Work with Chinese suppliers on your terms. Not on their default rules.

China supply chain legal counsel for overseas buyers. I help companies protect proprietary designs, secure product development ownership, and lock down quality, payment, and delivery terms in enforceable contracts, with targeted dispute resolution when supplier issues put your capital at risk.

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Kelly Zhang

China-licensed lawyer · Bilingual practice · Shenzhen

A worker adjusting a manufacturing mold
A worker adjusting a manufacturing mold.

Three stages. Clear agreements at each step.

Protect what you bring to the table, agree how the product will be developed, then set the terms for production. Each engagement is scoped to your project.

Protect

Before you share, set the boundaries.

Your drawings, samples, and technical know-how may pass through several subcontractors before production begins. A tailored China NNN agreement defines who can receive them, how they may be used, and the direct liability each recipient takes on.

Discuss your NNN

What the work can include

A bilingual NNN agreement tailored to the information, receiving entities and intended use, with supplier identity checks and agreed revisions.

Useful starting materials

A project overview, supplier details, the types of information you plan to share and any existing NDA or NNN.

Develop

You fund the development. Who owns the result?

Paying for product development does not settle every question about ownership or access. Robust development and ODM agreements define milestones, deliverables, and approval processes, ensuring you retain clear title to all designs, molds, and technical files if the relationship ends.

Discuss your development project

What the work can include

Drafting or review of development and ODM agreements covering project scope, development fees, milestones, sample approval, IP ownership, tooling and technical-file handover.

Useful starting materials

The development proposal, supplier’s draft, budget and timeline, plus a summary of who contributes the designs, technology and tooling.

Manufacture

An approved sample is only the beginning.

The production contract needs to carry your requirements through to the finished goods. China manufacturing and supply agreements should connect specifications, inspection, payment, and delivery, with clear terms for defects, delays, subcontracting, and supplier transitions.

Discuss your manufacturing contract

What the work can include

Supplier checks and drafting or review of manufacturing and supply contracts, including specifications, inspection and acceptance, payment milestones, delivery, tooling and breach remedies.

Useful starting materials

The purchase order or draft contract, approved specifications and samples, order value, payment schedule and delivery requirements.

Resolve

When the supplier relationship puts your investment at risk.

A withheld refund, defective shipment, retained mold, or copied design can threaten more than one order. I assess the evidence, potential recovery, and available routes, then assist with demand letters, settlement negotiations, arbitration, litigation, or asset preservation within the agreed scope.

Discuss a supplier dispute

Strategic leverage and dispute resolution.

What the work can include

Evidence and recovery assessment, demand letters and settlement negotiations, with separately agreed arbitration, litigation, preservation or enforcement work where appropriate.

Useful starting materials

Supplier details, the contract and payment records, key correspondence, evidence of the problem, the outcome you want and any approaching deadline.

A clear first step. An agreed scope before work begins.

  1. Send a short summary

    Tell me about the transaction, supplier, amount involved and any approaching deadline. Start with an overview; supporting materials can follow.

  2. Initial review and conflict check

    I personally review new inquiries and first confirm whether I can act. If a video call would help, I’ll arrange a free one.

  3. Agree the work and fees

    We confirm the priorities, deliverables and fees before engagement, with a fixed-fee quote where appropriate.

Kelly Zhang

A lawyer who considers what happens when a deal breaks down.

I’m Kelly Zhang, a China-licensed lawyer at JT&N in Shenzhen. I spent seven years at CIETAC administering commercial arbitration cases.

That experience shapes how I approach supplier contracts and disputes: identify the right entity, understand the evidence and keep enforcement in view. I work in Chinese and English with international clients.

More about Kelly

Before you get in touch

How does the initial inquiry work?

Send a short summary through the contact form. I first review the inquiry and check whether I can act. If a video call would help, I’ll arrange a free one. Any further work and fees are agreed separately.

What should I send first?

Start with the project stage, supplier’s name and location, what you are planning or what has gone wrong, and any deadline. Describe the documents you have; I’ll request supporting materials as needed.

Can we work together from outside China?

Yes. I work with international clients in Chinese and English. We can discuss your matter remotely and coordinate the documents and supplier communications needed for the agreed work.

Can I ask about one contract or one supplier issue?

Yes. You can ask about an NNN, a development or ODM agreement, a manufacturing contract or a supplier dispute. The scope is tailored to the matter and confirmed before engagement.

How are fees agreed?

After the initial review, I confirm the proposed scope and fees, with a fixed-fee quote where appropriate. Additional work, such as negotiations or formal proceedings, is scoped separately.

Guides for the decision in front of you

Practical reading on supplier checks, contracts, refunds, evidence and dispute resolution.

Before payment and contract terms

Quality, deposits and silence

Evidence and arbitration

Design, NNN and tooling

Tariffs and cost allocation

Demand letters, recovery and enforcement

From your first idea to your next order.

Tell me what you are developing, producing or trying to resolve. We can identify the legal support your project needs.

Discuss your situation