International Law

The International Law Group at McNees Wallace & Nurick assists companies from both the United States and abroad with legal and business transactions arising from their competition in the international marketplace. The Group provides sophisticated international legal services for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies engaged in multinational transactions to small and medium-sized businesses working to expand their markets and opportunities abroad.

Our extensive network of local counsel throughout the United States and our connections with international law firms in major foreign markets, attorneys in the International Law Group regularly assist clients in cross-border transactions with businesses in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The group’s attorneys are experienced in the full range of inbound and outbound international legal matters, including:

• Foreign investments in the United States;
• International supply, distribution, agency, and licensing arrangements;
• Global protection of intellectual property, including foreign patent, trademark, and copyright registrations;
• The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;
• International joint ventures, foreign subsidiaries, and branch offices;
• International trade and project finance;
• U.S. export controls
  • International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR);
  • Export Administration Regulations (EAR);
  • Regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC);
• U.S. Customs matters;
• Free trade agreements and treaty analysis;
• International contract disputes;
• International arbitration;
• EU privacy directives;
• International tax considerations;
• Formation and use of IC-DISCs;
• Anti-boycott legislation.

McNees Wallace & Nurick takes a team approach to client service, both in its practice groups and firmwide. Our clients benefit from access not only to the attorneys in the International Law Group and our connections to top-tier international law firms abroad, but also from input and advice as needed from other practice groups such as real estate, corporate, tax, intellectual property, and litigation. Multiple groups can coordinate seamlessly and efficiently to provide for all of our client’s legal service requirements.

Attorneys in the group write and lecture frequently on a variety of international legal topics, including:

• International trade finance;
• NAFTA;
• Selecting foreign representatives;
• The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;
• U.S. export controls;
• International joint ventures;
• Establishing offshore manufacturing facilities;
• Treaties available for extending intellectual property rights abroad, such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty, Madrid Protocol, and Berne Convention.