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AI Didn't Replace Lawyers. It Gave Us the 48-Page Contract. In 1972, two lawyers a few years out of school opened a stor...
09/01/2026

AI Didn't Replace Lawyers. It Gave Us the 48-Page Contract. In 1972, two lawyers a few years out of school opened a storefront office in Van Nuys and called it the Legal Clinic of Jacoby and Meyers. Leonard Jacoby and Stephen Meyers were going after the large group of people who earned too much to

The post AI Didn't Replace Lawyers. It Gave Us the 48-Page Contract. appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

AI can draft contracts in seconds. But longer, contradictory agreements can create disputes and more legal work. Why legal judgment still matters.

An NNN Agreement protects sensitive information while you evaluate Chinese factories. After you select the manufacturer,...
08/27/2026

An NNN Agreement protects sensitive information while you evaluate Chinese factories. After you select the manufacturer, a Manufacturing Agreement governs quality, delivery, tooling, IP, and remedies. Here is how the two contracts work together and when one agreement can do both jobs.

The post Do I Need a China NNN Agreement or a China Manufacturing Agreement? Usually Both. appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

Most China manufacturing projects need both an NNN Agreement and a Manufacturing Agreement. Learn when to use each and what each should cover.

A signed investment agreement with a Chinese investor does not guarantee the money will arrive. China’s new outbound inv...
08/26/2026

A signed investment agreement with a Chinese investor does not guarantee the money will arrive. China’s new outbound investment rules make ODI approvals, foreign-exchange compliance, banking procedures, and funding risk central to the deal.

The post China’s New Overseas Investment Rules: Can Your Chinese Investor Actually Get the Money Out? appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

China’s new ODI rules raise a basic deal risk: can your Chinese investor legally move the money out of China and fund the transaction?

Startups cannot protect every trademark, patent, design, and trade secret everywhere at once. The smarter approach is to...
08/24/2026

Startups cannot protect every trademark, patent, design, and trade secret everywhere at once. The smarter approach is to identify what the business cannot afford to lose, focus on the countries that matter most, and build an international IP strategy around revenue, manufacturing, expansion plans, and a realistic budget.

The post International IP Protection for Startups: What to Protect and Where appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

nternational IP protection can drain a startup’s budget. Learn how to prioritize trademarks, patents, trade secrets, contracts, and countries based on where the business actually makes and spends money.

A buyer paid a Yiwu intermediary $147,000. Most of the goods never shipped. Here is why we told the buyer to skip the la...
08/19/2026

A buyer paid a Yiwu intermediary $147,000. Most of the goods never shipped. Here is why we told the buyer to skip the lawsuit and go to the police instead.

The post China Supplier Fraud in Yiwu: Why We Recommended the Police, Not a Lawsuit appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

A China supplier took $142,000 and failed to ship. Why we advised the buyer to pursue a police complaint in China instead of filing suit.

International deals become far more dangerous when the contracts, ownership records, customs filings, or tax documents s...
08/19/2026

International deals become far more dangerous when the contracts, ownership records, customs filings, or tax documents say something different from what actually happened. These real-world cases show why the paperwork matters.

The post The Documents Are the International Deal appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

International deals unravel when the documents do not match the real transaction. Accurate contracts, ownership records, and customs filings matter.

Why it makes sense to use an American lawyer who is fluent in Chinese to handle your China trademark filings.The post Ch...
08/17/2026

Why it makes sense to use an American lawyer who is fluent in Chinese to handle your China trademark filings.

The post China Trademark Registration: Why U.S. Companies Need More Than a Filing Agent appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

If you are a U.S. company registering a trademark in China, you face a basic choice. You can hire a U.S. lawyer who speaks Chinese and has years of experience with China trademarks, or you can go online and find a Chinese lawyer or trademark agent who will charge considerably less. Which should you....

Buying expensive equipment directly from China can save a business substantial money, but the risks rise quickly when th...
08/10/2026

Buying expensive equipment directly from China can save a business substantial money, but the risks rise quickly when the product is customized and the seller already has most of the purchase price. These seven questions help buyers protect themselves before they pay.

The post Buying Expensive Equipment from China: Seven Questions to Answer Before You Pay appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

Buying expensive equipment from China? Learn seven questions to answer before you pay, covering supplier due diligence, testing, payment terms, and contracts.

The Boise Cascade guilty plea shows why opaque DDP shipping can expose U.S. buyers to customs investigations, unpaid dut...
08/07/2026

The Boise Cascade guilty plea shows why opaque DDP shipping can expose U.S. buyers to customs investigations, unpaid duties, penalties, and criminal risk.

The post DDP Shipping Risks: What Boise Cascade’s Guilty Plea Means for U.S. Buyers appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

DDP shipping cannot insulate a buyer from its own conduct. Boise Cascade shows how downstream purchasers can be prosecuted for ignoring signs of illegal importation.

Artwork can cross borders faster than the legal protections behind it. This guide explains how artists can protect owner...
08/06/2026

Artwork can cross borders faster than the legal protections behind it. This guide explains how artists can protect ownership, control overseas production, register key rights, safeguard their names, and respond when galleries, manufacturers, licensees, or counterfeiters misuse their work.

The post Protecting Your Artwork Internationally: What Artists Need to Do Before the Work Travels appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP .

Learn how artists can protect artwork internationally through copyright, contracts, trademarks, customs recordation, and enforcement.

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