China visas

Navigating U.S. Visa Challenges for Chinese Nationals: Tips & Insights

One of our clients recently asked for our help “making sure” it could get a U.S. visa for one of its China-based Chinese managers. The client wanted this manager to come to the United States for two months of training. Our client had heard from a friend in a similar situation that it was “getting

China lawyer client loyalty

Your China Lawyer’s Primary Allegiance is to the Communist Party, NOT You

Your China Lawyer’s Primary Allegiance is Not to You Imagine a scenario where a company involved in a business dispute in China, finds their case entangled in political complexities. This isn’t just a hypothetical situation. A few years ago, a prominent European client of ours faced a legal battle [yes, I am being intentionally vague

International IP lawyers

China IP Protection: Deja Vu All Over Again

When we first started this blog way back in 2006, we would constantly write how if you want to protect your IP in China, you have to register your IP in China.  Our thesis was (and is) that if you don’t bother registering your IP in China, you really have no right to complain about

China trademark lawyer

The China Trademarks You Need

In 1995, a Chinese company registered the name Ai Ma Shi, which is what Chinese call Hermès. Hermes has for a long time sought to take away the Chinese company’s trademark registration of Ai Ma Shi and secure it for itself. Chinese courts have consistently ruled against Hermès and a Chinese court did so again

China employee non-compete

China’s “Living Wage”

Just read a CNN article, When will workers share in Apple’s wealth? This article was written by Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, a “labor rights-monitoring organization that investigates working conditions in factories around the world.” Nova attacks Apple on many fronts in his article, but it is the following that really

Learning Chinese for business

The Pros and Cons of Learning Chinese for Business

The following is a guest post by Jonathan Poston. Though learning Chinese is obviously helpful for doing business in or with China, actually accomplishing this can be so difficult that many give up or just ponder whether it is worth it. I asked Jonathan to write a post on the pros and cons of learning

Chinese students at American colleges

Chinese Students in America: It’s Bad Out There

Much has been written about Chinese students coming to American colleges. An article out today, Chinese applications to U.S. schools skyrocket, [link no longer exists] quotes a Chinese high schooler contemplating attending the University of Washington: I know this [ambition] is pretty high,” said the 17-year old Beijing native.  “But I think I can give

China visas

How to Change Your China Employer AND Keep Your China Work Permit

Switching Employers in China and Keeping Your Work Permit China’s faltering economy has led to job losses for Chinese citizens and foreigners alike and my law firm has been seeing an increasing volume of emails from foreign employees seeking legal assistance regarding their China work permits. Navigating employer switches in China requires preparation and —

China football

China Sucks at Soccer: What Does That Tell Us?

I can understand a great deal about a country by going into a few of its grocery stores and by watching five basketball games with its best players. I have a friend who is a dancer and she says she can understand a country by watching its people dance. I know basketball and I know

New York City construction lawyers

China’s Real Estate Crash: A Hard Rain is Gonna Fall

There are two types of real estate investors in China. The first are pure speculators who treat residential real estate as a source of value, far removed from its original residential use. These investors purchase multiple properties without bothering even to remodel their units for actual use. They are responsible for the empty condo buildings