Howard Lam advises clients in China and across Asia on restructuring, special situations, private credit, and banking finance transactions.

In his restructuring practice, Howard draws on more than two decades of experience to guide all types of parties to a transaction, including:

  • Creditors, particularly banks and credit funds
  • Debtors
  • Insolvency practitioners
  • Bondholders

He regularly helps clients resolve a full range of difficult matters, including restructuring, bankruptcy, as well as distressed and other special situations. As a Mandarin and Cantonese speaker, trained in Hong Kong, UK, and Australian law, he brings a multicultural, multijurisdictional perspective to his matters. Familiar with the internal motivations and sensitivities of parties on all sides of a matter, he can help clients choose the best jurisdictions and legal regimes for implementing restructurings.

He complements his creative problem-solving and decisive recommendations with an ability to remain even-keeled and diffuse tension in high-stakes situations, and so bring parties together around a solution.

Howard is an INSOL Fellow and a regular speaker at international restructuring and insolvency conferences, and has served on the APLMA China and documentation committees, TMA Hong Kong board, and the executive committee of Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty (RIF).

In Howard’s financing practice, he advises private equity sponsors, banks, and private capital lenders on a full spectrum of complex financing structures, including:

  • Leveraged buy-outs
  • Corporate acquisition financings
  • China onshore/offshore financing
  • Margin loans
  • Direct lending transactions

He draws on a keen sense of what is at market and insights from the firm’s global deal flow on cutting-edge financing terms to translate best practices in global jurisdictions to deals Asia. 

Howard’s experience includes advising:

Restructuring

  • An ad hoc committee of offshore bondholders with respect to Zhongliang Holdings Group, a high-profile Hong Kong-listed Chinese real estate developer, on the restructuring of its five series of USD guaranteed bonds with face value of circa US$929 million, as well as other private loans of the company
  • Hong Kong Airlines on the holistic restructuring of its US$6.2 billion debts and liabilities, including its guarantee of the US$683 million perpetual securities issued by Blue Skyview. This restructuring involves the first ever parallel Hong Kong scheme of arrangement and UK restructuring plan
  • Huachen Energy, one of the largest privately-owned power generating companies in the People’s Republic of China, on the innovative restructuring of its New York law-governed US$500 million in senior notes, and the first-ever chapter 15 recognition of a PRC reorganization plan in the US
  • The ad hoc committee of bondholders in respect of the restructuring of China Fortune Land Development’s overdue debts (including interest) totaling US$6.45 billion
  • The ad hoc committee of bondholders in respect of the successful restructuring of the US$500 million guaranteed senior notes of Dr. Peng Telecom & Media Group Co., Ltd, the largest private telecom operator and internet service provider in China
  • The ad hoc committee of bondholders in respect of MIE Holdings Corporation, a leading independent upstream oil and gas company, in its debt restructuring completed in the first quarter of 2022
  • The steering committee of noteholders in connection with the restructuring of senior notes issued by Hidili Industry International Development Limited, a coal mining company
  • The joint and several liquidators of Wongs Investment Development Holdings Group Limited, formerly the controlling shareholder of HK Main Board-listed company, China Kingstone Mining Holdings Limited, in the disposal of approximately 48.16% of the total issued share capital of China Kingstone Mining by way of placing and sale to two buyers

Banking

  • A syndicate of banks led by Bank of America, N.A. on a US$8.3 billion club loan to a leading Chinese technology company
  • A consortium led by Chinese private equity firm Hopu Investments on a US$1.1 billion financing for acquisition for a minority stake in FWD, a leading insurance business arm of the private investment group, Pacific Century Group
  • The mandated lead arrangers on US$3.5 billion financing in connection with Tencent Holdings’ acquisition of Supercell Oy, a Finland-based mobile games developer
  • The underwriters BAML, Citi, and HSBC on the leveraged buyout financing by Blackstone consortium in connection with a going-private transaction of a Nasdaq-listed company
  • Bright Food (Australia) Co., Limited, a Chinese multinational food and beverages manufacturing company, on its A$85 million term facility agreement in connection with its acquisition of additional shares in an Australian subsidiary
  • The original sponsor consortium in relation to the proposed financing of the take private of Shanda Games
  • Secured term loan facility for Vedanta Resources to refinance the acquisition facilities for the acquisition of Cairn India
  • Baring Private Equity and Nord Anglia Education on various credit facilities including a pre-IPO finance, bridge loan, and a new facility
  • China Firstextile (Holdings) Limited on its US$100 million syndicated facility agreement arranged by Nomura International (Hong Kong) Limited
  • HSBC as mandated lead arranger and bookrunner on the US$74 million and HK$201.5 million term loan facility to Hilong Holding Limited, part of the Hilong Group of Companies, a group of holding enterprises specializing in businesses related to the oil and natural gas industries
  • Fortune REIT, the Hong Kong-listed real estate investment trust, on refinancing of existing credit facilities by way of a HK$1.1 billion term loan facility and a HK$700 million revolving credit facility

Bar Qualification

  • England and Wales (Solicitor)
  • Hong Kong (Solicitor)

Education

  • Master of Laws, The University of Hong Kong
  • PCLL, The University of Hong Kong
  • Graduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Trent University
  • B.Comm., University of New South Wales, Australia

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • Chinese (Cantonese)
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
February 10, 2023 Recognition

Latham Named Bankruptcy Practice Group of the Year

Latham was named as a Law360 Bankruptcy Group of the Year highlighting work on landmark matters including Mallinckrodt, Huachen Energy, and Owens-Illinois that set industry precedent and shaped the market.