About Us
Diversified Global Experts
Based in China with global expertise, our team combines legal, business, government affairs, tax, compliance, and scientific expertise
Unparalleled Experience
Our network of professionals bring their rich experience working with government and expertise to every case and treat every client as a priority
Have Peace of Mind as Your Business Thrives
We are a Boutique law and consultancy firm with global expertise focused on solutions for multinational and domestic food, agricultural, retail, cosmetics and healthcare companies in China.
We find legal and regulatory solutions so you can focus on selling your products and growing your business.
More than a law firm, we combine legal expertise and regulatory experience with a network of food science and technology professionals and former Fortune 500 executives to support sustainable, long-term growth for our clients in the dynamic China market
Our Team
President
Edison Tang
edison.tang@food-Coordinate.com
An experienced corporate lawyer focused on the global food industry, Edison Tang provides advice and counsel to multinational food companies, retailers, and trade associations. As a multilingual and experienced global lawyer, Mr. Tang has assisted multinational companies (MNCs) in cross-border merger and acquisitions, foreign direct investment, transactions, corporate management structures, internal investigations, and compliance. Mr. Tang also provides consulting on food standards, food nutrition claims and litigation as well as intellectual property implicated transactions and litigation. In addition to his work with MNCs, Mr. Tang routinely advises Chinese food companies on import and export compliance in diverse global markets.
Before co-founding Food Coordinate, Mr. Tang worked for two MNCs where he advised on policy matters and routinely engaged with PRC authorities on compliance issues. Mr. Tang also remains active in public policy discussions and academia, routinely teaching and lecturing on comparative law between the U.S., EU, and China. Mr. Tang is a food scholar at the UCLA Resnick Food Law and Policy Center, an adjunct professor at Michigan State University, and a Food Safety advisor to the World Bank.
Policy Director
Yangyao Yu
yongyao.Yu@food-Coordinate.com
With over 20 plus years of experience in food law and policy, Yangyao Yu provides legal and advisory services to Food Coordinate clients. Outside her work with Food Coordinate clients, Ms. Yu is a leading food policy advisor and academic in China and actively involved in the development of China’s national food laws and governance. Ms. Yu holds several senior posts in legal societies, trade associations, and NGOs including, General Executive of the Shanghai Law Society, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Food Safety Research Institute, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Institute, Expert Panel Member of the Shanghai Government Procurement Institute, and Expert Panel Member of the Beijing Food and Drug Safety Association.
Ms. Yu’s experience with corporate law and her ongoing role in policy developments together give her unparalleled insights into food safety compliance for clients. Finally, Ms. Yu was a full-time professor at East China University of Science and Technology and regularly publishes academic papers on diverse topics in food safety law and governance.
Global Partnerships advisor
William Watts
will.watts@food-coordinate.com
An experienced global management professional, William (Will) Watts leads international partnerships and provides insights into government affairs, retail, cross border trade, and food technologies. Previous to advising Food Coordinate Consulting, Mr. Watts co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Walmart Food Safety Collaboration- a $25 million initiative by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation to improve food safety in China. During his time with the Center, Mr. Watts managed multinational research projects, spearheaded supply chain improvement initiatives, advised public education campaigns, and engaged on policy issues through global industry, government, academic, and NGO partnerships. Mr. Watt’s experience also extends to government having perviously served as a Foreign Service Officer for the US Department of State.
Now based in the USA, Mr. Watts remains active in the China, US, and European food, agricultural, and retail communities. Mr. Watts is an advisor to Walmart and university research programs as well as an entrepreneur and investor. Mr. Watts is fluent in Mandarin Chinese with proficiency in Japanese, Italian, and Russian.
Special Counsel
Leo Liu
Yuan.Lius@food-coordinate.com
An experienced lawyer, Leo Liu advises corporate clients on specialized topics in food law such food standards, mislabeling, consumer complaints, and food recalls. Mr. Liu has a reputation as both a problem solver and an advocate for corporations operating in China.
Outside of his work with Food Coordinate, Mr. Liu is an associate professor at East China University of Science and Technology, General Executive of the Shanghai Criminal Law Society, and a Food Law Expert in Shanghai Food Safety Research Institution. Mr. Liu both regularly publishes and is cited in leading journals on food standardization, food recall systems, regulation of food additives, etc.
Outside Sr. Legal Advisor
Michael T. Roberts
Michael T. Roberts is the founding Executive Director of the newly established Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, and also the co-deputy director of ECUST FDA Center. He is well versed in a broad range of legal and policy issues from farm to fork in local, national, and global food supply systems. He is a prolific author, having contributed to books and having written several articles on food regulation, trade, and policy issues. He has guest lectured on food-law subjects at various law schools in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and speaks frequently at national and international conferences. He is the former first chair of the Lex Mundi (world’s largest association of private law firms) international Agribusiness practice group. Mr. Roberts also was of counsel in Washington D.C. with Venable LLP, as a member of the firm’s food and agricultural law practice group, and special counsel to the Roll Global farming and food companies headquartered in Los Angeles, where he was responsible for global food regulation, trade, and public policy.
Food Technology Consultant
Shaowei Liu
shaowei.liu@food-Coordinate.com
Shaowei Liu advises clients on food technologies and their connection to law, policy, and compliance. Mr. Liu received his Phd. Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Later, Mr. Liu studied as a postdoctoral fellow at Kansas State University before serving as the chief engineer of the Food R & D Center at the University of Nebraska. He received the Alpha Epsilon Lifetime Achievement Award and Gamma Sigma Delta Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. Mr. Liu has published ten SCI and EI papers since 2005, including 3 in national core academic journals and 11 for international conference papers. Prof. Liu is also the editor of the Journal of Food Technology, an invited reviewer of the Journal of Food Quality and Journal of Food Engineering and an expert for USDA Food Fund Project.
Mr. Liu is a professor at the East China University of Science and Technology, and taken on other distinguished academic roles: Alpha Epsilon Gamma Sigma Delta, IBE, IFT, AACC, ASAE and AOC.
tax Consultant
Yan Huang
yan.huangs@food-coordinate.com
A Phd. in Economics, Yan Huang advises clients on tax management, profit outflows, transfer pricing as well as other tax and accounting issues. He also advises clients on investment and business strategy and food import/export. Mr. Huang is an expert in market analysis, corporate management and business investment.
Mr. Huang was an economics professor at East China Normal University and served as the co-deputy director of the Japan Economy Research Institution before working with Food Coordinate Consulting.
Associate
Stanley Xu
stanley.xu@food-coordinate.com
Stanley Xu is an experienced food law attorney who advises clients on food labeling law, consumer complaints as well as marketing regulations. Mr. Xu also advises clients on food marketing regulations and assists clients with government investigations/cases. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Xu worked in another top Chinese law firm as well as a U.S. multinational. Mr. Xu is particularly experienced with preparing official documents for government review.
Associate
Irene Zhang
irene.Zhang@food-coordinate.com
Irene Zhang works with global food and pharmaceutical companies to assess risk and protect critical intellectual property. Ms. Zhang focuses on structuring technology transfers and enforcing clients’ intellectual property rights in the food and healthcare sectors. Prior to joining Food Coordinate, Ms. Zhang worked as a compliance advisor in a leading pharmaceutical trade association where she focused on the development and interpretations of regulations. In parallel, she helped clients build proactive strategies that accounted for the shifts in regulation.