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Overview
In 2005, the Georgia Department of Economic Development reported that Georgia engaged in over $43 billion worth of trade with its top ten trading countries. As a result of this dynamic growth, companies worldwide are taking greater notice of Georgia and the Southeastern U.S. markets. Likewise, many companies based in Georgia and the surrounding states look abroad for expansion opportunities.

Georgia and the Southeastern United States 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, Tennessee, HBSS has a unique and intimate understanding of these challenges. Our International Law Practice Group attorneys can quickly assemble a team to meet the needs of foreign-based companies in a wide array of areas.

Services
The representation of companies headquartered outside the United States is not limited to entity formation. Foreign companies coming to the United States routinely require assistance in many other legal areas as well. HBSS’ International Practice Group works closely with the firm’s other practice groups to meet the needs of international clients in the following areas:

• Corporate (including structuring United States operations and assistance with mergers & acquisitions)
• Immigration (including non-immigrant and immigrant visas)
• Intellectual Property
• Litigation and Arbitration
• Products Liability
• Employment
• Contracts (including cooperation agreements, joint ventures, distributorship/franchise agreements)
• Operational issues
• Construction
• Transportation

In addition, 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, that includes Germany and other countries of the European union.

Representative Matters
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.

Representative matters include:

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

International Background
Our attorneys include German and French nationals who are licensed to practice in Germany, New York and Georgia. In addition, our administrative staff includes multilingual professionals who can assist with document preparation and communication.

Foreign Languages:

• French
• German
• Russian
• Spanish

Affiliations
With more than 100 attorneys, HBSS’s professionals have a broad network which includes many contacts with national and international lawyers and other professionals. In addition, the firm is part of the following formal networks whose professional members we can also access in order to assist our clients:

• USLAW Network
• Trans European Law Firms Alliance - TELFA