Overview:

Mr. Lee has engaged in cross-border transactions and investments particularly relating to Latin America and Asia Pacific (China/Hong Kong) Regions, including manufacturing facilities, equity and cooperative joint ventures, power generation projects, strategic alliances, transnational technology transfers and licensing, manufacturing and development projects, WFOEs, Hong Kong holding companies, import and export arrangements, international distribution agreements, and international consortia agreements and foreign investments in U.S. real estate. He has negotiated and conducted filings with MOFTEC, MOFCOM, CAAC, SEZs, and provincial and municipal governments, and coordinated the structuring of preferential projects for foreign enterprises in China. Mr. Lee has also represented foreign investors and executives in U.S. immigration matters, including formation and investments in EB-5 Regional Centers and applications for business and investment visas (L-1 and E visas).

Mr. Lee has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest rating of 5.0 out of 5, in Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system.

Mr. Lee has served as interim in-house counsel and outside corporate counsel for GE Power Systems, GE Capital, GE Access and GE Transportation, and provided support for Siemens corporate and real estate legal divisions. In addition, he has represented major banks and other lending groups (GE Capital, Bank of America, SunTrust, Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Colonial Bank) in syndicated and multi-tranche loans, workouts and restructuring of loan facilities, complex multi-state commercial loan transactions, sales and purchases of notes, mortgages and bank instruments, securitizations, and project financing. He has negotiated, prepared and reviewed credit agreements, mortgages, security agreements, financing statements, partnerships, stock and membership interest pledges, guaranties, intercreditor agreements, participation agreements, forbearance agreements, subordination agreements and other collateral documents as well.  In addition, he has engaged in bond issuance transactions and project financing for construction and infrastructure projects.

Mr. Lee has counseled Fortune 500 companies, developers, investment funds and large landowners for multiple commercial real estate matters, and also handled all the different stages of the process— development and negotiation, preparation and revision of real estate purchase/sale agreements and leases for retail and office centers, mixed-use complexes, hotels and resorts, timeshare and fractional interest projects, restaurants, multi-unit residential developments, assisted living facilities, municipal properties and industrial parks and warehouses. He has reviewed title, survey and permitting matters and prepared commercial leases, easements, reciprocal covenants, licenses, ground leases, management agreements, and operating agreements.

Additionally, Mr. Lee has represented issuers, underwriters, and investors in connection with Regulation D exempt transactions and private placements, IPOs, PIPEs, secondary offerings, registration of securities with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and listing on U.S. stock exchanges and OTCBB. He has provided counsel with respect to corporate governance, SEC reporting and Blue Sky legal compliance, NASD requirements, underwriting and IR agreements, legal opinions, and “comfort” letters.

Representative Engagements

General Real Estate

• Represented purchaser in $30 million acquisition and financing of a historically designated mixed-use building in downtown Miami
• Represented major fund in the multi-million-dollar acquisition of REO properties from developer and banking institutions
• Represented NGO in the acquisition of Manhattan office building
• Represented major landowner in connection with $30 million sale of DRI real property and purchase money financing
• Represented Fortune 250 developer in $12 million acquisition of unimproved land
• Represented Fortune 250 developer in $5 million acquisition of platted building lots in PUD
• Represented purchaser in $13 million acquisition of office park
• Represented purchaser in $5 million purchase of hotel
• Represented Fortune 250 educational institution in $5 million acquisition of the designed-built facility
• Represented purchaser in $8 million purchase of the retail center
• Represented Fortune 100 company in the disposition of 68,000 square-foot warehouse facility

Development

• Represented developer in connection with the amendment of Development of Regional Impact Development Order for a 2,850-acre parcel
• Represented developer in the development of 5,000 unit planned residential community
• Represented developer in acquisition and development of a 10.25-acre multi-unit commercial park
• Represented developer in acquisition and development of 800-unit timeshare resort
• Represented developer in the development of 245 multi-unit residential building

Leases

• Developed lease form for a regional shopping center
• Developed lease form for 400,000 square-foot industrial park
• Represented Fortune 100 company in the leasing of 220,000 square-foot industrial manufacturing facilities
• Represented Fortune 100 company in negotiating and drafting of build-to-suit lease involving 120,000 square-foot industrial warehouse facilities
• Represented landowner in the leasing of 20,000 square-foot boat repair and docking facilities including riparian rights
• Represented major hotel chain owner in connection with negotiation and drafting of ground lease (13.5 acres)

Lending and Workouts

• Represented borrower and affiliated companies involving workout of $900 million securitized loans secured by hotels and resorts, equity interests, and other assets located in the United States
• Represented borrower and affiliated companies involving $800 million loans secured by hotels and resorts, receivables, and other assets located in the United States and equity interests in foreign holding companies
• Represented senior lender in Participation Financing involving workout of Credit Facilities of co-senior lenders and junior lender and Note Exchange Offering (Total workout value of over $300 million; client participation value of $50 million)
• Represented borrower and affiliated companies involving $165 million loans secured by timeshare resorts receivables, inventory, intellectual property; and real property located primarily in the Southeastern United States
• Represented hotel group in the $100 million refinancing of multi-state hotel properties
• Represented international holding companies and affiliates involving $30 million acquisition loan secured by hotel property located in the Atlanta International Airport Concourse
• Represented borrower involving $26.4 million conveyance and loan assumption transactions involving hotel property located in Florida
• Represented borrower involving $2 million medical equipment financing
• Represented lender involving $3 million revolving credit facility
• Represented lender involving $1.8 million construction equipment financing 

Bond Issuance

• Represented issuer in $180 million industrial development revenue bonds issuance for major U.S. university facilities
• Represented underwriter in connection with $13,250,000 industrial development revenue bonds issuance for improvements to educational facilities
• Represented issuer in $12.5 million revenue bonds issuance for construction of health care facilities
• Represented underwriter in the bond refinancing of major U.S. university facility improvement project 

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Represented acquirer in asset purchase of hotel and timeshare resort
• Represented DIP lender in acquisition of OTCBB trading biotechnology company
• Represented acquirer in assets purchase of commercial airline pilot training facilities from major aeronautical university
• Represented Malaysian company’s $20 million acquisition of U.S. tire manufacturer
• Represented large public U.S. banking group in a multibillion-dollar merger of 18 income partnership funds
• Represented U.S. media group in $250 million sale
• Assisted merger of blood bank industry non-profit corporations (combined revenues of over $300 million)
• Represented acquirer in $15 million asset purchase of Assisted Living Facility
• Represented target in $3 million asset sale of Canadian electronic component manufacturer
• Represented Fortune 50 company in $30 million acquisition of Georgia technology company
• Represented acquirer in $10 million asset purchase of New York recorder stylus manufacturer
• Represented Fortune 10 technology company in a multi-million-dollar buy-out of equity interest in transportation joint venture
• Represented target in $3 million sale of medical practice
• Represented purchaser in acquisition of group of medical practices
• Represented target in $1.25 million asset sale of mail service franchises
• Represented acquirer in $1 million purchase of assets of a North American fleet managing system company from receivership
• Represented Fortune 250 construction company in multi-million stock divestiture of construction division 

Commercial Transactions

• Represented Fortune 10 company in $4 million sale of power generation system and teaming agreement with Malaysian company
• Represented Fortune 10 company in connection with privatization of Oman power system project
• Represented Fortune 10 company in connection with teaming agreement for sale and development of energy control systems in Australia
• Represented Fortune 10 company in negotiation and drafting of sale and service agreements for a digital satellite communications system
• Negotiated with national railway systems and prepared Purchase, Services and License Agreement for PinPoint Locomotive Tracking System

Venture Capital Transactions

• Represented Investors and Issuer with EB-5 investments in U.S. hospitality and real estate development projects
• Represented Chinese investment group’s multi-tranche investment in publicly traded medical device manufacturing company
• Represented real estate developers and investors in Reg D private placements
• Represented foreign investors in Reg S offerings by real estate developers
• Represented private equity fund’s investments in senior living facilities developers and operators
• Represented private equity fund’s investments in portfolio companies
• Represented multi-national auto parts manufacturer in $35 million private equity transaction
• Represented multiple technology start-up Issuers in Series A and Series B in $250,000 to $20 million rounds
• Represented Fortune 50 company in $3 million venture capital investment in California technology start-up target
• Represented international golf academy in $5 million private equity investment
• Represented Internet start-up Issuer in $1.25 million convertible debt offering
• Represented technology start-up Issuer in $750,000 bridge loan/warrant issuance
• Represented technology start-up Issuer in $350,000 bridge loan/warrant issuance

International Transactions

• Represented U.S. helicopter manufacturer in stock sale to Chinese-owned enterprise
• Represented U.S. biotechnology firm in multibillion-dollar licensing and technology transfers in East Asia and India
• Represented U.S. company in tire manufacturing joint ventures in China, P.R.C.
• Represented U.S. publicly traded company in connection with technology transfer and licensing agreement with German company
• Assisted Chinese parent company in the recapitalization of U.S. subsidiary
• Established joint venture agreements for Chinese flight training joint ventures in China
• Represented Korean company in the buy-out of Korean joint venture by publicly held U.S. paper company
• Represented Chinese-Japanese manufacturing joint venture in establishing North American distributorships
• Represented U.S. and Chinese companies in connection with OEM and manufacturing agreements
• Represented Chinese companies in connection with commodities and minerals purchase and sale agreements
• Represented French aviation company in a joint venture with Mexican airline

 Courts & Bar Associations:

• Florida
• The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• The American Bar Association
  • Business Law Section, China Law Committee, International Law Section
• The Florida Bar Association
  • Business Law Section, International Law Section
• The Miami-Dade County Bar Association
• The Orange County Bar Association

Professional Honors & Awards:

• Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine (Florida Trend Media Company), 2011
• The Hottest Lawyers, Asian Legal Business Magazine (Thomson Reuters Corporation), 2009
• Hot 25: The Legal High Flyers of the Year, Asian Legal Business Magazine China Magazine (Thomas Reuters Corporation), 2009

Professional & Civic Affiliations: 

• Junior Achievement of Central Florida, Board Member
• Florida Hospital Foundation, Member of the Board
• National U.S. Hong Kong Business Association, Former Chairman and Board Member
• The Accountant Attorney Networking Group of Florida (AANGFL), Advisory Board Member
• New Hope for Kids, Legal Counsel, Board Member
• City of Orlando Minority and Women Enterprises Certification Board, Chairman
• Advisory Board for Rollins College, Member
• Florida International University, International Business Advisory Board Member
• Dean’s Advisory Circle for Barry University Andreas School of Business, Member
• Metro Orlando International Affairs Commission, Board Member
• U.S. Pan-Asia Chamber of Commerce, President
• Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (Miami and Orlando), Board Member
• Global Business Advisory Board of Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Member
• Florida-China Association, Inc., Legal Counsel, Board Member
• Association of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce of Florida, Representative
• Asian American Federation of Florida, Inc., Board Member
• Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association, Co-Founder
• Citrus Club Board of Governors, Member
• Hong Kong Association of Florida, President

Presentations & Publications:

• Co-Author, Winter 2017 International Law Quarterly – Focus on International Internal Investigations. Asia Section: "China adopts new cybersecurity law", "South Korea takes steps to regulate Bitcoin", "Singapore proposes changes to copyright law", "India passes law to regulate real estate transactions". (Pages 27 & 28). Access the full magazine here
• Co-Author, "Fall 2016 International Law Quarterly – Special Cuba Edition." Chief of the Asia Region Section: China, Korea and Singapore--Page 39. Access the full article here
• Quoted, “Robert Q. Lee: New Florida manufacturing law to grow local industry,” Orlando Business Journal (October 4, 2013)
• Co-Author, “China,” Money Laundering, Asset Forfeiture and Recovery and Compliance- A Global Guide, published by LexisNexis (November 2011)
• Co-Author, “Private Equity and Hedge Fund Investments in Bank Holding Companies: Finding a Safe Harbor in the Federal Reserve’s Regulatory Maze,” Bloomberg Banking and Finance Law Report (July 2011)
• Co-Author, “Recent Developments: Avoiding the Pitfalls of ‘Hidden Rules’ Chinese Graft Laws and the FCPA,” ABA China Law Reporter, 6.1 (2010)
• Author, “China and Latin America: Striking a New Balance,” China Business Law Journal, 1.1 (2009)
• Author, “China's Rising Interest in Latin America,” The China Business Review (September/October 2009)
• Author, Note: “The Presumption Against Extraterritorial Application of the National Environmental Act: Has the Iron Curtain Been Lifted?” Environmental Defense Fund v. Massey, 986 F.2d 528 (D.C. Cir. 1993)”; 29 Land and Water L. Rev. 533 (1994)
• Quoted in business and industry publications, including The Wall Street Journal, World Expo and Global Finance Magazine; Published on Web sites, including Nasdaq.com and Law360.com
• Panelists at the ​Goals Conference Chamber. (June 17, 2016) ​
• Speaker, “Foreign Direct Investment: Trends & Successful Strategies,” 2013 Florida ACG Capital Connection, Orlando, Florida (2013)
• Speaker, “Beyond 101: Building a China Practice – Best Practices of Success in China,” San Diego Chinese Attorneys Association, San Diego, California (2013)
• Speaker, “Corporate Forms, Best Practices, and Cross Border Tax Issues for Success in China,” NAPABA Southeast Regional Conference, Tampa, Florida (2013)
• Speaker, Michigan Chapter of ACC’s Eighth Annual State of the Law Update for In-House Attorneys, Livonia, Michigan (2013)
• Speaker, China Goes Global Conference, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2012)
• Speaker, “Doing Business with China and Asia,” Orlando Regional International Council and Orlando Regional Realtors Association, Lake Nona, Florida (2012)
• Panelist, “Miami's Asia Summit: Addressing the Dynamics of the Relationship between the United States, Latin America, and Asia,” Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's International Business Development Group, Miami, Florida (2012)
• Panelist, “Business Without Borders: Sourcing Asia,” HSBC Bank USA, South Florida Business Journal, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (2011)
• Speaker, “Business Without Borders: Doing Business in Latin America,” HSBC Bank USA, Business Without Borders Panel Discussion, Coral Gables, Florida (2011)
• Speaker, “Doing Business in Korea,” Korean Economic Institute, Rollins College, Crummer Graduate School, Winter Park, Florida (2011)
• Moderator, “Financing Opportunities in Turbulent Times,” Global Intelligence Briefing, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Miami, Florida (2011)
• Moderator, “China Business Panel,” Annual Asian Business Conference, Florida China Association, Inc., Miami, Florida (2011)
• Speaker, “Chances and Challenges for Issuers and Financial Service Providers in German and Chinese Capital Markets,” The Primerus International Transactional Services Practice Group Webinar, Miami, Florida (2011)
• Speaker, “Developing an International Strategy,” World Trade Center Orlando, Florida (2011)
• Speaker, “Transacting Business in Brazil,” Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, Miami, Florida (2011)
• Speaker, “IPR and Dispute Resolution,” Beware of the Dragon, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida (2010)
• Speaker, “Future Path of China and Chinese Companies,” China Goes Global Conference, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2010)
• Speaker, “Venture Capital, Private Equity, Renminbi Fund; Chinese Growth, Enterprise Market and Corporation Listing,” Harbin Mundell International Finance and Capital Forum, Harbin, China (2010)
• Speaker, “Infrastructure: Investing in Long Term Assets,” Latin America China Investors Forum, Beijing, China (2009)
• Speaker, “Doing Business in Today’s PRC,” Window to China: Wujin, Grand Hyatt Atlanta, Georgia (2009)
• Speaker, “China: The Challenge of Doing Business in a Volatile Global Economy,” U.S. Commercial Service, Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida (2008)
• Speaker, “Doing Business in China,” UBS Financial Services, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida (2008)
• Speaker, “Negotiating International Contracts,” HSBC Bank, Miami, Florida (2006)
• Speaker, “Hong Kong – Succeeding in China with CEPA,” Hong Kong Trade Development Council/World Trade Center Orlando, Florida (2004)
• Speaker, “Hong Kong – The Established and Transparent Legal System,” Hong Kong Trade Development Council/World Trade Center Orlando, Florida (2002)
• Speaker, “Export Readiness Training,” State of Florida Small Business Development Commission, International Programs, Florida (2001)
• Speaker, “Preparing, Structuring and Negotiating an International Deal,” World Trade Center Orlando, Florida (2001)