China contract lawyers

A Q&A on Signing Contracts with Chinese Companies

The Essential Answers on Signing Contracts with Chinese Companies Yesterday, in The Essential Checklist for Signing Contracts with Chinese Companies, I wrote about what our China lawyers typically advise our clients regarding the signing of contracts with Chinese companies. Today, a client sent us what they call their Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for signing Chinese

U.S. Import Compliance: A Guide to CBP Form 28 and Form 29

U.S. Import Compliance: A Guide to CBP Form 28 and Form 29

U.S. Import Compliance: Understanding CBP Form 28 and Form 29 Companies importing goods into the United States can sometimes find themselves facing inquiries from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”). These inquiries typically come in the form of a CBP Form 28 – Request for Information or a CBP Form 29 – Notice of Action,

International trademark lawyers

International Trademarks Good. International Patents Bad. 

International Trademarks Good. International Patents Bad.  The title to this post is a gross oversimplification meant to prove a point or, more accurately, disprove a myth. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had companies swoon over the idea of spending big money to secure a patent and pooh-pooh my suggestion to spend small

The-China-Thrill-is-Gone.-Hong-Kong-Too.

The China Thrill is Gone and I Miss It

When Xi Jinping took office in 2013, I—like many others—hoped that his leadership would improve China’s trajectory. But over time, my optimism faded as the country became more repressive, and the spaces I once enjoyed began to disappear. I was living in Shenzhen in 2013. Whenever I read Western media hopes that Xi might potentially

China's trademark law system

Big Dork vs. Big Work and The Absurd Reality of China’s Trademark System

Imagine you want to register “Big Dork” as a trademark in China, only to have it rejected because someone else already owns “Big Work.” Absurd? Welcome to the peculiar world of Chinese trademark law, where the trademark office and courts often reach dramatically different conclusions about what constitutes a “confusingly similar” mark. To make things

International product sourcing

A Legal Guide for International Product Sourcing Consultants

The Legal Survival Guide for Product Sourcing Consultants You have spent months finding the perfect manufacturer for your product buying client. The first shipment arrives, and everything looks great, and your client is thrilled. Then, six months later, your client calls in a panic—their product is being counterfeited and sold worldwide. Who do they blame?

Methylene Diphenyl-Diisocyanate (MDI) United States custom case and lawyers

New AD/CVD Petitions: Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) from China

Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) from China On February 12, 2025, new antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions were filed against imports of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (“MDI”) from China. MDI is a class of isocyanates derived from aniline.  MDI is a versatile chemical intermediate that is used as an input in a wide range of