International distribution agreements

Setting Up Your Chinese Distributor for Success: Titles and Authority Matter

China Distribution Relationships We have written recently about the trend in China business as companies move away from joint venture relationships toward distributor relationships. This is happening with Chinese manufacturers and their non-Chinese distributors in the distributor’s home market. This is also happening in China with Chinese distributors or representatives and the non-Chinese manufacturers and

China risks

How Should We Be Thinking About Today’s China’s Business Environment?

China’s Current Business Climate: Questions Answered Because of our vantage point as an international law firm, we frequently get asked questions by boards of established companies, startup founders, regulators, and reporters. Below are some of the questions about China we have received lately. What is the threat level for foreign individuals and companies doing business

Vietnam international lawyers

China’s Loss is Vietnam’s Gain

The international lawyers at my law firm have been increasingly fielding inquiries from companies looking to diversify their supply chains away from China. Many of these companies are looking to move their China manufacturing to Southeast Asia. To help our clients moving to or already in Southeast Asia, I recently went to Vietnam, Indonesia, and

Florida anti-Chinese law. SB 264

Chinese Nationals Face Land Restrictions in Florida

Chinese nationals face serious restrictions on their ability to buy land in Florida, with the entry into force of SB 264 on July 1 of this year. This new law curbs real estate acquisitions by citizens of seven “countries of concern” (China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and “the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro”),

China due diligence lawyers

Due Diligence in China Just Got a Lot Harder: Now What?

With the wave of news surrounding due diligence company crackdowns in China, with Mintz Group and Bain & Co. as the highest profile targets to date (see here and here), a reporter reached out to inquire how legal practitioners are dealing with this diminished access. She wanted to know whether and how this complicates business

China Rep Office or WFOE

China Representative Offices

China Representative Offices Is your company considering setting up a Representative Office in China? You will likely find that the process is not as easy as it used to be. In many cases, plans for a Chinese Rep Office result in creating a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE), which is one significant step beyond a Rep

China supply chain risks

Your China Supply Chain is a Bet Against the House

Last year, I asked my good friend Andrew Hupert of North American Strategic Planning to explain what is involved in moving manufacturing from China to Mexico. I chose Andrew for this because he has spent so much time in both China and Mexico, navigating their manufacturing systems from the inside. My law firm frequently consulted with

Chinese companies in the United States and Mexico

Top Ten Reasons Chinese Companies Fail in America (and Mexico)

Way back in 2010, I wrote Ten Reasons Chinese Companies Fail In The U.S. for Forbes Magazine. My top ten list in that article was as follows: 1. Chinese companies focus on a Chinese consumer, not an American one. 2. Chinese companies fail to realize how one reputation-damaging mistake in the United States can doom

China M&A Deals. Mergers and Acquisitions.

VCs and PEs Hunting for China Deals Still Need an Exit Plan

December was a typically busy transactional month for our China team with the end of the calendar tax year looming. We were brought onto a China acquisition by one of our PE clients mid-month, and we closed before the end of the year. This cyclical frenetic pace of closing deals has caused me to reflect