China Joint Venture laws

China Joint Ventures: Everything You Should Know

Despite (or in many cases because of) the increasing difficulties foreign companies face in doing business in China, there remains nearly as much interest in China joint ventures as ever. Our China lawyers have also seen a recent uptick in companies needing help with failed and failing joint ventures, which is to be expected as

Global Trademark Protection Under the Madrid Protocol

Does U.S. Trademark Law Apply Worldwide?

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a trademark infringement case arising under the Lanham Act that has huge implications for manufacturers and sellers of products based outside the U.S. The case is Hetronic International, Inc. v. Hetronic Germany GMBH, et al. The case arises from a $114 million judgment for an industrial

Crypto regulation

Crypto Trademarks and China

Crypto trademarks are a no-go in China. In line with the country’s prohibitions on cryptocurrencies, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) will not register trademarks that describe crypto goods and/or services. Brands in the crypto space must be mindful of this reality when crafting brand and intellectual property rights protection strategies for China. China

Mexico versus China for manufacturing

Three Things Everyone Leaving China for Mexico Should Know

Mexico is about to be transformed into a major commercial & manufacturing center – but it’s not trying to be the “factory of the world” and it never will be. If you manufacture products for the US market (or supply companies that do), Mexico will play a bigger role in your business decisions. If you are in certain high-tech sectors, or rely heavily on OEM or contract manufacturing, Mexico may present more challenges than benefits

United States patents

Patents and U.S. Customs

This is the final installment in our multipart series designed to help right holders and importers better understand the opportunities and obligations that attach to intellectual property rights (IPR) in the U.S. Customs regulatory environment. This installment explores the main issues surrounding the protection and enforcement of patents in the international trade arena and offers best practice tips for

The Future of the US-China Relationship in Business, Sciences, and Technology

Register Here This year’s Chinese Association for Science and Technology in Utah (“CAST-UT”) Conference will be on Dec 10, 2022, from 2:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Guest House of the University of Utah. The Chinese Association for Science and Technology in Utah was founded in 1996 as a non-profit organization dedicated to serving

China equal rights

New China Law Boosts Women’s Protection

Women's protection will get a legal boost in China starting on January 1, 2023, when the latest revision of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests (中华人民共和国妇女权益保障法) goes into effect.

International Manufacturing Lawyers

How to Avoid Getting Scammed When Buying Product Overseas (Including from Alibaba)

It is a helluva lot easier and cheaper to avoid losing money than to recover money that has already been lost. Whether you use Alibaba or not, there are certain "rules" you should follow when sourcing products from China and those rules include (1) conducting due diligence on your potential supplier, (2) protecting your IP, and (3) having a good contract with your supplier. And yes, all of this applies no matter what the color star your supplier has on Alibaba.

China copyright registrations

Copyrights and U.S. Customs, Part 2

This post is the second part of the second installment in a multipart series designed to help right holders and importers better understand the opportunities and obligations that attach to intellectual property rights (IPR) in the U.S. Customs regulatory environment. Part 1 of the second installment discussed copyright infringement levels recognized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection