THE INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM
In 1977, Elting Arnold and Maurice Wolf, former General Counsel and Senior Counsel respectively, of the Inter-American Development Bank, perceived the need for high-quality, cost-effective, legal services for business and investment-oriented transactions which crossed national borders. Accordingly, they established this firm, which now has more than 30 years of experience in providing such international legal services.
While the emphasis originally was on Latin America and the Caribbean, it was evident that the need for such specialized international legal services was as great in other regions of the world, particularly Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. We now service our clients’ trans-national legal requirements in all these and most other areas of the world.
Our objective is to facilitate our clients’ international business objectives, to advise the client on legal issues, especially the avoidance of potential obstacles, and to resolve problems, by providing the client with high-quality, cost-effective, legal services both in the United States and overseas.
The firm pioneered in the development of cross-border law firm networks and effective interface with associated law firms in the countries where our clients require legal services. Thus, the need for clients to directly retain local foreign counsel is substantially reduced. We provide this service in more than 20 countries in collaboration with associated firms.
The firm also employs, or has available by contract, foreign attorneys in the US, enabling the firm to provide clients promptly with high quality, up-to date, accurate advice for transactions in many countries at considerable less cost than would otherwise be possible.
Our clients’ international transactions are facilitated by our capability to assist in sourcing and negotiating financing; providing advice and assistance on joint-ventures and other strategic or contractual relationships, acquisitions, mergers, licensing, franchising and other international business operations and projects; aiding with US and foreign governmental and other regulatory requirements, privatization policies and procedures, international telecommunications transactions; import, export and other trade issues, both on the national and international level and working with WTO, NAFTA and other regional trade arrangements; dispute avoidance procedures, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as well as providing virtually all other necessary legal services required by a client to properly undertake business activities outside the United States and/or with foreign partners in the U.S.
Our Practice Areas Include:
- INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, CORPORATE & FINANCE LAW
- Foreign investment, financing of overseas operations and transactions, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, establishment of foreign branches, Commercial sales contracts, transfer of technology, export, import, employment agreements, franchise agreements, licensing agreements, agency agreements, countertrade.
- INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- Structure transactions, and financing, privatizations, procurements, representation for international regulatory matters concerning telecommunications, satellite communications, Internet and all other communication services.
- PRIVATIZATION OF STATE ENTERPRISES
- Selling existing state owned facilities. transferring control of facilities, licensing concessions, franchising, BOT, structuring transactions, consulting and negotiating.
- INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT
- Preparing bids, consultations on qualifications, applications, bids, negotiating with governments and other entities, structuring transactions, filing and challenging protests as well as other administrative representation.
- INTERNATIONAL BANKING
- Investment banking, establishing offshore corporations, trusts, not-for-profit organizations, negotiating and structuring transactions, drafting agreements , reviewing regulations, evaluating investment partners.
ARBITRATION- Mediation, negotiation, drafting arbitration and mediation clauses, serving on arbitration panels, enforcing or vacating arbitration awards, International Centre for the settlement of Investment Disputes [ICSID], UNCITRAL, AAA, ICC, London Court of International Arbitration and other organizations, Advise and assist in international trade disputes under WTO, WIPO, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, CARICOM, the GATT etc.
- INTERNATIONAL TAX
- Consultations, audits, analysis, advise on tax treaties, provide analysis on tax implications in structuring transactions, trust and estate maters involving multinational jurisdictions, transfer pricing review, tax regulation, compliance programs.
CUSTOMS & INTERNATIONAL TRADE- Customs compliance programs, tailored customs manuals, mock audits, line reviews, protests, petitions, customs valuations, transfer pricing analysis,ruling requests, trademark infringement matters, detentions, seizures, draft buying agent agreements, origin determination matters, marking issues, drawback, carnet, free trade zone and sub-zone consulting, harbor maintenance tariff refunds, NAFTA, American-Israel Free Trade, MERCOSUR, antidumping, countervailing duty reviews and litigation, legislative reviews, seminars.
