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A variety of approaches, from using cloud-based customer relationship management software and generative AI programs to setting up global service centers outside the U.S., can help in-house counsel better serve clients and customers.

Ngosong Fonkem says a balanced approach when discussing wars requires an informed understanding of international humanitarian law as it applies to armed conflicts.

Developing cultural competency is crucial to providing effective counsel to domestic and international businesses. The needs of specific businesses and their stakeholders are informed by their culture(s). Here are tips to develop their cultural competency and emotional intelligence.

Ngosong Fonkem, chair of the State Bar's International Law Section, discusses his path to and the work of providing representation on all aspects of international law to business clients.

Transnational marriage abandonment (TMA) occurs when an abuser abandons their victim-spouse in that victim-spouse’s country of origin, without means to return to the United States. Wisconsin lawyers should familiarize themselves with TMA and be prepared to use innovative legal strategies outlined here to empower survivors. 95 Wis. Law. 22 (November 2022)

Madison attorney Marisol González Castillo talks about achieving one of her dreams: serving the Mexican community in Milwaukee by being a consultant attorney with the Mexican Consulate.

Undoubtedly, the most significant impact of the Russian invasion remains unquestionably the humanitarian crisis it has created. Although the war seemed to have set in motion deglobalization forces that are disrupting global trade, a full demise ofglobalization as has been predicted is not likely. Instead, the more likely impact of the ongoing seismic trade shifts is a recalibration of engagement from North America and Western Europe away from Eurasia to other Global South regions such as Africa an

Lawyers working on international projects – here or abroad – can further U.S. foreign policy and enhance national security. John Vaudreuil discusses his experience with "micro-diplomacy."

A judgment entered by a Mexican court against a Wisconsin couple who defaulted on a loan is enforceable in state court, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled.

As the end of the London Interbank Offered Rate draws near, market participants should consider available alternative reference rates. The Bloomberg Short-Term Bank Yield Index (BSBY) is emerging as a contender. Patricia Lane, Louis Wahl IV, and Corrie Osborne discuss two possible replacements: the Secured Overnight Financing Rate and BSBY.

The DTSA has provided trade secret owners with a federal private cause of action and enhanced protections that reach beyond state lines. Still, it has fallen short on its promise of national uniformity. This progress report examines whether the DTSA has lived up to its proponents’ aspirations and how it has affected trade secret litigation nationally and in Wisconsin.

Although there may seem to be no neutral position when discussing recent U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Ngosong Fonkem discusses an approach based on public international law principles.

The Biden administration is pursuing a human rights-focused foreign policy, which will affect Wisconsin businesses engaged in international trade. Read how companies can protect themselves from the increased trade measures ensuing from this policy shift.

The recent 2021 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers reveals important insights regarding U.S. trade policy focus under the Biden Administration. Ngosong Fonkem discusses the report and why U.S. companies with footprints in China should be on alert.

How would a human rights-centered foreign policy impact U.S. businesses engaged in international trade? Ngosong Fonkem discusses compliance challenges and how companies can protect themselves from the inevitable increased trade measures that would ensue ensue from the policy shift.

Famous for dairy and agriculture, Wisconsin also hosts strong business leaders in a variety of areas attractive to foreign investors. Bethany Wilson offers a quick guide to foreign direct investment in Wisconsin.

International commercial arbitration is increasingly important for U.S. lawyers and their clients, including those in Wisconsin. A particular sticking point is discovery, procedures for which differ within and outside the United States.

With tensions at a high level between U.S. and China regarding trade practices, a new Chinese export control law begins Dec. 1. Ngosong Fonkem discusses the status of the trade tensions between the two countries, and why U.S. businesses should pay attention to the new regulation.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has established a new mandatory internet-based electronic registration and lottery process for employers seeking to file H-1B petitions. Benjamin Kurten outlines the process, which starts March 1.

Many U.S. companies may be unaware of the cost savings and other benefits from taking advantage of foreign trade zone programs. Ngosong Fonkem discusses how the programs can be an effective strategy for companies seeking to adapt to ever-changing trade environment.

With the current trade war, companies should implement proactive strategies to tackle challenges that impact their global supply chain. Ngosong Fonkem discusses the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill process and how it can be an effective proactive strategy. Act quickly – the deadline to apply is Dec. 10.

Many countries around the world are taking important steps toward safeguarding their senior population through laws, policies, and programs. Law student Jamie Lumsden provides an overview of programs for seniors in Germany, Japan, and South Africa.

With tariffs and international trade in the news on a nightly basis, clients are paying close attention to the impact tariffs have on their business – especially if any of their supply chain relies on imports from abroad. Collin F. Schaefer encourages lawyers to take an important first step to helping those clients by learning to understand the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.

International pro bono projects help advance the rule of law, build relationships that help the United States, and are personally enriching. John Vaudreuil discusses the benefits of international pro bono work.

Despite its proximity and long history of complicated interactions with the United States, Cuba still is a stranger to many U.S. citizens. A State Bar-sponsored trip in February helps dispel some of the mystery for a group of Wisconsin lawyers.

Bethany Nelson explains any time a client has controlled items, technology, or data, proper measures must be taken to ensure that any foreign persons' access is authorized by law. More clients may be subject to regulation than you might expect.

In 2021, the London Interbank Offered Rate – the benchmark reference rate that underpinned hundreds of trillions of dollars of finance contracts for three decades – will no longer be used. Patricia Lane and Louis Wahl IV discuss the cessation of what has been called “the world’s most important number,” and offer recommendations for addressing its cessation in credit agreements, securities, and other finance contracts.

In 2018, the Trump Administration resurrected a 40-year-old statutory provision, resulting in increased tariffs on a diverse array of products – from machinery to garlic. Andrew T. Schutz discusses the past and present use of Section 301 of the Tariff Act of 1974.

When companies manufacture products in foreign markets, they need to adapt to the ever-changing global trade environment. Ngosong Fonkem’s recent data analysis of country-of-origin determination cases by the U.S. Custom and Border Protection reveals key factors for companies seeking to make the most of trade preference programs.

While Brazil’s legislatures and courts have made slow progress in addressing LGBT rights, the recent election of Jair Bolsonaro may change that. Helena Mietka discusses the election’s potential impact.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement awaits ratification by the U.S. Congress. Yet, some believe that the USMCA is simply a modernization rather than a complete overhaul of NAFTA. Ngosong Fonkem discusses key areas of difference between the two agreements.

Join your colleagues this February and gain a greater understanding of Cuba's legal, political, and economic cultures as you earn CLE in Cuba. Sign up by Oct. 5.

The EU’s new data privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation, represents far-reaching changes that make it one of the strictest in the world. Randal Brotherhood discusses this new law and why U.S. businesses need to pay attention to it.

The increasing number and severity of worksite enforcement actions by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations is a serious wake-up call for employers – but it is challenging for employers to fully comply with immigration rules for hiring and employment. Benjamin Kurten outlines the steps that employers can take to ensure they employ only those authorized to work in the U.S.

Cybersecurity is essential to keeping the internet open, free, and secure, especially on a global level. Matthew Koch and Kelly Krause discuss the current state of global cybersecurity efforts and issues.

She is the only foreign lawyer to have a practice in Afghanistan. Drawn to the country for what was to be a short stint, she has stayed because of her passion for contributing to the country's justice system and individuals' human rights.

One of Wisconsin's biggest trading partners is the European Union. Make sure your clients are complying with the General Data Protection Regulation, which will affect businesses and their customers far beyond Europe's shores.

With the U.S. intensifying its efforts to prosecute trade law violations, Wisconsin companies with international ties need to keep an eye on the impact enforcement actions may have on their businesses. Ngosong Fonkem discusses this policy shift and its impact in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin legal professionals respond to a request to assist their counterparts in the Republic of Armenia. Here's how they will help refine a justice system 6,000 miles from Wisconsin.

Wisconsin lawyer Cynthia Hirsch talks about her experience in Liberia, traveling with Lawyers Without Borders to help Liberian prosecutors, defenders, and judges better implement Liberia’s new anti-human trafficking law. Join her on April 19 as she gives a talk on her experiences at the U.W. Law School.

June 4, 2014 – A U.S. person or entity must disclose foreign bank accounts by June 30 every year if the account or accounts exceeded $10,000 during the year. In this article, Madison attorney Frederic Behrens discusses why reporting foreign bank accounts just became very important.

Many Wisconsin companies have operations in China or do business with companies based in China. United States companies have been litigants in a variety of cases – from antitrust litigation involving retail price maintenance to product liability, trade disparagement, unfair competition, and contractual disputes – and numbers of cases are trending as the Chinese market matures. Learn about the differences between the Chinese and American legal systems to prepare you for litigation in China.

Help the State Bar of Wisconsin send a bill to the governor’s desk, which would return first-time, nonviolent 17-year-old offenders to juvenile court jurisdiction.

A company doing business outside the United States might be tempted to rely on the knowledge of local business people and agents, but doing so without caution and policies in place might result in the company violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act – a U.S. law that bars bribing foreign officials.

Oct. 3, 2012 – Wisconsin will join four other states that let graduates of foreign law schools sit for a bar exam after completing a qualifying LL.M. program in the U.S. Those foreign graduates without an LL.M. can still take the bar exam only if specific requirements are met. This article explains the details.

April 6, 2011 – American victims of a 1997 terrorist attack in Israel recently lost an early appeals battle to satisfy a $71.5 million judgment obtained against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Secret offshore accounts – especially Swiss bank accounts – have a certain cachet, having become synonymous with glamour, financial sophistication, and international intrigue. Following the U.S. Justice Department’s 2009 settlement with the United Bank of Switzerland, increased state and federal enforcement efforts against such accounts might dampen their allure.

May 6, 2009 – Last year’s rampant flooding in Wisconsin pointed out a need that this program is designed to meet. Attend an afternoon of free training from 12:30 to 4:10 p.m. on May 21 in Madison to educate lawyers about common legal issues faced by victims of a natural disaster. Hear legal services professionals from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, as well as private practitioners discuss how disasters af

April 15, 2009 – The next time you plan to attend a State Bar seminar, you can add it to your electronic calendar when you register by using WisBar’s new “Add to My Calendar” feature. Once you have registered, click the “Add to My Calendar” hyperlink. You will receive an email notification of your event with instructions on how to save the event to your electronic calendar. The feature works for Outlook and Google users.

Apirl 15, 2009 – Did you know that the State Bar of Wisconsin is the official record keeper for agencies that regulate the practice of law in Wisconsin? That means, when your State Bar member record is out of date or incorrect, it affects more than just the Bar. It could affect communications from the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation, Board of Bar Examiners, and Wisconsin Supreme Court.

April 15, 2009 – Today, our country is experiencing one of the most troubling economic periods since the Great Depression, and the legal profession is not immune from the effects. These difficult times make finding cost-effective ways to connect with paying clients more important than ever.

April 15, 2009 – The State Bar Practice411™ Breakfast & Business: Eggs, Ethics and Answers series will be presented on April 22 in Platteville and June 17 in Pembine. Pembine program information is not yet available. Pembine is conveniently located about an hour and a half from Rhinelander, Green Bay, and Marinette, and about a half hour from Iron Mountain, Mich. Both seminars, presented in two sessions, will begin with a hot breakfast at 8:15 a.m. and conclude at 11:15 a.m.

March 18, 2009, – Today, our country is experiencing one of the most troubling economic periods since the Great Depression, and the legal profession is not immune from the effects. These difficult times make finding cost-effective resources to connect with paying clients more important than ever.

Beginning Jan. 20, all non-immigrant visa applicants with an appointment at the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico will be required to use the DS-160 electronic NIV application form available at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv, according to the consulate.

Three young Wisconsin attorneys work as teachers and mentors to help strengthen the rule of law in Afghanistan.

Madison winters aren't cold enough for attorney Jim Troupis so he is heading to Siberia. Troupis of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP will teach the rule of law and litigation in the American legal system to law students at Baikal State University of Economics & Law in Irkutsk, Russia, from mid April to early May.

More than 5,300 lawyers, judges, law office support staff, and court personnel subscribe to the State Bar's CaseLaw Express. This free weekly email service keeps members abreast of recent cases that have been added to WisBar's case law archives. Recently redesigned, the new format is easier to scan, saving subscribers valuable time.

Glossary of key international law key terms.

As Wisconsin's presence in the global economy grows, lawyers representing clients in international commerce, and lawyers involved in resolving international commercial disputes, must be prepared to operate under a body of law that differs from the more familiar Uniform Commercial Code.

In an opinion issued on July 7, Grant County Department of Social Services v. Unified Board, the Wisconsin Supreme Court adopted a series of standards for Wisconsin courts to follow when considering transfer of interstate guardianships to avoid conflicting with current state residency laws.