Why NDAs Are Useless for Protecting Your Intellectual Property in China Since we started this blog, we have emphasized the importance of using NNN Agreements for China, and not Western Style NDA Agreements. Most companies now understand this, but twice in the last few weeks I have had to tell an American company that it
China-Specific Employee Rules and Regulations are Key A strong foundation in employee relations protects both your business and your workforce. It minimizes misunderstandings, reduces legal risks, and promotes trust and loyalty among your employees. This, in turn, leads to a more engaged and productive work environment. One key element of compliant employee relations is having
China Intellectual Property Protections If you are doing business in or with China (and this includes having your products made in China), you need to safeguard your intellectual property (IP) rights there. Intellectual property encompasses intangible creations such as trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets. Trademarks: These are recognizable symbols, phrases, or logos that identify
When companies come to my law firm to protect their brand names from Chinese copycats, our international trademark lawyers typically tell them that applying for such a trademark takes about a week, but actually getting the trademark takes about ten months. We then tell them that until they get their Chinese trademark, they will be
How to Tokenize Real Estate Tokenization of assets is one of the most common discussion topics in my blockchain/web3 practice. Both tangible and intangible and intangible assets can be tokenized. I have discovered that many first-time founders get lost in the cool functionality of their product and rarely step back to determine what the marketplace
Cannabis commercial lease agreements Signing a commercial lease can be an exciting step toward realizing operational goals in your Washington cannabis business. However, if a lease is not analyzed and completed correctly, the agreement can leave either the landlord or the tenant, or both, with additional headaches and liability. Understanding the nuances of the cannabis
Arizona’s record-breaking cannabis market In the landscape of booming and busting cannabis markets, Arizona emerges as a standout success story. A naturally beautiful state that attracts a sizeable group of tourists every year, Arizona skyrocketed past $1 billion in total cannabis sales for 2023. Unlike its northern neighbor of Nevada, Arizona has exceeded $1 billion
CFIUS Reporting Requirements The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is an interagency committee that reviews certain transactions involving foreign investment in the United States. Its role is to identify and address any national security risks that could arise from these potential investments. With increasing global tensions over technological competition and supply
On April 23, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a final rule banning noncompete agreements under sections 5 and 6(g) of the FTC Act. The ban applies to noncompetes in the employment context and does not necessarily apply to business-to-business noncompete agreements. This banning of non-compete agreements has left many employers wondering what this
Paying Chinese Companies for Product that Never Arrives Two to three times a week, my law firm will get a query from a company that paid for Chinese product and received absolutely nothing. The below is a good example of what we just keep getting. This is an e-mail (modified to hide any possible identifiers)
