Many years ago, my old law firm brought in a “legal marketing expert” to lead a marketing seminar for the firm. I do not remember a single thing from that session beyond that the expert forced each of us to describe our practice as though we had just been asked to do so by someone
This month’s China Economic Review contains an article by Harris Sliwoski attorney Steve Dickinson on the Danone Wahaha dispute. The article is an offshoot of a speech Steve gave for JP Morgan on China Joint Ventures. Steve’s China Economic Review article is entitled Danone v. Wahaha: The lessons to be learned from the tensions within
When manufacturing internationally, you should verify everything and have a written contract that documents everything.
Our advice to companies that do any business with China (including those that merely have their products made in China) is to register their trademarks in China before they go there. China is a first to register country, which means that whoever registers a trademark first gets it. I repeat: in China, whoever registers a
The ABA Journal just came out with a story on foreign law firms in China, titled, Chinese Puzzle: Foreign firms jumping into the market find ethics rules unclear. The article notes how foreign lawyers “are not permitted to practice law in China.” Thus, “when a deal is completed and a formal legal document is necessary,
The Rules for China Toasting Though I am a complete lightweight as a drinker (I average maybe one alcoholic drink a month), I consider myself somewhat of a master of foreign business toasting. I have participated in well over a hundred toasting sessions with Chinese, Koreans, Thais, Turks, Mexicans, Spaniards, French and Russians, and the
NNN Agreements vs. NDA Agreements for China Western-style non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) don’t work for protecting your IP from China. China-specific non-disclosure, non-compete, non-circumvent (NNN) agreements are vastly superior for safeguarding your IP. This post will explain what makes China-specific NNN agreements work so well at protecting IP and when to use them. omeone on our
In China everything can and is faked, even the JeAbsolutely fascinating story in today's Washington Post, entitled, Sold on a Stereotype: In China, a genre of self-help books purports to tell the secrets of making money "the Jewish way". Seems the Chinese think very highly of Jews, both for their perceived ability as businesspeople, and for their honesty and family values. China has some 50+ books focusing on emulating the Jewish path to success.
I just learned that Gibson Guitar will soon be returning to an industrial heartland, but in China's Liaoning Province this time. Gibson just purchased China's third-biggest piano maker, state-owned Dongbei Piano Group. Our international lawyers have lately been seeing more American and European companies getting their start at doing business in China by buying existing China companies/facilities.
A morally vapid redneck racist helped advance civil rights in the United States and some dumb power-hungry bureaucrats in Shenzhen may very well end up doing the same thing for China.
