If you have a great business idea that you’d like to get in front of the world’s top venture capitalist or other funding source, the traditional thinking was that you’d have them sign a Nondisclosure Agreement (also known as an NDA or confidentiality agreement) to prevent them from profiting off your idea. By using a nondisclosure agreement, you could ensure that your secrets … [Read more...]
3 Things Every U.S. Company Must Know About the IRS' New Foreign Accounts Reporting Requirement.
Working overseas is a great experience. Along with the cultural experience it brings, working abroad is a sure fire way for an employee to earn a promotion once he or she returns home to the U.S. The arrangement also establishes the U.S. company as a true international player. In today’s globalized economy, nothing beats that kind of exposure. With more U.S. companies sending … [Read more...]
We Have an App for That: the International Business Law Advisor App for the iPhone
We are thrilled with the level of interest that our iPhone App has received. If you are an iPhone user and have not downloaded it yet, be sure to visit the iTunes App Store. Simply enter the text “International Business Law Advisor” and you’re all set! The App is yet another way we can add exceptional value to our readers utilizing cutting edge technology. In … [Read more...]
Proposed Start-up Visa Promises to Boost Immigrant Entrepreneurs in the U.S.
My grandfather was an immigrant entrepreneur. He came to the United States in the 1940’s. With two young daughters to support, he worked his tail off seven days a week. He could have probably made due working just five days a week. But that was not his plan. The way he figured, the income that came in from those two extra work days would go towards … [Read more...]
Foreign Litigants and American Jurors: Please Mind the Culture Gap.
As an international attorney based in Miami, it is common for me to represent or be challenged by a foreign party in litigation. The cases are typically disputes over commercial transactions or business ventures that, for one reason or another, did not work out as the parties expected. When one of these cases finally makes it to trial, jurors are asked to … [Read more...]
Double Taxation Treaty Between Brazil and the United States Takes a Step Closer to Conclusion.
I just read an article over at Forbes’ Bric Breaker blog, authored by Kenneth Rapoza. The article, Brazil businessmen Urge Obama to Sign Double Taxation Treaty, reports that U.S. and Brazilian executives asked President Obama today [March 19, 2011] to sign a treaty that would end double taxation of goods traded between the two countries. Given Brazil’s emergence as … [Read more...]
International Litigation and Arbitration Featured in the Florida Bar's International Law Quarterly .
The winter edition of the Florida Bar’s International Law Quarterly (ILQ) is out. The ILQ is quickly becoming required reading for any international lawyer. While the last issue focused on China, the focus of the latest edition is international litigation and arbitration. As Editor-in-Chief Alvin F. Lindsay points out, the geographical diversity of the … [Read more...]
How to Earthquake-Proof Your International Business Agreements with a Force Majeure Clause
The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last Friday caused catastrophic damage to the northeast region of Japan and incapacitated the country’s supply chain as the vital networks that move people, goods, and services around the country were either incapacitated or severely disrupted. As a result, the output of supplies from Japan’s most important industries … [Read more...]
Miami's China Sourcing Center to Play Key Role at China's Largest Export Showcase
As an international business attorney based in Miami, Florida, it’s common for me to advise clients on business issues that concern Latin America by virtue of Miami’s proximity to the region. It’s no surprise that the local economy is heavily dependent on Latin America. To be sure, Miami is the hemispheric cross-roads of trade and commerce—a kind … [Read more...]
Global Compliance Symposium, Washington, D.C. March 31 & April 1, 2011
As global business markets spring back to life, it’s never been more important to stay on top of compliance and regulatory issues around the world. For in-house counsel, keeping up with multi-jurisdictional regulatory regimes often requires the assistance of support staff and outside counsel. As an international business attorney based in Miami, Florida, I’m … [Read more...]