YAO, Cynthia

Ms. Yao’s practice areas include cross‑border mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and compliance, cross‑border succession and asset management, as well as arbitration and litigation of commercial disputes.

Ms. Yao has provided full-scope legal services for Chinese enterprises in connection with their investment projects and business operations across various countries and regions, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. She has assisted these companies throughout the entire process—from due diligence, drafting and negotiation of transaction documents, to project implementation—and has offered comprehensive legal support to safeguard their overseas market expansion.

Ms. Yao also has extensive experience in assisting foreign companies with their investments in China. She serves as standing legal counsel for multiple large enterprises both in China and abroad, and specializes in handling legal issues relating to daily operations and the establishment of internal compliance systems. Her work includes drafting a wide range of commercial contracts and cooperation agreements, as well as formulating employment rules, labor contracts, confidentiality agreements, non‑compete agreements, and other internal corporate policies and regulations.

Ms. Yao has provided specialized legal services in cybersecurity and data compliance for a number of multinational and domestic enterprises, including matters relating to personal information protection (covering EU GDPR compliance, U.S. CCPA compliance, and Chinese data compliance), cross-border data compliance, and the rating, filing and compliance remediation under the Multi‑Level Protection Scheme for cybersecurity.

With years of overseas study and work experience, Ms. Yao leverages her deep understanding of both Chinese and Western legal systems and cultures. She provides meticulous and comprehensive legal support and services to clients in connection with their cross‑border projects and cross‑border asset dispositions.

Professional Publications:
Key Compliance Points and Practical Guidelines for Multi‑Level Protection Scheme Filing and Assessment
From the Three Foreign Investment Laws to the Foreign Investment Law: Key Changes and Implications After the New Law Takes Effect

Honors

• Leading Talents of Foreign-related Lawyers in Guangdong Province
• Leading Talents of Foreign-related Lawyers in Guangzhou

Education

• Master of Laws (LLM), University of Auckland, New Zealand (Feb 2004 – Jun 2005)
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB), China University of Political Science and Law (Sep 1997 – Jul 2001)

Professional Experience

• Partner, AllBright Law Offices, Guangzhou Office (Sep 2017 – Present)
• Partner, Guangdong Pacific United Law Firm (Jan 2016 – Aug 2017)
• Associate / Consulting Lawyer (Team Leader), Wang Jing & Co. (Jan 2008 – Dec 2015)
• Legal Consultant, Celestial Pictures Limited, Hong Kong (Dec 2005 – Jun 2007)
• Legal Consultant, T&F Barristers & Solicitors, New Zealand (Aug 2004 – Jun 2005)