Zhu Julie Lee

Partner

Overview

Z. Julie Lee is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP.  Julie represents U.S. and international clients on tax and general corporate matters, with an emphasis on cross-border transactions.

Julie frequently represents clients in the following areas of tax law:

  • advising U.S. clients to structure operations, acquisitions and reorganizations inside and outside the U.S.
  • assisting foreign clients’ investments in, and acquisitions/dispositions of, U.S. businesses and assets
  • counseling clients on tax issues resulting from employees working remotely and other cross-border employment issues
  • advising clients on tax issues involved in financing matters

Additionally, Julie represents clients on tax matters before the Internal Revenue Service, including obtaining private letter rulings and handling IRS audits and collection actions.

Julie also has extensive experience representing clients with their cross-border transactions, with an emphasis on China and other Asian countries. She counsels clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and commercial transactions such as supply agreements, licensing arrangements, and distributorship agreements.

Thought Leadership

Julie frequently speaks on the topics of cross-border transactions. She has been quoted or featured in a number of legal and business publications for her work, including the Wall Street Journal and the M&A Journal.

Representative Tax-Related Experience

A list of Julie’s recent representative tax-related experience includes:

  • Represented U.S. companies on tax issues involved in cross-border joint ventures and acquisitions 
  • Represented Chinese and European companies to structure their investment in the U.S. in a tax-efficient manner
  • Represented U.S. companies and non-U.S. companies on inter-company transfer pricing issues and issues resulting from sending employees to work in a foreign country

Representative Cross-border Corporate Transactions

A list of Julie’s recent representative cross-border corporate transactions includes:

  • Represented a publicly-traded U.S. manufacturing company on its acquisition of equity interests in a formerly state-owned enterprise in the restricted industry in China 
  • Represented a publicly-traded U.S. consumer product company to form joint ventures in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Malaysia and Singapore
  • Represented a publicly-traded U.S. company to enter into a $100 million+ supply agreement with a publicly-traded company in Asia  

Recognition

  • Recipient of The Milwaukee Business Journal's "40 Under 40" award
  • Named to Lawyers of Color’s inaugural list of the Nation’s Best 2020

Affiliations and Community Involvement

  • Vice President and member of the Advisory Board, Wisconsin World Trade Association, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
  • Member of the Board of Directors and volunteer, Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
  • Past member of the Board of Directors, Wisconsin Bar Association Tax Section

Education

  • Northwestern University School of Law (J.D. cum laude, 1998)
  • Beijing University ( B.S., 1991)

Languages

Julie is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese

Insights

CARES Act – Summary of Tax Provision
29 March 2020
Coronavirus Resource Center:Back to Business
New Rules Offer Clarity On China's Outbound M&A Crackdown
27 September 2017
Manufacturing Industry Advisor
2014 Annual Survey of Wisconsin Law: Tax Law
30 April 2014
Annual Survey of Wisconsin Law
2013 Annual Survey of Wisconsin Law - Tax Review
19 June 2013
Virtual CLE Week
Every Tuesday & Thursday from December 1 - 17 2020
Webinar
Foley Family Office Series
17 September 2019
Milwaukee, WI
2016 NDI Executive Exchange
10 November 2016
Chicago, IL
2015 NDI Executive Exchange
4 November 2015
Chicago, IL