International

International

The International Practice Group is comprised of attorneys who have practical knowledge and experience working with clients abroad. Our attorneys advise American and foreign businesses that have interests and operations in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Europe, and other regions of the world. The services provided by our International Practice lawyers range from contract negotiations and project finance, to advising on free trade agreements, customs, and international intellectual property issues, to overseeing and managing litigation and due diligence investigations.

Gordon & Rees lawyers are admitted in Canada, England and Wales, and Hong Kong. We also have lawyers and employees who are fluent in numerous languages, including Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, among others. The multiple language capabilities of our staff and attorneys, and their knowledge of the cultures, combined with extensive litigation and transaction experience provide for convenience and efficiency in handling all international matters. We work with clients engaged in, or affected by, the movement of knowledge, personnel, goods, services, and capital across national boundaries.

Contracts: Gordon & Rees attorneys have advised clients involved in public competitive bids for contracts with foreign governments, public contract bid protests, contract drafting and negotiations with private companies, international joint ventures, and foreign investment in the United States.

Corporate Transactions: We have direct experience in representing clients in due diligence, title and litigation searches in real estate and other corporate transactions. We have extensive experience in drafting and negotiating transaction documents through all phases of complex projects for manufacturing and commercial transactions, private real estate development, as well as private and public infrastructure improvements.

Compliance: Our International Practice team handles all aspects of compliance for our client's projects, including: governmental approvals to do business, environmental, immigration, customs, import and land use.

Finance: Gordon & Rees lawyers also have experience with public sector entities involved in international finance, including the United States Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the World Bank, the US Trade and Development Agency and the United States Agency for International Development.

Intellectual Property Rights: Our attorneys have expertise in transnational licensing and distribution agreements, foreign sales representative agreements, agency representations, and registration and enforcement of intellectual property rights in Europe, Latin America and Asia; in dealing with United States Customs, application of the Harmonized Tariff Schedules, local content rules under NAFTA, and other aspects of import-export activity; and in dealing with intellectual property agencies abroad, including the European Union's Office of Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), the European Patent Office (EPO), and government agencies in China and Hong Kong.

The Chair of our IP Practice served 10 years as the General Counsel of Lanard Toys, a U.S.-owned toy company headquartered in Hong Kong with operations around the world. In that capacity he was responsible for the company's legal affairs worldwide and managed its U.S. design facility. He is admitted as a solicitor to the High Court of Hong Kong, and does extensive work in the China trade for a variety of clients.

Dispute Resolution: Gordon & Rees lawyers have thorough experience in managing different aspects of litigation involving foreign businesses and individuals. The litigation can be based either in a foreign country or in the United States. Our attorneys have been instrumental in providing legal, investigative, cultural and linguistics advise to American companies and individuals involved litigation in foreign countries, including collection matters and other commercial disputes. Our attorneys have retained and overseen local counsel in those matters, in an effort to keep litigation costs at a minimum, while at the same time making the legal rulings and procedures in that foreign country understandable to Americans.

Gordon & Rees attorneys have served as lead counsel, and as part of a team, in litigation venued in the United States against foreign nationals and companies. Our litigation attorneys are very familiar with the treaties and accords that allow service of process and discovery against foreign nationals, and can initiate and effectively control most investigations in foreign countries, while maintaining sacred the attorney-client communication privilege. Our attorneys are indispensable when going to trial against foreign nationals and companies in US courts. Along with being experienced trial attorneys, our attorneys have the language and cultural knowledge to provide a distinct advantage to any party litigating against a foreign national in the US courts, especially when bringing motions based upon the doctrines of forum non conveniens and choice of law.