Perkins Coie’s Africa practice attorneys regularly assist U.S., EU, African and other multinational clients. Our experience includes internal investigations, compliance and import/export counseling, corporate, intellectual property and other counseling involving the industries driving the economies of Africa: oil & gas, mining, retail, banking, transportation utilities and infrastructure.
Experience
Investigations, FCPA Counsel and Litigation
FCPA and Global Anti-Corruption Experience – Africa
- Conducted due diligence on an Ethiopia-based company.
- Conducted a compliance investigation and provided compliance advice in, among other countries, South Africa.
- Headed an internal anti-corruption/bribery investigation and set up remedial measures in Ghana for a FORTUNE 200 company.
- Advised in a matter involving allegations of noncompliance and implicating U.S. and local anti-bribery laws in Liberia.
Managed allegations of bribery/corruption in The Republic of Guinea.
Conducted internal investigations of suspected corruption violations in Egypt and provided guidance and counseling in how to avoid them in the future.
Anti-Corruption and Anti-Fraud Monitor
Selected by a Chinese-owned company and approved by the World Bank Group to serve as an anti-corruption and anti-fraud compliance monitor and advisor. In the course of the engagement, we set up a World Bank-approved compliance program for a provisionally debarred company and its subsidiary; conducted on-site interviews and trainings in Botswana, Zimbabwe Zambia, and Lesotho; and provided progress reports and other information to the World Bank
FCPA Anti-Bribery/Corruption in Liberia
Involved in a matter involving allegations of bribery/corruption implicating the FCPA and local anti-bribery laws in Liberia.
Anti-Bribery/Corruption in Republic of Guinea
Managed a matter involving allegations of bribery/corruption in The Republic of Guinea; FCPA, UK Bribery Act and local anti-bribery laws were at issue.
Furfuryl Alcohol from China, Thailand and South Africa
Advised in investigations and administrative and sunset reviews related to furfuryl alcohol from the The People’s Republic of China, Thailand and South Africa.
Garry Struthers Associates Inc. v. Kuehne + Nagel Inc.
Served as lead counsel in defending consumer protection claims against worldwide freight forwarder relating to shipment to Africa. The case settled on the eve of trial.
Finance and Corporate
Sale of Equity Interest in Power Project Developer
Represented a U.S. institutional equity investor in the sale of a portion of its equity interest in a project company developing a power facility in Africa.
Recon International Group
Represent Recon International Group and its subsidiaries in international teaming agreements, commercial contracts and public/private partnerships for the engineering, procurement, construction and management of various infrastructure projects throughout West-Central Africa.
Global Trademark and Copyright Counsel to Electronic Test Tool Company
Providing trademark counsel to the world leader in the manufacture, distribution and service of electronic test tools, biomedical equipment and networking solutions. We have helped the company develop a domestic and international trademark filing and enforcement strategy, with filings for dozens of marks in over 50 countries on six continents. Enforcement actions include trademark oppositions, domain name enforcement actions and copyright infringement actions in multiple countries located in Asia, South America, Africa and Europe and the United States. These enforcement actions have involved customs agencies in a number of countries. In addition, our intellectual property protection counsel has included the registration and protection of product designs, color trademarks and Asian language marks. We have also integrated new marks into the trademark portfolio and registration strategy, and we have recorded ownership changes as the client actively acquires other companies.
Power Plant Development
Assisted in the development of gas-fired or diesel power plants. Representative matters include working for Enron in Africa and the Philippines; Tenaga in Malaysia; VietPower in Vietnam; EGAT in Thailand and Cambodia; and BP's 750 MW cogeneration plant in Cherry Point, Washington.
Pre-Merger Due Diligence
Conducted pre-merger due diligence in, among other countries, the Republic of Guinea, Liberia, and Ethiopia.