
John Han is an accomplished litigator and advocate who helps clients achieve business objectives in matters involving Greater China, the U.S., and English common law jurisdictions including the British Virgin Islands. Clients rely on his deep regional business knowledge and bilingual language capabilities.
Mr. Han has acted as lead counsel in a wide range of cross-border disputes involving monetization and demonetization of US $100M+ judgments and arbitration awards both against and on behalf of governments, state-owned enterprises, and multinational corporations. The matters often involve fraud or misconduct.
He regularly leads large-scale cross-border matters to monetize substantial defaulted PRC loan and guarantee portfolios where assets are concealed through complex offshore structures, trusts, and foundations, and where debtors and decision-makers are found in Europe, EMEA, and the U.S.
Mr. Han also represents multinational corporations, state-owned enterprises and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in matters involving simultaneous strategies in multiple jurisdictions—recently Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, England and Wales, offshore jurisdictions, and U.S. federal and state courts.
He has been cited on topics involving cross-border judgment and arbitration award monetization by publications including The New York Times, Reuters, Bloomberg, Global Arbitration Review, Commercial Dispute Resolution, The Boston Globe, Asia Business Law Journal, the Hong Kong Lawyer, and the Business Times.
Mr. Han is admitted as a Solicitor Advocate in Hong Kong, in the United States, and in the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts. He is a Beijing native and fluent Mandarin Chinese speaker. Before joining Kobre & Kim, Mr. Han practiced at Covington & Burling LLP. Earlier in his career, he served as a law clerk to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Admissions
- Solicitor, Hong Kong
- Solicitor Advocate, Hong Kong Higher Rights of Audience
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- Dubai International Financial Centre Courts
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
Select Engagements
International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery
Government Enforcement Defense
Investigations & Monitorships
Financial Products & Services Litigation
Joint Venture & Partnership Disputes
- Tim Haynes, John Han and Jason Kang Dispel Myths on Enforcing Chinese Judgments and Awards Overseas in Caixin
- John Han, Su Mien Tee and Francesca Ip Analyze Implications of Recent Hong Kong Ruling on Challenging and Enforcing Awards in GAR
- John Han Joins Virtual Panel on Reputation Management in the Wake of Fraud Allegations
- Wealth Talk: John Han on Risks and Strategies for Wealth Advisers and Clients Shifting Wealth Out of Hong Kong
- John Han, Evelyn Sheehan and Wade Weems on the Risks of Wealthy Hong Kong Individuals’ Moving Assets Abroad
- Clashing with Titans: Maximizing Returns on Sovereign Judgment Enforcement
- When Sovereign Judgment Debtors Fight Back: Clashing with Titans
- Wade Weems and John Han on Hong Kong’s Loss of U.S. Preferential Trading Status
- John Han Discusses Chinese UHNWIs in Hong Kong and COVID-19-triggered Litigation in Live Interview with Citywealth
- Clearing Your Name: Fending Off Trade Secret Theft Judgment Claims
- Coronavirus: Buying Time in Uncertainty
- Global Kobre & Kim Issues $100m Summons Against Indian MNC in Dutch Court for Defiance of Asset Freezing Order
- Kobre & Kim Secures $233 Million Freezing Order in a Dutch court against India-based MNC
- Kobre & Kim International Judgment Enforcement Team in AmLaw: “The Judgment Bloodhounds are at it again”
- To Catch a Debtor: Seizing the Money
- John Han and Wade Weems Lead Seminar on Unfair Competition Practices in the PRC, Southeast Asia
- John Han and Randall Arthur Explore Asset Tracing and Recovery Strategies at KNect in Singapore
- To Catch a Debtor: Freezing the Money
- John Han Speaks With CDR on Patent Overcharging Saga against CPA Global
- John Han and Hartley West on Partnering with the U.S. Government in Asset Recovery Efforts with ACC Singapore
- To Catch a Debtor: Finding the Money
- Kobre & Kim Scores Victory in $14m Judgment against Sky Solar Holdings Founder
- Clashing With Titans: Effective Judgment Enforcement Against Sovereign Entities
- AmLaw: “How Judgment Bloodhounds at Kobre & Kim Help Winners Get Paid”
- John Han and Ryan Middlemas Discuss Hong Kong Discovery in Lexis Nexis
- John Han Examines International Arbitration Awards and Enforcement Strategies
- John Han and Joyce Xiang Discuss Foreign Judgment Enforcement Measurements in the U.S. and Offshore
- John Han Explores International Judgment Enforcement and Arbitration Awards
- John Han, Benjamin Sauter and Nan Wang Explain How U.S. Regulators' Recent Actions Expose Risks for Hong Kong and China Virtual Currency Businesses
- John Han and Jason Kang Discuss Using U.S. Discovery for Proceedings in Asia
- Cross-Border Team Offers Strategies for U.S. Law Firms Facing Discovery Of Foreign Clients' Records
- Transatlantic Legal Awards Shortlist Kobre & Kim for Transatlantic Litigation Team of the Year
- John Han and Beau Barnes Identify U.S. Discovery as Key Tool in Hong Kong Cases
- Hong Kong Lawyers William F. McGovern and John Han Share Thoughts With FinanceAsia on What to Expect in 2015
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, "The Hong Kong Wealth Shift: Pitfalls for Wealth Professionals and the Ultra-Wealthy" (Law.com International, September 2020)
- 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)
Credentials
Admissions
- Solicitor, Hong Kong
- Solicitor Advocate, Hong Kong Higher Rights of Audience
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- Dubai International Financial Centre Courts
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
Government Enforcement Defense
Investigations & Monitorships
Financial Products & Services Litigation
Joint Venture & Partnership Disputes
News
- Tim Haynes, John Han and Jason Kang Dispel Myths on Enforcing Chinese Judgments and Awards Overseas in Caixin
- John Han, Su Mien Tee and Francesca Ip Analyze Implications of Recent Hong Kong Ruling on Challenging and Enforcing Awards in GAR
- John Han Joins Virtual Panel on Reputation Management in the Wake of Fraud Allegations
- Wealth Talk: John Han on Risks and Strategies for Wealth Advisers and Clients Shifting Wealth Out of Hong Kong
- John Han, Evelyn Sheehan and Wade Weems on the Risks of Wealthy Hong Kong Individuals’ Moving Assets Abroad
- Clashing with Titans: Maximizing Returns on Sovereign Judgment Enforcement
- When Sovereign Judgment Debtors Fight Back: Clashing with Titans
- Wade Weems and John Han on Hong Kong’s Loss of U.S. Preferential Trading Status
- John Han Discusses Chinese UHNWIs in Hong Kong and COVID-19-triggered Litigation in Live Interview with Citywealth
- Clearing Your Name: Fending Off Trade Secret Theft Judgment Claims
- Coronavirus: Buying Time in Uncertainty
- Global Kobre & Kim Issues $100m Summons Against Indian MNC in Dutch Court for Defiance of Asset Freezing Order
- Kobre & Kim Secures $233 Million Freezing Order in a Dutch court against India-based MNC
- Kobre & Kim International Judgment Enforcement Team in AmLaw: “The Judgment Bloodhounds are at it again”
- To Catch a Debtor: Seizing the Money
- John Han and Wade Weems Lead Seminar on Unfair Competition Practices in the PRC, Southeast Asia
- John Han and Randall Arthur Explore Asset Tracing and Recovery Strategies at KNect in Singapore
- To Catch a Debtor: Freezing the Money
- John Han Speaks With CDR on Patent Overcharging Saga against CPA Global
- John Han and Hartley West on Partnering with the U.S. Government in Asset Recovery Efforts with ACC Singapore
- To Catch a Debtor: Finding the Money
- Kobre & Kim Scores Victory in $14m Judgment against Sky Solar Holdings Founder
- Clashing With Titans: Effective Judgment Enforcement Against Sovereign Entities
- AmLaw: “How Judgment Bloodhounds at Kobre & Kim Help Winners Get Paid”
- John Han and Ryan Middlemas Discuss Hong Kong Discovery in Lexis Nexis
- John Han Examines International Arbitration Awards and Enforcement Strategies
- John Han and Joyce Xiang Discuss Foreign Judgment Enforcement Measurements in the U.S. and Offshore
- John Han Explores International Judgment Enforcement and Arbitration Awards
- John Han, Benjamin Sauter and Nan Wang Explain How U.S. Regulators' Recent Actions Expose Risks for Hong Kong and China Virtual Currency Businesses
- John Han and Jason Kang Discuss Using U.S. Discovery for Proceedings in Asia
- Cross-Border Team Offers Strategies for U.S. Law Firms Facing Discovery Of Foreign Clients' Records
- Transatlantic Legal Awards Shortlist Kobre & Kim for Transatlantic Litigation Team of the Year
- John Han and Beau Barnes Identify U.S. Discovery as Key Tool in Hong Kong Cases
- Hong Kong Lawyers William F. McGovern and John Han Share Thoughts With FinanceAsia on What to Expect in 2015
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, "The Hong Kong Wealth Shift: Pitfalls for Wealth Professionals and the Ultra-Wealthy" (Law.com International, September 2020)
- 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)