of disputes arising out of advertising cooperation agreements. Approximately USD 10 million in dispute.
Represented a world-leading medical device company in a series of corporate control and intellectual property disputes with former Chinese executives, involving seven court proceedings and multiple government investigations in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Hunan.
Represented a U.S.-listed new energy company and its Chinese subsidiary in a series of disputes arising out of the company's reorganization, including more than 10 court proceedings and investigations in Shandong, Guizhou, and Zhejiang.
Represented a renowned Chinese e-commerce company in six litigations in Shanghai and Henan courts concerning a dispute arising from a cross-border M&A transaction. Over RMB 50 million in dispute.
Represented a major Chinese construction company in a litigation before a Beijing court concerning a dispute arising out of a subcontracting agreement. Over USD 100 million in dispute.
Represented a Chinese listed mining company in a litigation in a Yunnan court proceeding concerning a dispute arising out of a series of sale of goods contracts. Over USD 30 million in dispute.
Represented a French private equity firm in litigations before Sichuan courts over a dispute arising from a share repurchase agreement. Over USD 5 million in dispute.
Represented a U.S.-listed travel e-commerce company in defending eight litigations brought by a professional plaintiff in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai.

Compliance Investigations, Crisis Management, Labor

Represented a multinational manufacturing company owned by Warren Buffett in several disputes concerning labor and investigations in China.
Represented a U.S.-listed cloud communications platform provider in investigations, initiated by the local public security bureau, against a former key employee in China and concerning trade secret infringement.
Represented the Chinese subsidiary of an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate in an administrative investigation initiated by the PRC State Administration for Market Regulation.
Represented an Italian luxury conglomerate in a compliance investigation, initiated by the PRC State Administration for Market Regulation in various cities, arising from a consumer complaint.
Assisted a well-known international exhibition company with responding to public crises, including one related to a complaint from a partner arising from Covid-19.
Represented an HKEX-listed real-estate company in multiple regulatory and investigational proceedings concerning undisclosed related transactions.
Represented Chinese executives and a Hong Kong subsidiary of a U.S.-listed new energy company in a wire fraud case.
Represented a Chinese subsidiary of a U.S.-listed Internet company in a series of employment and restricted stock disputes with its former Chinese executives.

Bankruptcy and Restructuring

Served as a PRC bankruptcy law expert in a bankruptcy court proceeding in the Central District of California and submitted several expert reports opining on issues of recognition and assistance of bankruptcy proceedings. The court adopted Edward’s views in full.
Advised a major Chinese state-owned company in a set of litigation proceedings across multiple jurisdictions, including winding-up proceedings in the Cayman Islands. Over USD 120 million in dispute.
Advised the bankruptcy administrator of a U.S. company in bankruptcy on potential debt recovery actions by the company's Chinese partner in a cryptocurrency financing.
Advised a Fortune 500 U.S. technology company in a dispute arising from a long-term goods supply agreement against a Chinese state-owned company that was about to enter bankruptcy reorganization proceedings in a PRC court (and was later ordered by the court to reorganize in bankruptcy). Over USD 2 billion in dispute.
Represented a major Chinese state-owned asset management company in a dispute arising from a debt facility and guaranty instrument against a Chinese conglomerate that was then under restructuring and soon after entered bankruptcy proceedings. Over USD 100 million in dispute.
Represented a Chinese real-estate company in its global debt restructuring.