PRACTICE AREAS Foreign Direct Investment, Corporate and Commerce, Sports Law, Litigation & Arbitration, Intellectual Property, Insolvency & Bankruptcy, M&A, Security Law, Insurance Law, Real Estate SUMMARY David W. Wu graduated from Shanghai University Law School in 1990 (LL.B.) and East China Normal University International Finance School in 1992 (Master). In 1996, David attended the School of Business at Madonna University, Michigan, USA and obtained an MBA in 1998. David used to be the managing partner of a prestigious Chinese law firm for a long time before he joined Llinks law offices in 2017. David now acts as Director at Shanghai Bar Association Education & Sport Committee, Arbitrator of Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Part-Time Master Tutor of Ko Guan Law School of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Member of Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA). Experience In the area of foreign direct investment/corporate and commerce, David is particularly familiar with the automobile industry, and has acted as an agent for many multinational companies in setting up joint ventures or cooperative companies with large domestic companies in China. David has acted as legal counsels for over 50 sino-foreign joint-venture projects such as GM, Shanghai Auto Industry Company Group etc. with a total value of RMB 10 billion. Besides, David personally acts as legal counsels for many subordinate or independent accessories companies of SAIC including but not limited to Sunwin, SAIC Transmission, Yanfeng, Autoliv. David is actively involved in the area of overseas IPO, guiding Chinese enterprises to conduct overseas financing. From 2006 to 2007, David has represented and helped many enterprises successfully land AIM board in LSE. The sports law team which David leads plays a pioneer role in the area of sports law in China and has obtained absolute leading position in the area of international sports arbitration and sports disputes resolution. David is one of the only few arbitrators in CAS with Chinese nationality. In 2012, David assisted Shanghai Sports Bureau and CAS with establishing Shanghai Hearing Centre, the first hearing centre outside Swiss headquarters. Besides, in 2014, David was appointed as arbitrator of the CAS temporary arbitral tribunal for Sochi Winter Olympics where he was the only arbitrator with Chinese nationality, which also made him the second Chinese arbitrator in the history who was appointed to be an arbitrator for winter olympics. David also acts as legal counsels for many top domestic clubs including the Guangzhou Evergrande, and provides legal service for famous football players and coaches. In 2013, on behalf of Guangzhou Evergrande, he led the legal team of Chinese and European lawyers to sue the world-known football player, Lucas Ramon Barrios Arioli for breach of contract at FIFA, which is one of the highest claim cases that has been submitted to FIFA in recent years. At the beginning of 2014, David dealt with disputes of contract and transfer registration between national team player Liu Jian and Qingdao Jonoon Football Club. The case was closed with a complete victory and was praised as “Bosman ruling” of Chinese sports law, which means a milestone to free transfer system of football players. Besides, invited by CFA and CBA, David was also involved in the reform of the union and the league, and advised on the Chinese sports reform and rulemaking issue. REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS AND CASES: -
Jiangsu Suning football club: Provided legal opinions and prepared replies to AFC and CFA with regard to issues of cross shareholding, ownership structure, interests conflicts and fair competition of Jiangsu Suning and Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao clubs investigated by AFC and CFA; assisted the club with registration of change of its league name; assisted the club with relevant legal issues arisen from extension and termination of employment contract of Ren Hang and Yang Hao. -
Case with highest claim for domestic clubs: Leaded a legal team of Chinese and European lawyers representing Guangzhou Evergrande club to file a suit against Barrios who is a famous football player and claim for compensation of 25 millions Euro at FIFA in 2013. Only a month later, we received compensation of 8 millions Euro from Russia Super League Club. The amount of subject under this case is among one of the highest with regard to international disputes for domestic football clubs so far. -
Milestone case for transfer of national football team player: participated in the arbitration proceedings, disciplinary committee proceedings of this transfer dispute of Liu Jian between Guangzhou Evergrande and Qingdao Jonoon. In the end, we help Liu Jian become a free player and complete the transfer, and all claims for compensation from the other party have been rejected. This case, praised as “Bosman ruling” of Chinese sports law, was closed with complete victory and become a milestone case with regard to free transfer system of football players. -
Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC: Represented the club to deal with contract disputes with regard to publicity right with a famous foreign player Conca and their acknowledgement and execution proceeding; provided legal service on employment contracts, transfer, registration and other matters between club and famous foreign players like Cleo, Muriqui, Diamanti and domestic players like Liu Jian, Zou Zheng, Li Yuanyi, Li Xuepeng. -
Hebei China Fortune FC: Provided legal service on employment contracts, transfer agreements and other matters in the process of introducing world well-known coach Pellegrini and famous players Gervais Yao, Kakuta, M'Bia -
Provided legal service for national team players and teen players: provided legal service for famous players such as Feng Xiaoting and Zhang Linpeng on the acceptance of offers from top-tier Premier League clubs, and provided legal service for Li Weijie on transfer as a free player. -
Represented appeals for disciplinary sanction: represented a famous domestic club and provided relevant legal service with regard to the investigation and sanction initiated by AFA during the Champions League process, and we won the appeal by minimized the sanction to the club. -
Overseas football training program: provided compliance-relevant legal service on investigation to teen player overseas football training program between Atletico Madrid and Wanda Group; dealt with relevant legal issues of Jiangsu Guoxin (Jiangsu Suning) Parma international football school; dealt with relevant issues on cooperation between Jiazhaoye Group and Inter football school. -
Chinese football & basketball system reform: joined the league reform group under the invitation of CFA and Chinese Super League Co, Ltd. In 2015; deeply involved into CSL system reform, and provided legal opinions on football reform and rulemaking; involved in system reform and new Articles of Association of CBA matter under the inquiry and invitation of CBA and Chinese basketball legend, Mr. Yao Ming, and provided legal advice for Chinese basketball system and league reform. LANGUAGES Mandarin, English |
