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Overview
Phoebe Yan is a litigation partner based in our Shanghai office and leads Paul Hastings' life science practice in the region. Her practice focuses on life sciences, white-collar crime and internal investigations, trade law and export control, data privacy and cybersecurity, government enforcement actions, and dispute resolution. Phoebe specializes in risk control and risk management, covering a broad spectrum of trending issues. Her experience ranges from China's nationwide internal investigations on bribery and corruption issues, complex trade law, export control, CFIUS/Reverse-CFIUS, and tariff-related advice for Chinese companies listed or seeking to be listed overseas, and time and culture-sensitive investigations such as sexual and workplace harassment by senior executives.
Phoebe is admitted to practice law in New York. She also passed the bar in China in 2013 and has a Chinese practicing license, but the license is currently inactive due to local regulatory requirements. Before joining Paul Hastings, Phoebe worked at a full-service Chinese law firm and an international law firm.
Phoebe is a Certified Information Privacy Professional for the U.S. Sector (CIPP/US), a Certified Information Security Professional for Personal Information Protection (CISP-PIP) of the Chinese PIPL, and an EXIN certified Data Protection Officer for GDPR.
Recognitions
- The Legal 500 Greater China, China Dispute Resolution Litigation: Foreign Firms - Recommended Lawyer (2025)
- The Legal 500 Greater China, China Regulatory/Compliance: Foreign Firms - Next Generation Partners (2025)
- Chambers Greater China, Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (2024/2025)
- Chambers Greater China, Life Sciences (2024/2025)
- Finalist for Women in Business Law Awards APAC (2022)
- Paul Hastings Shortlisted for Three Awards at the Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2023
- Paul Hastings Ranked Top 5 in Global Investigations Review's "The GIR 30" 2022Paul Hastings Ranked Top 5 in Global Investigations Review's "The GIR 30" 2022
Education
- The University of Iowa, College of Law, J.D., 2010
- Peking University, B.A., 2006
Representations
Investigations
- Represented multiple U.S. and European pharmaceutical, medical devices, technology and consumer products companies regarding anti-corruption and anti-bribery issues before the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission
- Conducted large-volume China-wide, cross-business internal investigations on behalf of major multinational pharmaceutical and medical devices companies working with one of the most extensive investigation teams in the region
- Represented a renowned U.S. investment company on FCPA due diligence and post-investment compliance monitorship for their investment portfolio projects in China, Vietnam and Thailand
- Seconded to a leading U.S. life sciences company as its China Compliance Officer (case in previous firm, 2018)
- Led sensitive workplace and sexual harassment investigations against senior executives for multinational companies
- Represented various U.S. and European life science companies, automotive products manufacturers, and oil and gas companies in commercial bribery and competition law investigations and dawn raids by Chinese authorities
- Performed various compliance trainings and special due diligence (e.g., compliance, OFAC and AML due diligence)
Trade Law, Export Control and Data Compliance
- Represented a Chinese technology company in high-profile trade law and export control proceedings with the U.S. government (case in previous firm, 2018 to 2021)
- Provided trade law, export control, CFIUS/Reverse-CFIUS, tariff and anti-money laundering-related advice to Chinese companies listed or seeking to be listed overseas
- Helped multiple companies handle cross-border data transfer-related government filings or the internal data audits needed (including all three routes, the national security assessment, SCC and certification)
- Provided data privacy and cybersecurity consultation to a multinational fashion conglomerate
- Performed data health check to the compliance hotline of a multinational pharmaceutical company
- Represented a U.S. pharmaceutical company on data privacy and cross-border transfer strategy, which impacted their business in the U.S., in Europe, and in the Greater China region
- Represented a U.S. financial company on Chinese data governance-related issues
Dispute Resolution
- Represented a leading Chinese technology company in a series of complicated trade secrets misappropriation and copyright litigations initiated by a competitor in the U.S. and in China
- Tried a recognition and enforcement of Hong Kong arbitral award case before a Beijing court. The case was selected as one of the Top 10 model enforcement cases by the Supreme People’s Court of China in 2020 (case in previous firm)
- Served as international counsel to provide litigation strategy coordination and Chinese lawyer and project management services on behalf of the related party in the legal proceedings brought by the families of the Malaysia Airlines MH370 victims in the Beijing Railway Transportation Court (case in previous firm)
- Tried contract and tort-law based disputes against business partners and competitors for the U.S. and U.K. clients in life sciences and technology industries before the courts and arbitration tribunals in Beijing (case in previous firm)
- Advised multinational companies in life sciences, automobile, electronic devices, food, cosmetics and home appliance industries for product liability and product recall matters
- Assisted multinational clients in commercial, employment and financial litigations before Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong courts
news
- Paul Hastings Shortlisted in Four Categories at The Asia Legal Awards 2023 - February 6th, 2023
- Paul Hastings Recognized with M&A Deal of the Year at ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2021 - September 13th, 2021
- Financial Times Recognizes Paul Hastings For Innovation in Asia-Pacific - May 20th, 2021
- Paul Hastings Recognized at China Business Law Awards 2021 - May 18th, 2021
- Paul Hastings Continues to Accelerate Global Life Sciences Growth with New Investigations and White Collar Defense Partner - April 26th, 2021
Recognitions
insights
- Keep Calm and Carry On: Thoughts on Recent Orders on FCPA Enforcement - February 12th, 2025
- HKIAC as First and Only outside Mainland China: Named by China International Commercial Court on One-Stop Platform for Diversified International Commercial Dispute Resolution - August 29th, 2022
- China Enhances Scrutiny for Cross-Border Data Transfer that would Impact Multinational Companies - July 18th, 2022
- The End of the China Initiative and the Future of U.S. Enforcement against Chinese Companies - May 23rd, 2022
- Looking Back on the Supplemental Arrangement on Mainland-Hong Kong Mutual Enforcement of Arbitral Awards - April 19th, 2022
- Continued Development of Data Security and Protection in China – All You Need to Know about China’s Latest Data Implementation Rules and the New Data Guidance for the Automotive Industry - December 28th, 2021
- China’s New Personal Information Protection Law and Other New Data Concerns - September 10th, 2021
- Local Compliance Code: The China Pharmaceutical Industry Association (CPIA) Sets Its Compliance Management Standards - September 9th, 2021
- Applications for Interim Measures in Mainland China: Advantages of Arbitrating in Hong Kong - August 16th, 2021
- What Remedies Are Available to Life Sciences Companies if Their IP Rights Are Exploited During the Global Pandemic? - July 21st, 2021
- China Enacts Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law: Increasing Uncertainty for Companies with China Operations - June 16th, 2021
Engagement & Publications
- Frequent speaker for the Ethics and Compliance Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai
Involvement
- Certified Information Privacy Professional for the U.S. Sector (CIPP/US) by the IAPP
- Certified Information Security Professional - Personal Information Protection (CISP-PIP) by the China Information Technology Security Evaluation Center
- EXIN Privacy and Data Protection Officer for GDPR
- Member of Reserve Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC)
- Guest member of the Corporate Compliance Committee of the Shanghai Bar Association
- Admitted to the New York Bar and the P.R. China Bar