China Law Blog

On October 23 and 24, The Seminar Group will be putting on its second annual conference on Doing Business in China and Other Asian Nations at the Renaissance Hotel at 515 Madison Street, Seattle, Washington.

The conference's goal is to provide an opportunity to "meet, hear from and ask questions of people who know from personal experience how business there [in Asia] gets done and how the systems work."

Faculty and guest speakers at the conference include:

• Franklin L. Dennis of Barokas Martin & Tomlinson
• Brian W. Esler of Miller Nash, LLP
• Starr M. Tavenner, Director of China Programs, Boeing Commercial Airplanes and a director of the Washington State China Relations Council.
• Chris K. Beer, President of Media Lead, LLC, a mobile games and media publisher and distributor.
• Robert Chang of Omikron IP Law. 
• Michael A. Craig, President of Certech International, Inc. a consulting firm engaged in pollution control services and sales.
• Bob Erwin, a Licensed Customs House Broker with Robert E. Landweer & Company, Inc. 
• William "Skip" Fisher of Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, PC.
• Warren H. Gross, Managing Director & President of the Export Finance Assistance Center of Washington.
• Thomas Hartley of Regal Financial Bank. 
• Kellie Holloway, a Commercial Officer with the US Commercial Service, US Department of Commerce.  She manages the recently launched China Business Information Center.
• R. Craig Holman, an attorney with The Boeing Company. 
• Candice E. Kim of Miller Nash, LLP
• Merton E. Marks, an arbitrator and mediator in commercial disputes "involving international interests."
• Diane Mooney, Director of The Seattle US Export Assistance Center, US Department of Commerce. 
• Charles F. Payne, President and Chairman of Chi-square Technologies, LLC, an electronic medical card provider. 
• Son Michael Pham, Principal of US-Asia Gateway, LLC, an international consulting service focused on Southeast Asia.
• John F. Pierce of Stoel Rivers, LLP.
• Peter Sakurai, President of Asia Pacific Operations for Media Lead, LLC.
• William B. Stafford, President of the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle.

• Exporting to Asia: How the Department of Commerce Can Help
• Manufacturing/Selling Your Product in China
• Financing Your Foreign Trade
• Construction Opportunities in China
• Arbitration and Mediation of Business Disputes in Asia
• Protecting Your Intellectual Property in Asia
• Doing Business in Vietnam
• Doing Business in Korea
• Doing Business in Japan
• Doing Business in Thailand
• Social Norms in Doing Business in Asia:China; Japan; Vietnam; Malaysia; Thailand; Korea
• Communications Opportunities in Asia
• Fostering Asian Trade Opportunities Through Local Initiatives
• Recent Developments and Impediments to Doing Business in Asia
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Other Ethical Issues Concerning Doing Business in Asia
• Getting Products In and Out of Asia

I know two of the speakers quite well and think the world of both of them.  Skip Fisher is a fine lawyer who truly knows China technology licensing issues.  He is also an excellent speaker.  My firm has worked with Son Michael Pham and I can attest to him being a dynamo.  He is President of the Greater Seattle Vietnam Association and when I was interviewed by Worth Magazine last month, I gave my interviewee Mr. Pham's name as someone with whom she must talk.  Among other things, Mr. Pham is also co-President of the Seattle-Haiphong Sister City Association and the founder of Kids Without Borders.  More recently, Son Michael has been involved in efforts to clean up the cruise ship industry.

Though I am not personally  acquainted with the other speakers, I am aware of most of the companies from which they come and can vouch for their strong involvement with Asia.  I am, however, a bit concerned there are too many disparate topics at this seminar to pull everything together.  But, I will be attending and will report back.