Ying Cao focuses her practice on corporate investigation, criminal defense, as well as China-related cross-border investigation.

Ying Cao has advised multinational clients throughout Asia on international risks related to corporate compliance issues, with a focus on cross-border, financial regulatory and compliance investigation. She has extensive experience working with clients in TMT, blockchain, FinTech, e-commerce, and pharmaceutical and medical device sectors facing regulatory and criminal enforcement actions. Ying Cao has conducted internal investigation for multinational companies and advised on a range of legal, regulatory and reputation issues from financial crime risks to cross-border data sharing. Prior to joining Global Law Office, Ying Cao has extensive experience in Chinese criminal justice system as a prosecutor in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China and in-house working experience in New York, United States.

Represented Cases

• Advised a top global virtual asset trading platform on cross-border criminal investigation and digital evidence request issues, in compliance with multiple jurisdiction data transfer requirements ;
• Represented the first cross-chain related criminal case in China;
• Advised a well-known cloud service provider on cross-border criminal investigation and data transfer issues;
• Represented multinational pharmaceutical clients in anti-corruption investigation in China;
• Represented a leading venture capital firm in National Supervisory Commission investigation.

Prior to joining in Global Law Office, Beijing, Ying Cao practiced in criminal law in a prosecutorial office in Jiangsu Province, China. from 2006 to 2013. After she graduated from law school at USC, she worked in the legal department of a  Chinese enterprise in New York, U.S.

Admitted in New York State, United States

Legal Profession Qualification Certificate (PRC)

University of Southern California, LL.M., United States

China Business Law Journal, The A-List Rising Star (2024)

Top Ten Best Prosecutor, Jiangsu, China (2013)

Adjunct professor at China University of Political Science and Law, 2022- present

• Kethineni, S., & Cao, Y. (2020): The rise in popularity of cryptocurrency and associated criminal activity. International Criminal Justice Review, 30(3), 325-344;
• Kethineni, S., Cao, Y., & Dodge, C. (2017): Use of bitcoin in darknet markets: Examining facilitative factors on bitcoin-related crimes. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 43(2), 141-157.