Celebrating 120 Years

INTERNATIONAL TRADE
& CROSS-BORDER BUSINESS

• Advising U.S. companies involved in foreign direct investment in Mexico (and other foreign countries), e.g., establishing foreign entities, maquiladora operations, shelter agreements, international contract manufacturing agreements, and other international agreements
• Advising U.S. companies and individuals that wish to invest in, purchase, or lease real estate in Mexico
• Structuring, negotiating and documenting international mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures involving companies from the U.S., Mexico, and other countries around the world
• Structuring, negotiating and documenting international distributorship, franchise and joint venture transactions
• Advising U.S. companies in the protection of intellectual property rights abroad
• Structuring, negotiating, and documenting cross-border lending transactions
• International tax planning
• Structuring, negotiating, and documenting international sales of goods and services
• Working closely with foreign legal counsel, international corporations, and banking and financial institutions worldwide and, when appropriate, with officials and agencies of the U.S. and foreign governments to assist companies involved in foreign operations

• Advising foreign (non-U.S.) companies and individuals wishing to invest in and establish foreign-owned U.S. entities
• Advising foreign (non-U.S.) companies and individuals that wish to invest in, purchase, or lease real estate in the U.S.
• Advising and assisting foreign (non-U.S.) companies and individuals in registering U.S. trademarks/service marks
• International tax planning advice and U.S. tax issues pertaining to foreign (non-U.S.) companies and individuals
• Structuring, negotiating and documenting international mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures including cross-border transactions involving companies from the U.S., Mexico, and other countries
• Advising and assisting foreign (non-U.S.) companies and individuals in connection with distribution, licensing, franchising, and joint venture arrangements
• Advising on and negotiating lending and financing agreements
• Advising and assisting in various other types of foreign investment structures in the U.S.

• Advising on classification, valuation, country-of-origin marking, substantial transformation, preferential duty, and drawback issues dealing with imports
• Advising on NAFTA issues and on other international trade treaties
• Representing clients before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in connection with seizure of goods

• Advising U.S. companies and individuals on the complex laws and regulations governing the export of goods and technology from the U.S.
• Handling of matters related to export licensing, compliance, and enforcement under the Export Administration Regulations, the International Traffic in Arms Regulation, and the regulations of the Office of Foreign Assets Control
• Advising on classification, valuation and country-of-origin marking issues related to exports
• Developing Export Compliance Manuals for U.S. exporters
• Representing clients before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Commerce (Bureau of Industry and Security) in connection with seizure of goods and issues with U.S. export laws

• Advising foreign and U.S. companies and individuals on international trade strategies
• Providing extensive policy and legal advice to U.S. and foreign companies with respect to WTO and other international rules affecting trade and investment
• Advising U.S. and foreign companies on treaties and other international trade laws affecting the companies' imports and exports

• Obtain non-immigrant business visas and immigrant visas, such as work visas and lawful permanent residence for foreign nationals the companies wish to employ
• Establish family-based lawful permanent residence
• Achieve U.S. citizenship

• Counsel to U.S. subsidiary of one of the largest electronics company in the world in the establishment of logistics operations in Texas and Mexico
• Counsel to a U.S. company in the formation of a company in Mexico for the sale of oil lubricants to businesses throughout Mexico
• Counsel to a U.S. company in the formation of a company in Mexico for the sale of medical equipment in Mexico
• Counsel to a U.S. company in the establishment of maquiladora (manufacturing) operations in Texas and Mexico
• Counsel to many U.S. companies in shelter agreements and contract manufacturing agreements to allow the U.S. company to do business in Mexico without establishing direct operations (permanent establishment) in Mexico
• Counsel to restaurant franchisor from Mexico in establishing and selling restaurants franchises throughout the United States
• Counsel to large packaging/pallet business from Mexico in the formation of a company in and the establishment of operations in Texas
• Counsel to a U.S. company in the acquisition of manufacturing plants in Mexico with financing obtained from U.S. lenders.
• Counsel to Buyer in the acquisition of several multimillion dollar manufacturing, packaging and logistics businesses with operations in the U.S. and Mexico (maquiladora operations).
• Counsel to Seller in a $71.1 million dollar sale of its business with operations in the U.S. and maquiladora operations in Mexico.
• Counsel to Seller in a $16 million dollar sale of its packaging business with operations in the U.S. and maquiladora operations in Mexico.
• Counsel to several Mexican transport partnerships on international tax matters, tax treaty questions, compliance issues with U.S. taxing authorities, and legal issues arising from transactions with U.S.-based related parties.
• Counsel to clients having interests in a Cypriot shipping enterprise on international tax matters and U.S. tax compliance issues.
• Successfully obtained reductions with respect to Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) withholding on multi-million dollar dispositions of U.S. real property by foreign nationals and corporations from Panama and Mexico.
• Counsel to international clients on choice-of-entity and tax issues for inbound U.S. investments, and organizes their business entities in Texas and other states.

KEY CONTACTS