Minglei Wu
Associate
Chicago
P: 312.642.6943
mwu@mcdonaldhopkins.com
Minglei is an Associate in the Business Restructuring Department at McDonald Hopkins. Combining 10 years as a Chinese transaction lawyer with extensive experience in international business transactions and working in three Jurisdictions, Minglei is a creative problem solver who guides her clients through complex bankruptcy and insolvency issues. Her practice also includes working with companies across the globe in a variety of industries pursuing international business transactions, outbound investments, licensing, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital financing, and general corporate and commercial matters.
Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Minglei served as an advisor and legal asset to corporations working through international business transactions. She was the Founder and Director of MingleiLegal LLC, a legal consulting company serving U.S. and European law firms, where she bridged cultural gaps and worked to secure partnerships between U.S. organizations and Chinese law firms and provided supervision for on-the- ground teams engaged in cross-border transaction due diligence, business establishement , and investment disputes. Before founding her own company, Minglei worked in director’s positions for two Chinese law firms, establishing overseas offices, providing legal consulting services to U.S. clients pursuing commercial transactions in China, managing inbound transactions and joint ventures, developing international prospect review processes, advising Chinese investors in U.S. transactions, and collaborating with international law firms as part of global teams. Minglei also has experience serving as in-house legal counsel to a large global branding agency in Australia.
Minglei earned her JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. She earned a BA in English from Beijing Foreign Studies University and a double BA in International Economic Law from Fudan University. She is native in Mandarin Chinese and fluent in English.
- Intelsat S.A. – Represent the Special Committee of the Board of Intelsat S.A. in connection with Intelsat’s Chapter 11 case in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Intelsat and its affiliates had approximately $14.7 billion in funded debt as of its Chapter 11 filing and operate the world’s largest satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructure, and provide diversified communication services to many of the world’s leading media companies, telecommunications operators, Internet service providers, and the United States government and military.
- Nordic Aviation Capital – Represent Independent Directors of Nordic Aviation Capital A/S in the prearranged chapter 11 cases of Nordic Aviation Capital Designated Activity Company and its subsidiaries filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. NAC, an Irish company, is the largest regional aircraft lessor in the world, with more than 475 aircraft. With over $7.7 billion in liabilities, NAC was the largest chapter 11 filing in 2021.
- Assisted in litigation for liquidation trustee matters
- Assisted a Belgian law firm with reverse due diligence on its potential Chinese buyer.
- Represented an Italian law firm investigating Chinese/Italian joint venture subsidiary for suspicion of asset stripping.
- Advised a Latvian law firm embroiled in a trademark dispute with a Chinese partner, establishing terms.
- Assisted a U.S. law firm through a Chinese/American OEM IP dispute; secured a mutually beneficial resolution.
- Secured a large UK logistic companycontract to provide legal advice on its first China e-commerce venture, while restructuring its local affiliate to support regional sales from Hong Kong.
- Represented a large German company in a joint venture dispute with its Chinese counterparty, and in a software licensing agreement dispute.
- Advocated on behalf of a Sino-French joint venture in its dispute with the Chinese tax authorities.
- Advised on litigation options in a food-industry formulation dispute for a U.S. firm in China.
- Advised a large U.S. company on its several acquisition and joint ventures in China.
- Advised multiple China E-commerce startups on restructuring and series A and B foreign PE fund.
Admissions - Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Admissions - State
- Illinois
Education
- Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
- Fudan University
- Beijing Foreign Studies University
Honors and Awards
- Dean’s List 2020 Fall & 2021 Spring (Northwestern)
Professional Membership
- Member, International Committee, American Bankruptcy Institute
- Member, International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation
- Member, Turnaround Management Association
- Member, Executive Committee (2016-2019), International Association of Young Lawyers
- Chinese Bar Association (2010)
Accreditation
- Admitted to China Bar
