SeiferFlatow, PLLC has built a strong reputation in the Charlotte business community for aggressive, yet practical, advocacy through years of experience representing small and mid-sized businesses in all of their legal needs. While our firm is best known for litigation work and excellence in the courtroom, many may not realize we offer a full suite of corporate transactional services, including legal work for international businesses in Charlotte, as well. We have a strong contract drafting team that can handle anything from company formation to complex contracts and advanced shareholder issues.

We take pride in our practical approach, which essentially means that we do not charge for and produce a fifteen-page document when a two-page document does the job. Our clients love this approach as it reduces costs and simplifies contracts with plain speak language which is easily understood by those outside the legal profession. When a company hands a prospective employee or vendor a twelve-page document in legalese, there is a natural distrust and apprehension. However, our clients get strong feedback from employees and vendors regarding our straightforward, easy-to-read documents.

Clients retaining our services rest easy knowing we will alert them to potential concerns and changing legislation, and if an unexpected legal need arises which results in litigation, we do not refer their case. SeiferFlatow, PLLC is, first and foremost, a litigation firm.

With that said, a potentially lesser-known aspect of our business law practice is our long-standing and deep relationship with companies and executives from Central Europe and Canada. This niche market stems from the high concentration of companies and employees with international ties living in North Carolina. Our business attorneys’ experience and advocacy, paired with companies who need sharp eyes on their international business, makes our firm a natural fit for companies with US operations and dealings. Historically, most of our international client base comes from Germany, the Netherlands and Canada.
According to one study by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, there are 209 German-owned firms doing business in Charlotte, accounting for over 50,000 employees in the US. The same study shows 101 Canadian companies and 50 Dutch companies in operating Charlotte.

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International companies doing business in the United States, and specifically in the Carolinas, hire firms like ours to ensure their US workforce is in compliance with local, state, and federal laws. We often draft employment agreements, non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, independent contractor agreements, vendor agreements, trade secret/confidentiality agreements, and many others. Beyond writing the policies and documents, we also pursue litigation to enforce the company’s rights should one of these agreements be violated.

Another problem facing international companies is the possibility of being sued in the United States by an employee, customer, vendor, or even the United States Government. The worst thing a company can do in this situation is ignore the problem. If a default judgment is entered, the adversary may start attaching the company’s US property and assets. As an international business, you have unique rights and defenses that may not be available to US-based companies when sued.

If you’re currently facing a US-based lawsuit as an international company, contact an experienced international business attorney as soon as possible to discuss the specifics of your situation and devise the best possible plan for a solution.

Our law practice focuses on both sides of the employee-employer divide. We often help US-based executives who work for international companies. These employees are often expected to sign contracts that are different than standard US-based contracts. There are complex taxation questions, heightened confidentiality issues, and a tangled web of insurance options that need to be discussed. If the US-based employee is not a citizen of the United States, there are additional issues that come up such as work visas and deciding which country to pay appropriate taxes and received insurance.