Howard Chao
Partner
Howard Chao is the Senior Partner of O’Melveny’s Asia Practice. During his 31 years of practice with the firm he has been engaged in a broad variety of transactional matters, primarily involving cross-border investment licensing and financing. A significant portion of his practice has involved matters in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
Howard is a recognized authority on China and has extensive experience advising clients on China matters. In particular, he has advised a variety of technology companies with respect to their matters in China, including market entry strategy, investment transactions, technology licensing transactions, strategic joint ventures, R&D centers, IPR protection strategies, and related matters. He has represented technology companies in the software, semiconductor, manufacturing equipment, Internet, telecom, life sciences, and other sectors.
Professional Activities
Admitted to Practice, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
Author or Co-Author, “China's Turn,”
The Deal (January 12, 2009); “Southeastern Exposure,”
The Deal (January 23, 2009); “Japan's Déjà Vu,”
The Deal (February 9, 2009); “Hong Kong Betwixt and Between,”
The Deal (March 10, 2009); “The Coming Age of the Renminbi,”
The Deal (November 2, 2009); "The Financial System in China: Risks and Opportunities Following the Global Financial Crisis," with Susan Krause Bell of Promontory Financial Group (April 2010); various other publications on Chinese law
Honors, Received
Chambers and Partners’ “Outstanding Contributions to the Legal Profession Award” (2009); Sole occupant of
Chambers and Partners’ Band 1 top tier of lawyers engaged in “Deals in Asia”;
Recognized as one of “The 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers,” by
National Law Journal (2008); Named a “Super Lawyer” in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in
Los Angeles magazine
Member, Board of Directors, Pacific Pension Institute;
Business Council, Asia Society; Advisory Board, Asia Society Northern California; Advisory Committee, Berkeley China Initiative; Advisory Board, Shanghai Securities News (Xinhua News Agency)
Languages, Mandarin Chinese; French