Er (Arila) Zhou

Er (Arila) Zhou

(she/her/hers)

Partner

Er (Arila) Zhou

(she/her/hers)

Partner

  • Overview

    Biography

    简体 | 繁体

    Arila Zhou represents special purpose acquisition corporations, emerging growth companies, funds and investment banks, with an emphasis on private and public transactions in relation to a broad range of corporate, private equity, capital markets, securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory compliance matters. She is fluent in English and is a native speaker of Mandarin. Arila is a member of the firm’s Business Transactions Group and its Capital Markets + Securities team.

    SPAC

    Arila has represented sponsors, SPAC companies, underwriters and target companies in SPAC related transactions for more than five years, including initial public offerings and business combinations.  One of her recent representations in business combinations involved a forward merger between a SPAC company and London listed pharmaceutical company which resulted in a successful dual listing on Nasdaq and AIM. She currently represents more than a dozen SPACs in their initial public offerings and handful SPACs in business combinations.

    China Practice

    Arila has more than 10 years’ experience in listings and offering of foreign issuers including trading on the National Securities Exchange and the over-the-counter markets. Her representations, among others, include an up-listing of a China petrochemical company in early 2010 and completion of its private placement of more than $26 million which was one of the biggest financings for China companies at that time; a successful listing and offering of a China online training platform for medical professionals that was previously listed on China National Equities Exchange and Quotations, or the NEEQ; and listings of various China or Hong Kong issuers and their continuous growth in the U.S. capital markets. Before she commenced her legal practice in the U.S., Arila was an analyst and editor at Peking Economic Law Research Center when she pursued her master law degree at Peking University in China, at which time she participated in drafting a legislative proposal for Company Law of the People’s Republic of China 2005. Arila also worked in the New York office of a premier international law firm.

    Capital Markets and Securities

    Arila’s practice is focused on representing clients ranging from emerging to established companies on a breadth of matters relating to cross-border transactions and various securities transactions, including SPACs, Regulation D and Regulation S offerings, initial public offerings and secondary offerings; listing on U.S. stock exchanges and maintenance of public companies, including the preparation and filing of periodic reports, registration statements and other filings; regulatory compliance requirements and SEC investigations; reorganization and privation; and M&A transactions.

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

      • Represented Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation, a newly-organized blank check company, in completing its initial public offering on June 21, 2022. The firm’s Capital Markets + Securities Team advised on the offering, which resulted in aggregate gross proceeds to Feutune of $97.75 million.

      • Represented Acri Capital Acquisition Corporation, a newly-organized blank check company, in completing its initial public offering on June 14, 2022. The firm’s Capital Markets + Securities Team advised on the offering, which yielded aggregate gross proceeds to Acri Capital of $86.25 million.

      • Represented Prime Number Capital LLC, the lead underwriter in an initial public offering of Phoenix Motor Inc., a California-based company that designs, assembles, and integrates electric drive systems and light- and medium-duty electric vehicles. The firm’s Capital Markets + Securities Team advised Prime Number on the offering, with aggregate gross proceeds of $15.75M, announced on June 7, 2022.

    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      New York State Bar Association

      American Bar Association
      Member, Law Practice Division Group and Business Law Group

      Moot Court Association
      Executive Board Member
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      Selected as a Rising Star to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list for 2018 and 2019.

      Robinson+Cole Mentor of the Year Award Recipient, 2023

  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Publications

      Publications

      "Delaware Courts Rejecting SPAC Defenses," co-authored with Sabrina M. Galli and Benjamin M. Daniels, published in the New York Law Journal (5/15/2023)
      • » more info
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      "Buzzfeed Case Highlights New Trends in SPAC Litigation," co-authored with Benjamin M. Daniels and Sabrina M. Galli, published in The Review of Securities & Commodities Regulation (12/14/2022)
      • » more info
      • View article

      "Litigation & Enforcement Fallout of the SPAC Boom," co-authored with Benjamin M. Daniels, Trevor L. Bradley and Jenna M. Scoville, published in Bloomberg Law (August 2022)
      • » more info
      • View article

    • News

      R+C in the News

      • November 16, 2023

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Represents Global Lights Acquisition Corp in IPO

        • » more info
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      • October 11, 2023

        Robinson+Cole Represents EF Hutton as the Sole Book-Running manager in Quetta Acquisition Corp. IPO

        • » more info
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      • September 29, 2023

        Robinson+Cole Represents TradeUP Acquisition Corp. in Complex DeSPAC Transaction with Estrella Biopharma, Inc.

        • » more info
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      • August 28, 2023

        Robinson+Cole Represents Prime Number Acquisition I Corp. in Complex deSPAC Transaction with noco-noco Pte. Ltd.

        • » more info
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      • August 3, 2023

        Robinson+Cole Presents 2023 Awards for Outstanding Contributions

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      • June 30, 2023

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Represents Bukit Jalil Global Acquisition 1 Ltd. in IPO

        • » more info
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      • May 17, 2023

        Ben Daniels, Arila Zhou and Sabrina Galli Discuss the Limiting of SPAC Defenses in New York Law Journal

        • » more info
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      • March 31, 2023

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Represents Hongli Group Inc. in IPO

        • » more info
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      • March 17, 2023

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Represents ICZOOM Group Inc. in IPO

        • » more info
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      • March 14, 2023

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Serves as Underwriting Counsel in Xiao-I Corporation IPO

        • » more info
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      • January 12, 2023

        Arila Zhou, Ben Daniels and Sabrina Galli Say Buzzfeed Case Portends Trends in SPAC Litigation in The Review of Securities & Commodities Regulation

        • » more info
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      • December 28, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Represents Horizon Space Acquisition I Corp. in IPO

        • » more info
      • September 2, 2022

        Benjamin Daniels, Arila Zhou, Trevor Bradley and Jenna Scoville Author SPAC Litigation Article for Bloomberg Law

        • » more info
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      • June 21, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Pleased to Represent Feutune Light Acquisition Corporation in IPO

        • » more info
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      • June 15, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Pleased to Represent Acri Capital Acquisition Corporation in IPO

        • » more info
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      • June 10, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Pleased to Represent Prime Number Capital LLC in IPO of Phoenix Motor Inc.

        • » more info
      • May 18, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Pleased to Represent Prime Number Acquisition | Corp. in IPO

        • » more info
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      • March 17, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Pleased to Represent Prime Number Capital LLC in IPO of Meihua International Medical Technologies

        • » more info
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      • February 2, 2022

        Capital Markets + Securities Team Pleased to Represent Blue World Acquisition Corporation in IPO

        • » more info

      R+C News Releases

      • October 11, 2022

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized in 2022 Super Lawyers®

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      • March 10, 2022

        Robinson+Cole Welcomes Three-Attorney Capital Markets + Securities Team

        • » more info
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    • Legal Updates/Newsletters

      Legal Updates/Newsletters

      "SEC Enforcement Action Demonstrates Importance of Robust Conflicts-of-Interest Practices in SPAC Transactions" co-authored with Edward J. Heath, Benjamin M. Daniels and Dan A. Brody (9/28/2022)