Yumei Gao
China
Biography
Attorney practicing since 1998, with deep expertise in international trade, cross-border investment, and maritime law; has led major foreign-related project negotiations and handled arbitration and litigation matters totaling several billion US dollars.
Serves as an arbitrator at the Qingdao Arbitration Commission and other institutions, having presided over nearly 100 foreign-related and maritime disputes as chief or sole arbitrator.
Member of the ICC Court of Arbitration's Asia Senior Academy, fluent in international arbitration practice and English-language proceedings.
Extensive experience as General Counsel for state-owned enterprises and Fortune 500 shipping companies, including an overseas posting at COSCO UK and government-assigned work in a Pacific Island nation.
Experienced across both common law and civil law systems, known for practical, cross-culturally informed solutions that achieve win-win outcomes.
Among Qingdao's first certified legal and political translators; has advised on major outbound investment projects and been featured by CCTV, Sina.com, and other national media.
Case
- Secured a favourable judgment as plaintiff’s counsel in an international fuel oil trade dispute, and recovered a full USD 900,000 for a client in a letter of credit dispute within one month.
- Successfully defended against a U.S. company’s CIETAC arbitration claim, and separately obtained a fully favourable, enforced CIETAC award for a Chinese claimant against a Korean company, including pre-litigation asset preservation.
- Represented the respondent in multi-year enforcement proceedings against a Singapore arbitral award, ultimately securing withdrawal of the enforcement application.
- Won first- and second-instance judgments for a Chinese Fortune 500 company in a guarantee contract dispute, later recognised and enforced in the Netherlands — cited as a landmark case for cross-border enforcement of Chinese judgments.
- Recovered the majority of outstanding payment for a Chinese company through litigation and bankruptcy proceedings against a German debtor.
- Collaborated with U.S. public interest attorneys and diplomatic bodies on a paternity and child support case involving a multinational executive.
- Served as lead negotiator and key legal drafter in Olympic Games international cooperation negotiations, achieving a win-win agreement.
- Directed the defence strategy, evidence, and courtroom advocacy for a respondent in an SCC (Stockholm) arbitration, resulting in full dismissal of the claimant’s claims.
- Acted as key legal expert in RMB 150 million bank guarantee negotiations with Fortis Bank Singapore, resolving legal risks to achieve a win-win outcome.
- Served long-term as legal counsel to a major state-owned bank, reviewing bank guarantees and issuing opinions underpinning its business operations.
- Provided full legal risk management for a major Niger investment project, and served as long-term external legal counsel for a Fortune 500 company’s global investment projects — covering due diligence, compliance, deal structuring, documentation, labour issues, and coordination of local and international counsel.
Associated Team Members
UAE
Hank Zhang
Managing Partner, Dubai Office
China
Hanwen Zhao
Deputy Director, Beijing Office
UAE
Jing Li
Senior Partner Head of international construction and dispute resolution
UAE
Judy Fang
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Qingqiao Bai
International construction Claims Expert
China
Shaoyi Gong
Managing Director, Chendgu Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
UAE
Wenjie Zhao
Founding Partner
Saudi Arabia
Zheng Hui
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Zixuan Zhang (Marina)
Legal Consultant
UAE
Zoey Song
Legal Consultant
China
Donovan Su
Legal Consultant
UAE
Abdelrahman Tarek
Legal Assistant
Iraq
Abdullah Al Sagaabi
Partner, Iraq Office Local (Iraqi) Attorney
UAE
Abouda Elbhery
Legal Advisor
UAE
Ailin Chen
Head of Iraq Office
UAE
Alfatih Mohamed
Legal Assistant
China
Bin Li
Partner, Beijing Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
UAE
Gaga Fang
Senior Legal Consultant, Head of Foreign‑Enterprise Business Department & Head of Brand Development Department
Egypt
Gongpu Xiang
Managing Director, Egypt Office
UAE
Haitham Hamdy Elsayed Ahmed Elfaramawy
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Hamad Abdelelwahab
Partner, Dubai Office Local (Emirati) Lawyer
UAE
Hany Gaber
Senior Legal Consultant Head of Litigation Team
Saudi Arabia
Jinxu Xu
Managing Director, KSA Office
Saudi Arabia
Kholoud Almutire
Legal Assistant
UAE
Mahmoud Mohamed
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Mohamed Ahmed Nasr Ibrahim Ghaly
Legal Advisor
Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Alsulami
Local (Saudi) Lawyer
OMAN
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Zadjali
Partner, Oman Office Local (Omanis) Attorney
UAE
Mohammed Kaddour
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Mohammed Maged
Legal Consultant
UAE
Mona Wang
Senior Legal Consultant
China
Nan Yixu
Managing Director, Beijing Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
UAE
Omar Mu
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Saman Oshkou
Legal Consultant
UAE
Taha Abdelwahab
Legal Consultant
China
Tao Wang
Partner, Beijing Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
China
Xijun Wang
Partner, Beijing Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
China
Zeqin Li
Executive Director, Shanghai Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
China
Zhe Zhang
Local (Chinese) Lawyer
Saudi Arabia
Zinon Zhang
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Kevin Luo
Legal Consultant
UAE
Andrea Duan
Partner, Dubai Office. Head of Capital Markets and Investment & M&A
UAE
Celia Fang
Legal Advisor
UAE
Hayley Lin
Legal Operations & Compliance Manager
UAE
Lei Zhang
Senior Legal Consultant
UAE
Lulu Wang
Corporate Affairs Manager
UAE
Mingming Sun
Legal Assistant
Saudi Arabia
Tina Zhang
Legal Consultant
UAE
Vaughn Wu
Legal Consultant
Saudi Arabia
Wed Qawas
Local (Saudi) Lawyer, KSA Office
China
Yingnuo Han
Legal Consultant
China
Yuanyuan Tian
Partner, Shanghai Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
Saudi Arabia
Zeina Nofal
Legal Assistant
China
Zoey Tian
Legal Consultant
UAE
Helu Yuan
Legal Consultant
China
Zhiyong Wu
Partner, Shanghai Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
South Africa
Howard Teng
Managing Director, South Africa Office Admitted Attorney of South Africa
South Africa
Dali Ngalo
Director, South Africa Office Admitted Attorney of South Africa
South Africa
Tyra van der Walt
Senior Attorney
South Africa
Bandile Mngomezulu
Senior Attorney
South Africa
Jenny Huang
Junior Attorney
Oman
Leilei Ma
Executive Director, Oman Office Local (Chinese) Lawyer
Saudi Arabia
Afnan Abdulbaset
Managing Partner, KSA Office
UAE
Chun Mao
Director of Corporate Affairs
China
Ding Lei
Executive Director, Beijing Office
Saudi Arabia
Grace Lin
Partner, KSA Office
China
Yiming Liu
Legal Consultant
China
Tianming Guo
Executive Director, Hangzhou Office
