Overview

In 2007 alone, international trade for the State of Georgia totaled $82.5 billion. – Georgia Department of Economic Development

Many international companies are leveraging the current global economy to expand their overseas presence, grow U.S.-based facilities and subsidiaries and capitalize on trade opportunities. Likewise, many companies based in Georgia and the surrounding states are looking abroad for expansion and investment. With more than 60 official and honorary consulate offices in Georgia, and about 39 bi-national chambers of commerce, Georgia, as well as the Southeastern U.S., is well-positioned for an influx of international trade and business.

However, Georgia and the Southeastern U. S. present distinct cultural, business and legal challenges to any company headquartered outside the U.S. looking to expand its operations. With six offices throughout Georgia, as well as an office in Nashville, TN, HBSS has a unique and intimate understanding of these challenges. The attorneys in our International Practice Group are prepared and meet the needs of foreign-based companies in a wide array of areas, including counsel on mergers and acquisitions and international contract arbitration and immigration services to both U.S. and non-U.S. clients. HBSS attorneys bring extensive experience in addition to international language skills (particularly in French, German, Russian and Spanish) to a wide variety of clients involved in international litigation.

A Partner for the Global Economy
Foreign companies coming to the United States routinely require assistance in many legal areas and HBSS’ International Practice Group offers experienced counsel for global corporations of all sizes, regardless of corporate headquarter location. Given our attorneys’ own international background, we assist clients based in the United States in legal matters involving the laws of foreign countries. In particular, this includes Germany and other countries of the European Union. HBSS International Practice Group attorneys include German and French nationals who are licensed to practice in Germany, New York and Georgia.

Our attorneys have extensive experience working with brokers, underwriters and claim professionals in the international insurance market, particularly with Lloyds of London. Our firm has handled many matters on behalf of various Syndicates at Lloyds, and our attorney's understand how this unique market works. We utilize these long-standing relationships to assist foreign insurers to managing their domestic litigation, as well as assisting domestic clients to gain access to the Lloyds market.

In addition, our administrative staff includes multilingual professionals who can assist with document preparation and communication and we often work closely with the firm’s other practice groups to meet the needs of international clients in the following areas:

• Corporate (structuring U.S. operations and M& A assistance)
• Immigration (non-immigrant and immigrant visas)
• Intellectual Property
• Litigation and Arbitration
• Products Liability
• Employment and Operational Issues
• Contracts (cooperation agreements, joint ventures, distributorship/franchise agreements)
• Construction and Transportation

International Experience
HBSS attorneys have been litigating for international clients and U.S.-based corporations with a global footprint form more than 20 years. Our work with international clients includes structuring legal entities for start-up operations, as well as routinely advising companies with established operations in the United States. Some of HBSS’ International Practice Group’s recent work includes:

• Assisting several German companies in their acquisition of companies based outside Georgia.
• Representation of numerous German, French and other foreign clients in setting up their U.S. operations.
• Assisting an Italian company in its acquisition of a Georgia based manufacturing facility.
• Representation of numerous foreign clients on an on-going basis with respect to their U.S. operations, including general corporate matters, immigration, employment and litigation.