Steven Zhu focuses his practice on cross-border M&A (VC/PE), media and entertainment, and compliance and regulatory.

Steven Zhu has extensive experience in assisting various multinational companies and major Chinese companies in structuring and negotiating cross-border transactions, such as foreign direct investment (including inbound into and outbound from China), joint ventures, fund formation (including QFLP funds), VC/PE investments, and strategic alliances. He routinely advises institutional investors, investment funds, founders, and startups across a wide variety of sectors (e.g., life science, TMT, entertainment, and FinTech) on onshore and offshore investments and financing, including shareholding structure design, VIE structure establishment and bridge loan arrangements. Steven Zhu also advises clients on relevant anti-trust filings and dispute resolution matters arising out of the aforesaid transactions.

Steven Zhu has particular expertise in the media and entertainment sector. He has assisted many Hollywood and Chinese motion picture studios (e.g., 20th Century Fox, Tencent Penguin Pictures, Huace Media), prominent music studios (e.g., ModernSky, CJ ENM), mainstream media (e.g., CCTV), major cultural funds (e.g., Beijing Cultural Center Fund, Houde Fund), independent producers, distributors, and talents (e.g., actors, directors, screenwriters, singers) in structuring and negotiating commercial, corporate, and partnering transactions in U.S. and China, including film financing, development, co-production, distribution, music production and publishing, strategic collaborations, copyright acquisitions, talent agreements, MCN and new media matters, and other aspects of the media and entertainment industry in China.

Steven Zhu also routinely advises multinational companies and major Chinese companies on a variety of compliance and regulatory matters, including, without limitation, anti-corruption (e.g., FCPA), World Bank Sanction System, and data privacy and data security. Steven Zhu has advised a variety of multinational companies across multiple sectors on FCPA and PRC anti-bribery laws, and assisted clients in relevant internal investigations, risk assessment, and development of compliance programs and policies. Steven Zhu has also advised many multinational companies on data privacy and data security matters.

Steven Zhu joined GLO as a partner in 2017. Prior to joining GLO, Steven Zhu had worked with Covington & Burling LLP and Zhong Lun Law Firm for multiple years.

Admitted in the PRC (2012)

Harvard Law School, LL.M., 2017

Peking University Law School, Juris Master, 2009

Tianjin Foreign Studies University, B.A., 2005

Kyung Hee University, China Scholarship Council Fellowship, 2004

• THE LEGAL 500, TMT, “Key Lawyers” (2024).
• LEGALBAND, “Client Choice: Top 15 Entertainment Lawyers” (2023).
• China Legal Education and Career Seminar Series (CLECSS), “Top 10 Prominent Young Lawyers” (2023).
• China Television Drama Production Industry Association (CTPIA), “The 6th Annual Prominent Entertainment Lawyers” (2023).
• LEGALBAND, China Sports and Entertainment Practice, “Top Ranked Lawyers” (2023).
• Asian Legal Business, “2022 ALB China Top 15 Rising Lawyers” (2022).
• LEGALBAND, China Sports and Entertainment Practice, “Top Ranked Lawyers” (2022).
• THE LEGAL 500, Private Equity, “Recommended Lawyers” (2022).
• LEGALBAND, 2021 Power List, “Top 15 Innovative Lawyers” (2021).
• LEGALBAND, China Sports and Entertainment Practice, “Rising Star” (2021 & 2020).
• THE LEGAL 500, Data Protection, “Key Lawyers” (2021).
• Enlisted on the “List of Talents Specializing in Foreign Affairs of Beijing Lawyers Association (2021)”.

• Investment Industry Harvard Alumni (IIHA), Secretary
• Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs China, Advisor
• Beijing Chaoyang District Association of Lawyers, Culture and Media Affairs Committee, Vice-Chair
• Beijing Entertainment Law Society (BELS), Legal Committee on Foreign Affairs, Vice-Chair
• Legal Affairs Committee of China Television Drama Production Industry Association (CTPIA), Member

• 2024 Chambers Global Practice Guides on Anti-Corruption - China Chapter (co-author) (January 2024).
• 2023 Chambers Practice Area Overview: Corporate Investigations/Anti-corruption in China (co-author) (February 2023).
• 2022 Chambers Global Practice Guides on Private Equity - China Trends and Developments (co-author) (October 2022).
• 2022 Chambers Global Practice Guides on Anti-Corruption - China Chapter (co-author) (January 2022).
• 2021 Chambers Global Practice Guides on Corporate M&A - China Trends and Developments (co-author) (May 2021).
• 2021 Chambers Global Practice Guides on Anti-Corruption - China Chapter (co-author) (January 2021).
• Research on Legal Issues on Completion Guarantee (January 20th, 2020)
• Analysis of Hollywood Collective Bargaining Agreement (Chapter 1): Interpretation of the Basic Agreement of the Writers Guild of America (WGA-MBA) (February 2nd, 2020)
• Analysis of Hollywood Collective Bargaining Agreement (Chapter 2): Interpretation of the Basic Agreement of the Directors Guild of America (DGA-BA) (February 25th, 2020)
• Analysis of Hollywood Collective Bargaining Agreement (Chapter 3): Interpretation of the Basic Agreement of the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA-CBA 2017) (June 26th, 2020)
• The Civil Code Provides Enhanced Protection for the Rights of Participants in Entertainment Industry (June 28th, 2020).