Dan Harris is a founding member of Harris Sliwoski, an international law firm where he mostly represents companies doing business in emerging market countries. Most of his time is spent helping American and European companies navigate foreign countries by working with the international lawyers at his firm in setting up companies overseas (WFOEs, Subsidiaries, Rep Offices and Joint Ventures), drafting international contracts, protecting IP, and overseeing M&A transactions.
In addition, Dan writes and speaks extensively on international law, with a focus on protecting foreign businesses in their overseas operations. He is also a prolific and widely-followed blogger, writing as the co-author of the award-winning China Law Blog.
China’s Revised Company Law Yet More Challenges for Foreign Investors China’s revised Company Law, implemented on July 1, 2024, marks a significant shift towards a more regulated and transparent corporate environment for all Chinese registered companies — foreign and domestic. Though Chinese domestic companies must adjust, the impact — not surprisingly — will be particularly
Joint ventures with China factories are seldom a good idea.The better way to handle these relationships is usually with a China-centric distribution agreement that sets forth sales goals and allows you to walk away if your Chinese factory does not meet those goals. It usually makes sense to have a trademark licensing agreement with your distributor as well.
Doing Business In China A First Person China Business Story Eons ago, a veteran China hand responded to one of our blog posts by writing me with his own story of China problems. I found his story both typical and fascinating and sought his permission to run it. He gave me permission to run it
An International Law Checklist — The Top 8 Every so often, clients or potential clients inquire about the essential legal considerations for operating successfully in a foreign country. Every country has its own legal requirements that can trip up companies that seek to do business there. The below checklist is intended to be an initial
Mexico’s Business Future Under President Sheinbaum Mexico has ushered in a new era with the inauguration of Claudia Sheinbaum as the country’s first female president. I am optimistic about Mexico’s prospects for continued economic growth and increased foreign investment under President Sheinbaum. My clients keep asking what they should expect from her presidency. In this
The Bank Account Switch Scam The bank switch scam involves your regular product supplier asking you to make a payment to a new bank account or a new supplier asking you to make your first payment. After you make the payment, your supplier insists you still owe the full amount because it never received your
Neither ChatGPT nor Google Are Attorneys Many people turn to the internet for answers, including to legal questions. Though online resources regarding the law can be a great starting point, but relying solely on them for business decisions can be disastrous. This post explores the limitations of the internet and AI in legal matters, and
How Foreign Companies Are Adapting Their China Strategies in 2024 The tides are turning for foreign companies operating in China. The once-unparalleled access to China’s vast manufacturing base and a seemingly insatiable consumer market is now accompanied by a new set of challenges. Rising geopolitical tensions, a focus on domestic sustainability goals, and ongoing supply
How to Succeed at Overseas Foreign Manufacturing More than a decade ago, I wrote an article for a supply chain magazine, on what I and my law firm’s international manufacturing lawyers saw as the ten keys to successful overseas manufacturing. Though the magazine no longer exists, I recently rediscovered the article when a potential client
China’s Four Most Common Business Scams and How to Avoid Them Post-COVID, our China lawyers have been seeing more than the usual number of foreign American and European companies coming to us after having been scammed by a Chinese company. In this post, I will explore four common China business scams and provide actionable steps
