Having just wrapped up Season 2 of Stranger Things this week, I just couldn’t help draw the connection between the Mind Flayer and its army of Demogorgons wreaking havoc in Hawking, Indiana and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his finance ministers terrorizing global capital markets in Caracas, Venezuela. While the former makes for good entertainment, the latter makes … [Read more...]
Rum, Risk and Ruin: 13 Reasons Why You Still Shouldn’t Do Business in Cuba.
The removal of Cuba from the U.S. state sponsors of terrorism list this week sparked a groundswell of excitement among U.S. entrepreneurs, lawyers, and investors looking to profit from the “enormous opportunities” on the island. As part of the Florida Bar’s first-ever delegation to Havana, Cuba last week, I got the chance to see these “opportunities” for myself. Indeed, … [Read more...]
Political Risk Insurance: Why Your International Business Must Have It.
A special interview with Global Security Consultant and Political Risk Expert, Paul Crespo This is the first in a series of posts dealing with global security and risk management. While companies doing business internationally generally protect themselves against numerous risks, political risk is often ignored or accepted as fate. While there are many ways to manage and … [Read more...]
Yes, Your Foreign Company Can File for U.S. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection.
Several months ago, I handled a matter on behalf of a foreign company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection here in the U.S. When I explained the general details of this case to a seasoned bankruptcy attorney, whom I had run into at legal seminar, I was surprised that he didn't think it was possible for a foreign company to do so. I went on to tell them that not … [Read more...]
What Psychology Can Teach You About Global Outsourcing.
Just yesterday I received a call from a businessman looking to outsource a good part of his company’s assembly operation to another country. While I would prefer that the company keep its operations division close to home, I understand the realities of today’s global market. In a world where a company’s success hinges on the slimmest of margins, every penny that a business … [Read more...]
International Arbitration in Miami is on the Rise. Here’s Why.
Whenever someone learns that our law firm (based in Miami) is currently handling a major international arbitration matter against the Kyrgyz Republic at the Hague, they almost always ask "why is a complex case like that being handled in Miami?" The answer is straightforward. Over the last decade Miami has become one of the primary players on the international … [Read more...]
Brazil Joins the Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). It's About Time.
It's almost everyday now that I get an email or phone call from a Brazilian investor looking to do business in the U.S. (usually in Miami) or a U.S. investor looking to do business in Brazil. It's not exactly a surprise given the enormous trade numbers the two countries are putting up---$100 Billion in 2011 alone. Presently, the rules for entering into an international sales … [Read more...]
How Russian Investors Can Reclaim their Investments in Cyprus.
UPDATE: The Cyprus parliament unanimously rejected the proposed European bailout, raising the possibility of a messy default. *** The firestorm over the Eurozone bailout of Cyprus, a small Mediterranean metropolis, continues to rock financial markets. Under the terms of the bailout deal, everyone with a bank account on the island has to pay a one-time tax on their deposits … [Read more...]
5 Key Points Every Chinese Investor in the U.S. Must Know.
In the past year or so I've been working with a Chinese industrial manufacturing company looking to tap into the U.S. market. In just a few years, the company has wildly exceeded its expectations. The company’s success can be attributed to zealous commitment to learning. By this, I mean that the company understood that it had to abandon deeply entrenched legal and cultural … [Read more...]
Enterprise Florida’s International Trade Leads Program: A Great Place to Discover International Business Opportunities.
With the Dow reaching an all-time high today, Americans are feeling a lot better about the state of the economy—more so than they have in nearly a decade. This coincides with a recent Gallup poll that found Americans are also feeling better about international trade. According to the excellent International Economic Law and Policy blog, the latest trend can be attributed … [Read more...]