Overview

Peng Yu has been working with us for several years and is our go-to person for our North Asia deals. Peng is probably one of the best PE lawyers in the market. Very hands-on and attentive to details, and also has the ‘big picture’ commercial sense so that he can guide our team on key commercial and legal matters. We have great trust in him.” “He is an outstanding PE lawyer and has a very good reputation in the market. He has strong technical skills and is very attentive, but also provides ‘big picture’ views on important commercial issues." - Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2026, Chambers Greater China, 2026

Peng Yu is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Kirkland & Ellis. He focuses his practice exclusively on private equity matters and mergers and acquisitions.

Peng has extensive experience in advising global and regional private equity and corporate clients on a wide range of strategically important transactions, including buyouts, take-privates, PIPEs, growth capital investments, divestitures, joint ventures and other cross-border transactions, particularly those with a China nexus. These transactions span sectors as diverse as technology, education, health care/life sciences, consumer products, industrials, infrastructure and real estate.

Peng has been recognized by multiple reputable legal publications such as Chambers Greater China, Chambers Asia-Pacific, IFLR 1000The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and China Business Law Journal for his private equity and M&A work, and China Law & Practice named him “TMT Lawyer of the Year” in 2018. Chambers Greater China noted that Peng “maintains an active practice assisting international investors with their inbound and outbound exits and investments in primarily Asia-based target companies and assets”. Clients also cite the quality of Peng’s counsel, as well as his ability to leverage his bilingual capabilities and experience working with different cultures to guide clients through multijurisdictional issues arising in cross-border transactions. As one client notes, Peng is “commercial, solution-oriented and very hands-on.”

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Thought Leadership

Publications

Quoted, “2019 in Asia: China shapes the region,” Private Equity International (January 3, 2019)

Quoted, “Hillhouse’s $10.6B Fund Showcases Budding Asia PE Market,” Law360 (September 19, 2018)

Recognition

“Leading Lawyer”, Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) – China, Chambers Greater China (2022–2026), Chambers Asia-Pacific (2019–2021)

“Leading Partner”, Private Equity – Hong Kong, Legal 500 (2025-2026)

“A-List Growth Drivers (International)”, China Business Law Journal (2023–2026)

“Highly Regarded”, Private Equity – Hong Kong, IFLR1000 (2023–2025)

“A-List China’s Elite Lawyers (Foreign Firms)”, China Business Law Journal (2022)

“The A-List of China’s Top 100 Lawyers (Foreign Firms)”, China Business Law Journal (2020, 2022)

“Rising Star”, IFLR1000 (2017–2022)

“IFLR Asia Future Leaders”, IFLR (2021)

“A-List China’s Elite 100 Lawyers (Foreign Firms)”, China Business Law Journal (2020)

“TMT Lawyer of the Year”, China Law & Practice Awards (2018)

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2015, Hong Kong, Solicitor
  • 2008, New York

Languages

  • English
  • Mandarin

Education

  • Columbia Law SchoolLL.M.
    James Kent Scholar
  • University of International Business and EconomicsLL.M. (Hons)
  • University of International Business and EconomicsLL.B. (Hons)