International

Polsinelli provides a business-minded approach to international and cross-border issues such as corporate structuring and planning, tech transfer, financing, real estate and construction, product manufacturing, loan restructuring and workouts, securities offerings, and intellectual property protection, as well as advice regarding international operations and tax structures. Polsinelli’s attorneys also have extensive experience in providing international trade guidance to companies, advising on the full array of import and export compliance issues that impact the international movement of goods, technology and services, as well as identifying and working with clients to take advantage of significant cost and duty-savings opportunities. In instances where disputes arise, we help our clients navigate U.S. court systems, represent them in international arbitrations, and collaborate with counsel in other countries to ensure our clients obtain the best results possible in every affected jurisdiction. The Firm’s goal is to provide companies with the tools and information they need to seamlessly and profitably market their products and services in international markets.

Polsinelli's attorneys have successfully handled global client matters in over 32 countries across 21 practice areas. Fluent in many world languages and with an in-depth understanding of both the cultural and legal nuances that cross-border business can bring, they appreciate the complex challenges of international companies investing and doing business in the U.S., as well as U.S. companies who wish to expand their businesses globally.

Several examples of our international experience include:

• Represented an Italian company in the successful restructuring of a $600 million joint venture with a Virginia business involving the formation of a company with operations in 10 countries worldwide.
• Defended British and Israeli companies against contract and business tort claims arising out of termination of a U.S. distributor, and assisted with subsequent intellectual property litigation in London.
• Represented a Japanese company in a U.S. shareholder dispute, including filing supplemental actions in Mexico and Canada to obtain foreign witness depositions.
• Designed and assisted in the implementation of numerous customs and export compliance programs for clients in a wide array of industry sectors, including aerospace and defense, computer and software, automotive, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, telecommunications, semiconductor, food and cosmetics, online retail, and textile apparel and footwear.
• Identified significant cost and duty-savings opportunities posed by free trade agreements, preferential trade programs, and other duty deferral programs for leading pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and consumer goods importers, and worked with the companies to establish tailored and sustainable processes to ensure their compliance with the programs’ stringent requirements.
• Represented aerospace companies, computer and software manufacturers, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, textile apparel and footwear importers, online/e-commerce retailers, and many others through all stages of audits and enforcement actions initiated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Departments of State, Treasury and Commerce.
• Routinely advise on the import and export requirements of non-US jurisdictions, including Europe, Canada, Latin America and Asia.
• Polsinelli’s own long-term personal relationships, as well as its affiliation with Multilaw, provide the firm access to a network of law firms worldwide that enhance its ability to provide on-the-ground legal support to clients no matter where their business interests are located.

Global Languages Spoken at Polsinelli:

• Arabic
• Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian
• Cantonese/Chinese
• Chinese
• Dutch
• Finnish
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Hindi
• Hungarian
• Indonesian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Latin
• Mandarin Chinese
• Persian
• Polish
• Romanian
• Russian
• Sign
• Spanish
• Swedish
• Tagalog
• Tamil
• Ukrainian
• Urdu
• Vietnamese
• Yiddish
• Zulu

• Represented affiliate of a construction industry solutions provider in establishing a joint venture to provide, install and service scaffolding for oil rigs operated off the coast of Angola.
• Litigation involving repossession of semiconductor wafer machines, collection of U.S. receivables and contract dispute.
• Represented material processing systems provider in ongoing matters as a wholly owned subsidiary of German family partnership. Represented company in federal income tax compliance issues and audits. Further represented company, and as necessary, German family partnership, in its sale by German parent to Swiss Company, including financing arrangements with Deutsche Bank.
• Represented Uruguayan finance company regarding due diligence on U.S. investment matters.
• Represented EMS/public safety consulting firm in structuring EMS venture in the United Arab Emirates.
• Monitored final stages of litigation of multinational subsidiary to enforce policies of no FCPA violations by outside consultants.
• Represented data center and cloud computing company in establishing a joint venture with Russian partner to provide IT services in Russia.
• Represented global beverage company in restructuring its international operations to achieve tax-efficient repatriation of over $7 billion in cash.
• Represented transportation industry consulting company on projects in Aruba, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Dubai, Guam, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Russian, Senegal, and the Ukraine, which has usually involved not only the negotiations of contracts for the engineering or architectural services to be provided, but working with local counsel to ensure local law requirements are included within the contracts, personnel have appropriate visas, whether the company will be determined to be doing business in the country through their activities, and other matters.
• Represented Danish importer of specialty food products in setting up U.S. operations and in FDA matters.
• Represented U.S. subsidiary of Australian blood and plasma testing company, including negotiation of multiple international supply contracts and joint venture relationships.
• Represented a Netherlands training company with regard to its trademark portfolio in 60+ countries worldwide.
• Work with Costa Rican counsel to perform initial feasibility period due diligence on hotel development contract involving property next to nationally protected lands.
• Represented architecture firm in negotiation of a joint venture with a Jordanian partner to design and build sports facilities in Iraq.
• Prepare claims for London counsel for UK litigation regarding payment disputes involving Italian contractor for Bahrain power plant.
• Representation of a major national real estate developer in regard to the acquisition, divestiture, financing, refinancing, control, management and operation of substantial commercial real estate development portfolios involving joint ventures and other vehicles for investments in U.S. real estate projects with foreign investment funds, sovereign wealth funds and foreign high net-worth individuals and families.
• Represented international insurer in managing the claim process, reviewing Spanish language claim documentation, and monitoring of criminal proceedings for large fraud loss claims of its insured with operations throughout Mexico.
• Represented British and Israeli companies in defense of contract and business tort claims arising out of distributorship termination, in federal court. Conducted substantial formal discovery in the U.K. Assisted with subsequent intellectual property litigation in London.
• Represented personal representatives of estate with ownership of five significant estates on a private Bahamian island. Worked to resolve ongoing disputes between warring beneficiaries. Worked with Bahamian counsel.