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John Han
Lawyer
Hong Kong
ICBC Tower, 6th Floor
3 Garden Road
Central, Hong Kong
+852 2127 3291
john.han@kobrekim.com.hk
vCard Download 
Hong Kong
ICBC Tower, 6th Floor
3 Garden Road
Central, Hong Kong
+852 2127 3291
john.han@kobrekim.com.hk
vCard Download 

John Han is a dual-qualified U.S. civil litigator and Hong Kong Solicitor-Advocate focusing on cross-border commercial disputes involving the U.S. and countries in Asia. Mr. Han regularly represents financial institutions, multinational corporations, technology companies, state-owned enterprises and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in matters involving coordinated strategies in multiple jurisdictions and venues, including the High Court of Hong Kong and U.S. federal and state courts. He has been cited on topics involving Asia-U. S. cross-border disputes by publications including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Asia Business Law Journal, the Hong Kong Lawyer, and The Business Times.

Mr. Han has acted in a wide range of international judgment enforcement cases involving proceedings in the U.S., China and Korea. He also represents multinational corporations in China-based internal investigations and government defense matters, with a focus on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Hong Kong Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. His matters have included work in the oil and gas, financial services, software, insurance, pharmaceutical and media sectors. Mr. Han is a Beijing native and speaks Mandarin.

Before joining Kobre & Kim, Mr. Han practiced at Covington & Burling LLP, where he focused on financial services and securities litigation and cross-border disputes. Earlier in his career, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Steven M. Colloton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

SERVICES

Admissions

  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
  • Solicitor Advocate, Hong Kong

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, JD (University of Chicago Law Review, Executive Editor)
  • University of California, Berkeley, MIMS
  • Kalamazoo College, BA

Languages

  • Mandarin

Clerkships

  • Honorable Steven M. Colloton, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
SERVICES

Select Engagements

International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery

  • Representation of a judgment creditor in Korea in the international enforcement of a default judgment affirmed by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea, against a judgment debtor with operations and assets in Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands, Canada and several other locations.
  • Representation of Chevron in the successful enforcement of an investment treaty arbitration award against the Republic of Ecuador for US $100 million+ (with interest). Kobre & Kim's efforts in executing an enforcement strategy, including asset tracing, efforts to identify seizure targets, and the service of numerous discovery requests, culminated in Ecuador's paying Chevron the entirety of the original award plus interest.
  • Representation of a chemical company in connection with developing and implementing a comprehensive asset tracing and recovery plan relating to a US $900+ million verdict rendered in its favor.
  • Representation of hedge fund investment manager and its principals in litigation over US $280 million in losses stemming from the Ponzi scheme associated with Bernard Madoff.
  • Representation of plaintiffs in a vitamin C price-fixing antitrust class action in enforcing a US $147 million+ judgment of a New York court against Chinese companies.

Government Enforcement Defense

  • Representation of a major multinational company in an internal investigation regarding possible fraud and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) issues stemming from their operations in Asia.
  • Representation of a foreign agent of a company in Malaysia in responding to a subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) relating to potential FCPA violations.
  • Representation of a Chinese national charged in the Southern District of New York with various offenses related to an alleged economic espionage scheme.
  • Representation of individual in combined DOJ and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) investigation into futures trading.
  • Representation of an insurance industry executive in connection with investigations conducted by the New York State Attorney General's Office, the DOJ and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into alleged accounting fraud and bid-rigging.

Investigations & Monitorships

  • Conducted highly sensitive internal investigation on behalf of a Macau-based gaming company relating to allegations of money laundering by a senior executive.
  • Representation of a senior executive of a global investment bank in connection with investigations by U.S. and Hong Kong banking regulators and criminal authorities regarding allegations of bribery.

Financial Products & Services Litigation

  • Representation of a sovereign wealth fund in a legal proceeding to recover damages for breach of fiduciary duty.
  • Representation of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as conservator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in the enforcement of FHFA's subpoenas to major Wall Street banks issued pursuant to the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and related to litigation concerning mortgage-backed securities in which Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac invested.
  • Representation of an officer of a large insurance company in class-action litigation and a New York State Attorney General's investigation into practices related to the placement and underwriting of insurance by one of the largest reinsurers in the United States.

Joint Venture & Partnership Disputes

  • Representation of a member of a limited liability company in a joint venture dispute with a private equity firm/limited liability company to compete for control of a major business in the nightclub and gaming industry, involving litigation in New York and Nevada.
 

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Hong Kong Law Society, Member
  • Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Member
  • Chinese Business Lawyers Association, Member
  • American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Asian American Bar Association of New York, Member
  • New York State Bar Association, Member
  • Federal Bar Council, Member
SERVICES

Publications & Presentations

  • Co-author, "Using US Discovery in Hong Kong Cases" (Hong Kong Lawyer, May 2017)
  • Co-author, "Execution and Judgment Enforcement in the United States" (ABA International Aspects of U.S. Litigation, February 2017)
  • Speaker, “International Judgment Enforcement” (Courses & Seminars, Hong Kong Continuing Professional Development, Hong Kong, July 2015)
  • Author, “Year of the Asian Regulator” (FinanceAsia, January 2015)
  • Author, “A Proposal for Party Determined COMI in Cross-Border Insolvencies of Multinational Corporate Groups” (Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, 2007)
  • Author, "Antitrust and Sharing Information About Product Quality" (University of Chicago Law Review, 2007)
SERVICES

Credentials

Admissions

  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
  • Solicitor Advocate, Hong Kong

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, JD (University of Chicago Law Review, Executive Editor)
  • University of California, Berkeley, MIMS
  • Kalamazoo College, BA

Languages

  • Mandarin

Clerkships

  • Honorable Steven M. Colloton, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

Engagements

International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery

  • Representation of a judgment creditor in Korea in the international enforcement of a default judgment affirmed by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea, against a judgment debtor with operations and assets in Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands, Canada and several other locations.
  • Representation of Chevron in the successful enforcement of an investment treaty arbitration award against the Republic of Ecuador for US $100 million+ (with interest). Kobre & Kim's efforts in executing an enforcement strategy, including asset tracing, efforts to identify seizure targets, and the service of numerous discovery requests, culminated in Ecuador's paying Chevron the entirety of the original award plus interest.
  • Representation of a chemical company in connection with developing and implementing a comprehensive asset tracing and recovery plan relating to a US $900+ million verdict rendered in its favor.
  • Representation of hedge fund investment manager and its principals in litigation over US $280 million in losses stemming from the Ponzi scheme associated with Bernard Madoff.
  • Representation of plaintiffs in a vitamin C price-fixing antitrust class action in enforcing a US $147 million+ judgment of a New York court against Chinese companies.

Government Enforcement Defense

  • Representation of a major multinational company in an internal investigation regarding possible fraud and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) issues stemming from their operations in Asia.
  • Representation of a foreign agent of a company in Malaysia in responding to a subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) relating to potential FCPA violations.
  • Representation of a Chinese national charged in the Southern District of New York with various offenses related to an alleged economic espionage scheme.
  • Representation of individual in combined DOJ and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) investigation into futures trading.
  • Representation of an insurance industry executive in connection with investigations conducted by the New York State Attorney General's Office, the DOJ and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into alleged accounting fraud and bid-rigging.

Investigations & Monitorships

  • Conducted highly sensitive internal investigation on behalf of a Macau-based gaming company relating to allegations of money laundering by a senior executive.
  • Representation of a senior executive of a global investment bank in connection with investigations by U.S. and Hong Kong banking regulators and criminal authorities regarding allegations of bribery.

Financial Products & Services Litigation

  • Representation of a sovereign wealth fund in a legal proceeding to recover damages for breach of fiduciary duty.
  • Representation of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as conservator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in the enforcement of FHFA's subpoenas to major Wall Street banks issued pursuant to the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and related to litigation concerning mortgage-backed securities in which Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac invested.
  • Representation of an officer of a large insurance company in class-action litigation and a New York State Attorney General's investigation into practices related to the placement and underwriting of insurance by one of the largest reinsurers in the United States.

Joint Venture & Partnership Disputes

  • Representation of a member of a limited liability company in a joint venture dispute with a private equity firm/limited liability company to compete for control of a major business in the nightclub and gaming industry, involving litigation in New York and Nevada.

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Hong Kong Law Society, Member
  • Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Member
  • Chinese Business Lawyers Association, Member
  • American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Asian American Bar Association of New York, Member
  • New York State Bar Association, Member
  • Federal Bar Council, Member

Publications & Presentations

  • Co-author, "Using US Discovery in Hong Kong Cases" (Hong Kong Lawyer, May 2017)
  • Co-author, "Execution and Judgment Enforcement in the United States" (ABA International Aspects of U.S. Litigation, February 2017)
  • Speaker, “International Judgment Enforcement” (Courses & Seminars, Hong Kong Continuing Professional Development, Hong Kong, July 2015)
  • Author, “Year of the Asian Regulator” (FinanceAsia, January 2015)
  • Author, “A Proposal for Party Determined COMI in Cross-Border Insolvencies of Multinational Corporate Groups” (Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, 2007)
  • Author, "Antitrust and Sharing Information About Product Quality" (University of Chicago Law Review, 2007)