International Law
Pioneering global markets, protecting global interests.
Perkins Coie has a long history of active participation in the growth of the global economy.
For over a decade, we have worked with domestic and international clients to pioneer international markets and projects, including joint ventures, overseas investments, exporting and importing, protection of intellectual property, immigration, taxation, antitrust and finance.
Our lawyers have worked in a broad spectrum of international markets, including Japan, the People’s Republic of China, India, Korea, Southeast Asia, Canada, the European Union and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Mexico, the Mercosur countries, Chile, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. We represent our clients before the World Trade Organization, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the World Bank, regional development banks, and other national and international agencies.
We participate in international arbitrations and other forums for the resolution of disputes in markets throughout the world. Perkins Coie is a member of the Interlex Group, an international network of leading law firms that cooperate to provide a complete range of international legal and business services to clients.
We also represent overseas companies seeking to invest and participate in U.S. markets. We assist them in complying with federal, state and local laws, and treaties to which the United States is a party. In addition to trade, we handle a broad range of legal issues—from corporate transactions and immigration to environmental, construction, employment and litigation. Our firm encourages our lawyers to connect to the world economy through individual activities and skills. Our lawyers serve on many governmental and nonprofit boards involved in the formulation of public international policies. We also maintain fluency in several languages, including Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and Shanghainese), Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Swedish and Thai.
How we help clients
- Joint ventures
- Overseas investments
- Exporting and importing
- Protection of intellectual property
- Immigration
- Taxation
- Antitrust
- Finance
- Dispute resolution
Immigration
Businesses depend on our Immigration practice to develop customized immigration strategies, programs, and processes that enable multinational companies to effectively manage their foreign national workforce and ensure their operations comply with immigration laws. Our lawyers are distinguished by their comprehensive approach, acting as advisors to companies in securing work authorizations for essential personnel including executives and high-level individuals, and defending against compliance and litigation challenges from U.S. regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
Our team’s services include the following:
- Securing work authorizations, including H-1B, L, TN, E, O visas, and PERM labor certifications, for U.S. companies to employ foreign nationals as managers, professionals, and specialized employees.
- Representing clients in employment-based immigrant petitions and applications for permanent residence, while facilitating temporary work authorizations and permanent residency for employees in the United States.
- Assisting foreign companies with the strategic transfer of employees to the United States, ensuring a smooth transition and integration.
- Providing authoritative counsel on compliance with regulations from USCIS, ICE, CBP, DOS, and DOL, including advice on Form I-9 employment verification rules.
- Conducting comprehensive I-9 and other compliance audits, offering robust support during audits and investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Leveraging in-depth knowledge to navigate the complex immigration processes of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of State, and U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.
- Advising clients on a broad spectrum of immigration compliance issues to ensure readiness and compliance in the face of potential complaints or investigations.
- Crafting precise immigration sponsorship policies tailored to meet the specific needs of each client.