Charltons was founded in October 1998 as a focused corporate finance firm. The focal point of the firm is to provide a first class legal service on Hong Kong and PRC-related corporate finance matters, to both international and local clients from Hong Kong and mainland China. Our aim is to give practical, creative and commercial solutions that match the business objectives and priorities of our clients. The firm was awarded the "Boutique Firm of the Year" by Asian Legal Business for the years 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

We have considerable experience in offering advice to multinational and local companies operating in Hong Kong and China. We have represented US, European, Japanese and Hong Kong investment banks in corporate finance transactions, including H-share and B-share offerings. Recent Hong Kong GEM listings in 2002 include Tradeeasy Holdings Limited, Zheda Lande Scitech Limited, Tianjin Teda Biomedical Equipment Company Limited and Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical Company Limited. We are currently in the process of bringing a number of new issuers to both the Growth Enterprise Market and the Main Board in Hong Kong. 2002 has also seen an increase in takeover activity of public listed companies and the firm has recently been involved in a number of hostile takeover bids. We have also acted on many derivative warrant listings on the Luxembourg, Dublin and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges. Our regulatory work involves frequent communications with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Securities and Futures Commission regarding regulatory and corporate finance issues relevant to our clients' projects. We are also experienced in advising clients in relation to mergers and acquisitions.

We have extensive and diverse experience in all aspects of direct investments in the PRC, whether by way of joint venture, wholly foreign owned enterprises or other direct investment methods.

The firm advised on the restructuring of Guangdong Investment Limited, a Hong Kong listed company and its three listed subsidiaries. (Asian Restructuring Deal of the year 2000 (IFLR)). The firm's investment funds work consists of advising on the launch of traditional Asia Pacific equity funds and the less traditional/more specialised funds, including hedge funds, which are listed on international exchanges. We are familiar with the regulatory requirements for marketing funds throughout Europe and Asia.

We have the capability to assist technology companies in business expansion, including the setting up of joint ventures, licensing of intellectual property rights, and marketing issues. Charltons has particular experience in the areas of registration and protection of intellectual property.

Charltons holds the conviction that our work should be judged in terms of quality gleaned from our local knowledge and international perspective, rather than on the size of our organisation. We offer clients access to experienced lawyers with the objective of giving practical and commercial solutions to our clients' business objectives and priorities. Many of our lawyers are qualified to advise on both Hong Kong and English law.

Languages spoken by our lawyers include English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Putonghua, Malay and French.

We are happy to support clients' internal seminars and training programmes by providing speakers and materials, without charge. Periodically we arrange training seminars at our offices for clients on recent developments in law and practice.