Thomas Chou is a partner in Morrison & Foerster LLP’s worldwide partnership and resident in the firm’s Hong Kong office. Mr. Chou has an active corporate practice, focusing on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (inbound and outbound), joint ventures, private equity, venture capital and debt financings and corporate restructurings. Mr. Chou also co-chairs the firm’s leading Asia-Pacific private equity practice, which according to Chambers Asia 2011, “really understand[s] investment in China,“ and is "outstanding" for international fund formation and China work. In addition, Mr. Chou is a leader in the firm's China M&A group, who Chambers Global describes as a “prominent figure in technology-related M&A.” (2011) Chambers Asia adds, “the team of international lawyers [in the M&A group] is supported by senior Chinese lawyers [who] work together closely and seamlessly." (2011)
Mr. Chou’s clients include global private equity and venture capital investors, emerging growth companies, multinational corporations and Chinese state-owned enterprises in the healthcare, TMT, cleantech, consumer, and financial services industries. He is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in the areas of M&A, Private Equity and Venture Capital by major independent lawyer ranking organizations, including Chambers Global, Chambers Asia, IFLR 1000, PLC Which Lawyer? and Asia Pacific Legal 500. In addition, Asian Legal Business (ALB) magazine named Mr. Chou as a finalist for the 2011 "Hong Kong Dealmaker of the Year" Award.
For private equity, Chambers Asia observes that “Chou has a great grasp of all the key issues facing private equity clients and impressively combines his international skills of working with investors with an understanding of what can be done from a local point of view.” (2009) For M&A, IFLR highlights Mr. Chou’s “outstanding expertise and services” (2011) and that he “is very responsive and demonstrated a good combination of understanding the big-picture issues as well as complex transaction structural details. He adds a great deal of value in transaction due diligence negotiations as well as providing valuable insight and deal judgment.” (2010) Chambers Asia adds that Mr. Chou "is regarded by clients as a hands-on, responsive and dedicated practitioner.” (2011)
Mr. Chou frequently speaks on current topics in M&A, private equity and venture capital for organizations such as the American Bar Association, Asia America MultiTechnology Association, Asian Venture Capital Journal, China Venture Capital Association, Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, and Mergermarket.