Michael Wong
Biography
As the foremost leading authority on legal, regulatory and taxation issues involving major cross-border commercial transactions, Michael is head of the Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity and Tax Practice Groups in the Taipei office. His unrivalled depth and scope of experience covers a diverse spectrum of handling complex multijurisdictional acquisitions, joint ventures, infrastructure projects as well as technology, media, telecom (TMT) matters.
Practice Focus
Michael's practice focuses on corporate commercial, mergers and acquisitions, taxation, private equity, technology, media, telecom, and private banking.
Representative Legal Matters
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Acted as a counsel on a U.S. multinational cross-border acquisition of a listed Taiwan company by way of a public tender offer.
- Acted as a counsel on USD 2.3 billion merger between two leading Taiwan listed companies, in forming the world's third-largest LED panel maker.
- Advised on a Taiwan financial holding company's strategic investment and cooperation with a large state-owned PRC banking group.
- Acted as a counsel on a USD 630 million tender offer by Advanced Semiconductor Engineering on all outstanding shares of Universal Scientific Industrial Inc., using a combination of cash and shares as considerations.
Tax Matters
- Assisting high-net-worth families on private wealth management and cross-border legal and tax issues, including the use of trust and foundations, wills and private holding companies.
- Assisting financial institutions and independent trustees on cross-border tax and legal compliance issues.
- Advising on structuring Taiwan operations and transactions, including representative offices, branches and subsidiaries of foreign enterprises.
- Preparation of requests for tax rulings.
- Advised on tax incentives offered to encourage investment and technology transfer.
- Provided advice and implementation on corporate restructuring.
Professional Honors
- Named Eminent Practitioner by Chambers Asia-Pacific (2023)
- Named Hall of Fame Individual by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023)
- Named Leading Individual by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023)
- Named Leading Lawyer – Highly Regarded by IFLR1000 (2021)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Asian American Bar Association
- State Bar of California
- American Bar Association
- American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan
Corporate Responsibility
- Ruian Rotary Club, Taipei, Taiwan
- Li Ching Cultural and Education Foundation, Taiwan
- Community Cooks, Boston, U.S.A.
- Chi Heng Foundation, Hong Kong
Admissions
- California~United States (1985)
Education
- Soochow University (LL.M.) (1989)
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law (now University of California, College of the Law) (J.D.) (1985)
- University of California at Los Angeles (B.A.) (1981)
Languages
- Chinese
- English
Baker & McKenzie, a Taiwanese Partnership, is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.