Introduction In 2022, a U.S. company with a new and unique product forged a relationship with a Chinese manufacturer, placing their trust in a well-regarded Chinese law firm for their contractual needs. But within just eight months, they were shocked to discover their proprietary technology had been replicated and commercialized by their Chinese manufacturer. My
Navigating the New Era of International Manufacturing The landscape of international manufacturing contracts has undergone significant shifts. If you’ve sensed this change, rest assured, you’re not alone. Gone are the days when international procurement largely meant buying “off-the-shelf” products like t-shirts or computer bags — items that followed universal standards. The game began to change
Your China Manufacturing Agreement Should Be in Chinese This post explains why having your China manufacturing contract should always be in Chinese. The Importance of Language in China Manufacturing Contracts International contracts involve parties from different countries and are typically written in two languages. Most of the contracts we draft for our clients doing business
Got an email this morning from a company asked only “for advice” about importing their specific product from China into the United States and the EU. My response was as follows: My advice is if you are not paying in advance, you do some combination of the following: Chinese Company Reputational Reports: You should have
Introduction Imagine a child’s toy, gleaming with bright colors and designed for endless hours of fun. A toy which turned out to hold a lurking danger due to poor manufacturing processes. A month after hitting the shelves, there’s a widespread outcry. Parents are furious, the media is ablaze with criticism, and the company responsible faces
Chinese Employment Law Complexities Employers in China, (especially foreign employers) face myriad, complicated and hyper technical local employment laws. This often means that one small employer mistake can lead to big and expensive problems. As much as we wish all our employment law clients would first come to us requesting we audit their employment program
Introduction A toy importer, thrilled about getting its toys from Vietnam at a great price paid $2 million upfront to a supposed “toy maker”. The dream turned into a nightmare when they realized there was no such Vietnamese toy maker, and no toys would ever materialize. This importer isn’t alone. Many foreign companies have faced
The Madrid Trademark System Securing global trademark protection is crucial for establishing strong brand recognition internationally. This post provides an overview of the Madrid Trademark System and how it can be leveraged to improve your global trademark protections, along with examining the alternative procedures required for territories outside the Madrid framework. The Madrid Trademark System
Introduction You’ve just come up with a catchy name for your new business, but there’s one crucial step before you can start splashing that name everywhere—ensuring no one else has a claim to it. This is where the world of trademarks and, specifically, trademark oppositions come into play. Think of a trademark opposition as someone
Introduction Picture this: A young entrepreneur named Alex (all names have been changed to protect the innocent) launches a trendy eco-friendly shoe line named “VerdeVoyage” in the U.S. After gaining popularity stateside, Alex decides to expand to China. However, unbeknownst to Alex, 绿行 (lvxing), which translates to “Green Journey”, is already a registered trademark for
