International
Today’s global economy means foreign and domestic companies require cross-border legal services with increasing frequency. Ulmer & Berne’s International Practice Group works with the firm’s other multi-disciplinary practices to deliver high-quality legal services, in a cross-border setting, in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Domestic Clients Doing Business Abroad
Ulmer & Berne’s international practice helps U.S. companies of all sizes navigate the complex maze of export laws and regulations so that they can successfully sell their products and services abroad. We assist in the negotiation of their commercial agreements, help them to protect their intellectual property when doing business in foreign countries, and structure joint ventures and strategic relationships with foreign enterprises to achieve their business goals and objectives. In addition, if the need arises, we represent them in a variety of cross-border dispute resolution venues.
Assisting Foreign-Owned Enterprises
Foreign-owned enterprises that are doing business in the United States find comfort in knowing that their U.S. professional advisors have local legal expertise and experience as well as a working knowledge and appreciation of foreign business practices and customs. Ulmer & Berne works regularly with foreign-owned businesses to assist them with their Midwest and U.S. legal needs. Our foreign-owned clients are manufacturers and distributors of consumer and industrial products and providers of services to consumers and businesses. They develop and license software and other intellectual property. They come from a wide variety of countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The firm is also linked globally through our affiliation with the Business Counsel and Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW).
Representative Experience
Acquisitions and Joint Ventures
- Joint venture between U.S. and Chinese manufacturers to produce consumer goods for sale in foreign markets.
- Internet-based joint venture to deliver financial services in China.
- Joint ventures between a U.S. Fortune 1000 company and counterparts in China, Indonesia and Thailand for manufacturing of U.S. proprietary products.
- Acquisition of a Midwest manufacturer by an Australian public company.
- Acquisition of a Midwest manufacturer by a Japanese public company.
- Commercial joint ventures for a U.S. company in Australia, UAE, Singapore and Thailand.
- Canadian power company joint venture with a Belgian client.
- Joint venture with Korean enterprise regarding online education.
Commercial Transactions
- Contractor, subcontractor, independent contractor, confidentiality, sales, consignment agreements, terms and conditions of sale, and CE certification issues for domestic and foreign entities.
- Advice and drafting of commercial finance arrangements for foreign enterprises, including debt (secured and unsecured) and equity financings in all types of industries.
- Advice concerning Terms and Conditions for commercial and industrial sales in multiple jurisdictions.
- Corporate finance, real estate, immigration and employment services for foreign enterprises doing business in the U.S.
Technology and Intellectual Property
- Coordination of U.S. and foreign patent prosecutions.
- Trademark prosecutions under U.S. laws and Madrid Protocol.
- Trademark prosecution and maintenance in Canada, EU, Japan, China, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan.
- Prosecution of pharmaceutical patent applications in Australia, EU, Brazil, Japan, China, Poland and Russian Federation.
- Prosecution, filing, and maintenance of corporate portfolio (800+ files) of trademark registrations and applications.
- Prosecution, filing, and maintenance of corporate portfolio (300+ files) of patent applications and patents in multiple foreign countries, plus related patent litigation and patentability, infringement, and validity analysis and opinions.
- Patent infringement litigation against manufacturers in Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada and France, in U.S. federal court and before International Trade Commission.
- Advice regarding trademark and domain name issues in China.
Dispute Resolution
- International Trade Commission anti-dumping proceedings.
- International Trade Commission Section 312 proceedings.
- Defense of claims against foreign owners of vessels located in U.S.
- Arbitration before International Arbitration Tribunal of ABA regarding international steel brokerage dispute.
- Mediation and informal dispute resolution activities on behalf of Chinese and German clients.