Mei Zhang
Biography
Mei Zhang is a partner in Haynes Boone’s Finance Practice Group who brings distinctive cross-border perspective to finance transactions through her Haynes Boone roles in Dallas and Shanghai and her prior practice in China. She represents international and domestic financial institutions as administrative agents, lead arrangers and lenders in fund finance, acquisition and corporate finance, real estate finance, energy finance and other secured and unsecured commercial finance transactions. Her recent work includes subscription line credit facilities for secondary funds, private equity and private credit funds, and real estate investment funds, as well as secured and unsecured term loans and revolving credit facilities for real estate projects, including hotels, senior living centers and affordable housing projects. Mei’s cross-border experience enables her to help clients navigate complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, drawing on her background at a major international law firm in Beijing and a U.S. asset investment and management company in Shanghai.
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- Represented a major international bank on its approximately $1.2 billion revolving subscription line credit facility to secondary funds
- Represented a major international bank as the agent and lead arranger on its $600 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility to a private equity fund
- Represented a major international bank as the agent and lead arranger on its $1.25 billion revolving subscription line credit facility to real estate private equity funds with Asia-focused investments
- Represented a leading US bank on its $700 million revolving credit facility to private credit funds
- Represented lead agent and arranger in documenting, negotiating and closing $1.1 billion senior unsecured credit facility to a real estate investment fund
- Advised Goosehead Insurance, Inc. on its $300 million term loan B and $75 million revolving credit facility
- Advised major U.S. financial institutions and lenders on lending asset-secured loans to real estate developers and investment firms.
- Advised a major U.S. financial institution on lending a construction loan of $55 million to a hotel developer
- Advised a financial institution on restructuring loans secured by borrower’s 20+ healthcare centers portfolio
- Advised a foreign investment fund on acquisition and financing of an apartment complex of 200+ units.
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- Co-founder of “Ascend Together” (a networking and professional development group for Asian women in Fund Finance)
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- Included in the "Ones to Watch" category of The Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc., 2024-2027
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- “Navigating the Dynamic Fund Finance Landscape in the Asia-Pacific Region”, co-author, Haynes Boone client alert, 2026
- "Fund Finance Insights: Subscription Line Pricing Stabilizes in First Half of 2024," co-author, Haynes Boone client alert, 2024.
- "Sowing Seeds for Success: Subscription Facilities for Funds with Seed Investors," co-author, Haynes Boone client alert, 2024.
- “Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer,” author, Law360, 2024
- May the Force be With You – Legal Insights in APAC Fund Finance, Panelist, 6th Annual Asia-Pacific Fund Finance Symposium
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Education
- J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 2015, cum laude
- LL.B., Wuhan University School of Law, 1999
- LL.M., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 2009, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Scholarship
Languages
- Chinese (Mandarin)
Admissions
- China
- New York
- Texas
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What types of finance transactions do you handle?
I represent international and domestic financial institutions as administrative agents, lead arrangers and lenders in fund finance, acquisition and corporate finance, real estate finance, energy finance and other secured and unsecured commercial finance transactions. My work includes structuring, documenting and negotiating credit facilities and other commercial financing arrangements.
What fund finance experience do you bring to clients?
In addition to typical fund finance transaction work, my unique experience includes representing financial institutions in subscription line facilities originated in the APAC market to private funds operating in the North America market, as well as advising on fund finance transactions originated in the North America market for private equity funds focused on investments in the APAC. My representative matters include facilities ranging from hundreds of millions of dollars to multi-billion dollars.
Do you work on real estate finance matters?
Yes. I advise financial institutions and lenders on asset-secured loans to real estate developers and investment firms, including construction loans, real estate investment fund facilities and financing connected to multifamily and hotel assets. My experience structuring these transactions helps clients achieve efficient financing solutions tailored to their specific project needs.
How does your China experience inform your work?
Before joining Haynes Boone, I practiced in China on real estate, M&A and corporate matters. I worked at a major international law firm in Beijing and at a U.S. asset investment and management company in Shanghai, and I now work from Haynes Boone’s Dallas and Shanghai platforms. This cross-border experience allows me to anticipate regulatory and structural issues that arise in multi-jurisdictional transactions and provide practical guidance to clients navigating the North America and APAC corridor.
How are you involved in the fund finance community?
I co-founded Ascend Together, a networking and professional development group dedicated to advancing Asian women in fund finance. I have also written and spoken at fund finance conferences on various fund finance topics, including subscription line pricing, seed investors, and APAC fund finance developments.
