Mariana Zhong

Introduction

Mariana Zhong is a partner of Hui Zhong Law Firm based in Beijing. Previously, she was a national partner of the international arbitration department of Dechert LLP where she worked in the Beijing, Singapore and Paris offices.

Zhong focuses her practice on international arbitration and litigation matters. She handles international commercial arbitration before major international arbitration institutions and ad hoc arbitrations abroad.

She also handles international investment arbitration. She represented two Chinese investors in an ICSID arbitration against a Southeast Asia state, advised Chinese and foreign clients on their potential investment disputes, and currently is advising an investor in an ad hoc arbitration against an Asian state.

Zhong represents Chinese and foreign clients in Chinese court proceedings, including enforcement of foreign arbitral awards and parallel proceedings. She provides legal advice to Chinese SOEs and multinational companies on their cross-border investments.

Zhong is an arbitrator, a former affiliate research fellow of Harvard Law School, a former ICC YAF Representative for north Asia, and a member of the Secretary Committee of Beijing International Arbitration Forum. She is a frequent speaker and a diligent writer on topics relating to international arbitration including commercial and investment arbitrations. She also provides related training to local bar associations and Chinese SOEs, and lectures at prestigious Chinese law schools.

Since 2017, Zhong has been recognised for several consecutive years by Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a next generation lawyer. In 2021 and 2022, two cases handled by Ms. Zhong were shortlisted and selected as deals of the year by China Business Law Journal. In 2023, she was awarded the title of the rising star 2023 by CLBJ. She has been nominated by Global Arbitration Review as a candidate for GAR 45 under 45.

Zhong received her law degree from China Foreign Affairs University and NYU School of Law. She is admitted to practice in China and New York State, US.