Paul C. Marks

Special Counsel

  • Paul C. Marks
  • Phone: +84 24 3946 2200

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris Vietnam LLC
    Pacific Place, Unit V1308, 13th Floor
    83B Ly Thuong Kiet Street
    Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
    Vietnam

Paul C. Marks is a Special Counsel in the Hanoi office of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC.

Mr. Marks practices in the areas of corporate finance, foreign investment and international trade. He has deep experience in capital markets and especially debt capital markets transactions in China, South Asia and Southeast Asia. He advised the underwriters on landmark transactions including the Hong Kong Stock Exchange IPO of Agricultural Bank of China, the Philippine Stock Exchange IPO of Cebu Pacific Air, the Thai Stock Exchange IPO of Chevron subsidiary Star Petroleum and record-setting  bond issuances by Ctrip.com (China), Sinopec (China) and Pertamina (Indonesia).  He has advised on cross-border corporate, regulatory and commercial legal issues including advice on compliance with economic sanctions and anti-corruption laws. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Marks served 21 years in the United States Army, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. His military service included the administration of foreign military sales and assistance programs during assignments in the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and the US State Department Political-Military Affairs Bureau.

Mr. Marks earned a B.S. in Area Studies from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an M.A. in Area Studies from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), where he was a George C. Marshall Scholar, and a J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law. He is qualified to practice law in the states of New York and Oregon and is a licensed foreign lawyer in Vietnam. In addition to English, Mr. Marks is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has a basic level of proficiency in Khmer (Cambodian).

Admissions

  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Vietnam (Registered Foreign Attorney)

Education

  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 2009
  • United States Army War College, M.A., Strategic Studies, 2006
  • University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), M.A. Area Studies (Far East), 1988
  • United States Military Academy, B.S. Area Studies (East Asia), 1986

Experience

  • Duane Morris Vietnam LLC
    - Special Counsel, 2024 - present
  • King and Wood Mallesons
    - Counsel, 2021-2023
    - Senior Associate, 2018-2021
  • Davis Polk & Wardwell
    - Associate, 2010-2016
  • Allen & Overy
    - Associate, 2009-2010

Honors and Awards

  • British George C. Marshall Scholar, 1986

Selected Publications

  • Translator (into English) of Chinese book chapter describing the evacuation of China’s embassy in Cambodia in 1979, published in Critical Asian Studies 34:4, 2002
  • "Joint Publication 3-07.15 Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Advising Foreign Forces and The American Mission," Small Wars & Insurgencies, Spring 2001
  • "Growing Cambodia-China Alliance," (op-ed) Asian Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2000
  • "China's Cambodia Strategy, Parameters, Autumn 2000
  • "Peacetime Military Engagement: A Role for Military Advisors?" Joint Force Quarterly, Spring 2000
  • "Security Assistance Training for Emerging Democracies: An Approach," DISAM Journal, Winter 1999-2000
  • "Two Steps Forward, One Step Backward: The Place of the Cultural Revolution in the Modernization of the PLA," Issues & Studies, February 1989
  • "Economic Reform in the Countryside and the Rationalization of Politics in Mainland China," Issues & Studies, April 1988

Representative Matters

    Debt Offerings

  • Represented the arrangers on the establishment of CMB International Capital Corporation Limited US$2 billion Medium Term Note Program and the dealers on the initial US$600 million drawdown.
  • Represented the managers on the debut issue of Zhejiang Provincial Seaport Investment & Operation Group US$700 million guaranteed bonds.
  • Represented the managers on China Industrial Securities International Financial Group Limited issue of HK$1 billion subordinated perpetual capital securities.

  • Represented the managers on China Everbright Limited issue of US$300 million senior perpetual capital securities.

  • Represented the managers on China Merchants Commerce Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. Issue of US$350 million senior bonds.

  • Represented the managers on Jiangsu Dafeng Harbour Holdings Limited issue of US$50 million guaranteed secured bonds.

  • Represented the managers on Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (0175.HK) issues of US$300 million senior bonds and US$500 million senior perpetual capital securities.

  • Represented the managers on Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited issue of US$250 million guaranteed bonds.

  • Represented Industrial Bank Co., Ltd. (601166.SS) on annual updates of its US$5 billion Medium Term Note Program and issue of US$600 million notes, US$250 million notes, US$500 million floating rate notes, €250,000,000 floating rate notes, US$600 million floating rate notes and €300 million floating rate notes.

  • Represented CITIC Trust Co., Ltd. as keepwell provider on issue of US$150 million notes.

  • Represented China Industrial Securities International Financial Group Limited (6058.HK) on issues of US$200 million senior bonds, US$75 million senior bonds and US$300 million guaranteed bonds.

  • Represented the managers on issues by Sinopec Petroleum of US$3 billion notes and US$6.2 billion notes (the largest cross-border debt issuances ever by a Chinese state-owned enterprise at the time.

  • Represented the arrangers on annual updates of Temasek Holdings medium term note program and the arrangers and dealers on a drawdown of €1.1 billion notes.

  • Represented the managers on China Railway Construction Company Limited issue of US$500 million H-share convertible bonds.

  • Represented the managers on issues by US-listed Ctrip.com International of US$1.1 billion convertible bonds (at the time the largest US$ convertible issue ever by a Chinese company), US$800 million convertible bonds and US$180 million convertible bonds.

  • Represented the managers on convertible bond issuances by US-listed companies 51job, Inc., Canadian Solar Inc., E-House (China) Holdings Limited, SouFun Holdings Limited and NQ Mobile Inc.

  • Represented the managers on TPK Holding Co., Ltd. Issue of US$250 million convertible bond.

  • Represented ICICI Bank Limited on annual updates of its medium term note program and drawdown of US$500 million notes.

  • Represented the arrangers on the establishment of PT Pertamina medium term note program establishment and the arrangers and dealers on the initial US$3.25 billion drawdown (at the time the largest ever US$ debt offering by an Indonesian company).

  • Represented the managers on Asia Cement Corporation issue of US$220 million exchangeable bonds Convertible Bonds.

  • Represented the managers in 30 issues (mainly credit enhanced) and the issuers in eight issues by local government financing vehicles in the People’s Republic of China, including ten issues of Shanghai Free Trade Zone bonds.

    • Equity Offerings

  • Represented the underwriters on Star Petroleum Refining Company Limited US$365 million Thai Stock Exchange initial public offering.

  • Represented the underwriters on AAG Energy Holdings, Ltd. US$294 million Hong Kong Stock Exchange initial public offering.

  • Represented the underwriters on TPK Holding Co., Ltd. US$133.6 million global depositary shares offering.

  • Represented the underwriters on Daqo New Energy Corp. US$58 million SEC-registered equity shelf takedown.

  • Represented the underwriters on Inotera Memories US$418.4 million global depositary shares offering.

  • Represented the underwriters on Canadian Solar Inc. US$130 million SEC-registered equity shelf takedown.

  • Represented iKang Healthcare Group on its US$153 million NASDAQ initial public offering.

  • Represented People’s Insurance Company (Group) of China on its US$3.1 billion Hong Kong Stock Exchange initial public offering (the largest IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2012).

  • Represented the underwriters on Cebu Pacific Air US$539 million Philippine Stock Exchange initial public offering (at the time the largest ever IPO in the Philippines).

  • Represented the underwriters on Agricultural Bank of China US$20 billion Hong Kong Stock Exchange initial public offering (at the time the second largest IPO in history).

    • Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity Investments

  • Represented private equity funds including Warburg Pincus, Barings Asia and Apax Partners in the negotiation of stock purchase agreements and the exit of investments in China and Southeast Asia.

    • Compliance

  • Advised US-listed Taiwan semi-conductor manufacturers on their SEC filings including conflict minerals reporting.

  • Advised Advanced Semiconductor Engineering on its periodic SEC filings.

  • Advised ICICI Bank Limited on its periodic SEC filings.