Practice Areas

Business Law Under One Roof

ADWA Law Firms offer you as local partners need-based, efficient and practical support for your legal concerns over the full spectrum of business law in Asia.

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    Labor Law and Compliance

    We offer support in drafting employment and service agreements as well as supplementary agreements for your employees, directors and members of the management or supervisory board. Conversely, we advise and represent international companies when terminating contracts of posted or local managers who commonly have complex contracts resulting from their working in different parts of the world. Aside from German labor law, often local labor law is applied.

    We also draft or review of codes of conduct, compliance manuals and labor law manuals, while taking into account intercultural specificities. ADWA Law Firms offer employee trainings regarding these matters and assist companies with the setup of Asia-wide compliance hotlines, through which whistleblower reports can be handled in a structured manner.

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    Foreign Investments

    We offer support during the planning and implementation of a variety of investment projects, considering national investment funding programs and managing in a timely manner all stages of authorization typically needed in the industry sector concerned.

    In addition to tax-favorable concepts, strategic counselling includes customized advice in countries with legal investment restrictions.

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    International Commercial and Company Law

    Starting from trade and corporate law as well as antitrust law, ADWA Law Firms’ expertise covers the whole spectrum of economic and legal subjects that result from an increasingly complex, competitive and more regulated business environment.

    Our main practice areas are:

    • Foreign investments in one or more target countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

    • Development and build-up of industrial projects including joint ventures.

    • Negotiations and assistance concerning investment projects with third-party companies, government authorities and private investors.

    • Technology transfer and licensing projects in all areas of intellectual property law.

    • Counselling regarding all legal aspects concerning the establishment of production facilities and turn-key-projects.

    • Legal support and structuring when initiating and implementing business development projects.

    • Planning and implementation of legal risk management and strategic hedging.

    • Antitrust evaluation of planned projects.

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    Mergers & Acquisitions (M&As)

    We offer identification of suitable acquisition candidates in one or more Asian country. This involves support during the preparation of feasibility studies, conduct of due diligence, sales negotiations, drafting and conclusion of sales contracts and closing, as well as handling all related legal questions and formalities. ADWA Law Firms provide Asia-wide post-merger support in order to coordinate necessary restructuring following the sale or merger of a company.

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    Contract Drafting

    ADWA Lawyers have a special expertise in drafting, negotiating and implementing the following types of contract:

    • agency agreement,

    • asset purchase agreement,

    • compliance agreement,

    • co-marketing agreement,

    • confidentiality agreement/non-disclosure agreement,

    • co-promotion agreement,

    • consulting agreement,

    • co-operation agreement,

    • copyright and intellectual property rights agreement,

    • distribution agreement,

    • employment agreement,

    • joint venture agreement,

    • know-how transfer agreement,

    • lease agreement,

    • licensing agreement,

    • management agreement,

    • manufacturing agreement,

    • members agreement,

    • option agreement,

    • pool agreement,

    • registration agreement,

    • release (settlement & release) agreement,

    • secrecy agreement,

    • service agreement,

    • severance payment agreement,

    • shareholders agreement,

    • share purchase agreement,

    • share purchase agreement,

    • sponsoring agreement,

    • stock option agreement,

    • teaming agreement,

    • technology transfer agreement,

    • and many other agreements.

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    Product Liability and Regulatory Approval

    ADWA Law Firms comprehensively support producers and distributors in cases of product liability, from the coordination of recalls, to talks with affected customers and insurers, to settlement negotiations and court proceedings. ADWA Law Firms have a network of technical and commercial experts, enabling them to defend clients against unjustified claims and to coordinate the handling of justified claims fast and silently in nearly every industry sector. We also support producers during approval procedures, inter alia in the fields of medical technology, pharmacy and in the food industry regarding labeling and approval requirements.

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    Arbitration and Mediation

    ADWA Lawyers have a profound expertise in international arbitration. The contact person of ADWA Singapore, Dr. Andreas Respondek, is a qualified Chartered Arbitrator (FCIArb). As a highly experienced arbitration expert, he coordinates all arbitration proceedings for the team of ADWA Lawyers in Asia. Dr. Respondek regularly gets appointed to sit as the presiding, sole or associate judge in the arbitration panels of the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, TAI and other arbitration courts in international arbitration proceedings including ad hoc proceedings. Most of the ADWA Lawyers are members of the major local and/or international arbitration panels.

    For the purpose of efficient conflict resolution, ADWA Lawyers provide intensive support in settlement negotiations with contract partners as well as with stockholders, government institutions, investors or executives. Aside from their legal knowledge, ADWA Lawyers apply their intercultural competence and language skills in a problem-solving manner. Being experienced intermediaries between cultures, they are able to work strategically towards the right solution. Their experience also helps during formal mediation proceedings if such proceedings are selected by the parties.

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Industries

We understand your business

ADWA Lawyers have experience in all relevant industry sectors and know about the special requirements of each target country.

  • Capital Goods Industry

    For the mechanical engineering and plant building industry, Asia is not only an important sales market but also a production site and procurement market. Strategic decisions in terms of place of business should be made taking into consideration Asia as a whole in order to locate production facilities in the best country to ensure success in the markets of the region. ADWA Law Firms compare the legal framework for investments and imports regarding each potential business location as part of their joint project coordination services. Legal support already begins with the project planning, be it for a green field production plant or strategic acquisition of a local production company.

  • Automotive Industry

    ADWA Law Firms have profound knowledge in the support of German suppliers to automotive groups in Asia, especially in Japan and Korea. The same applies to regular and made-to-order production, particularly in China and Thailand, but also in other Asian countries. Most notably, electric and connected cars are currently changing the automotive industry fundamentally. Not only Japan and China, but also Korea, have adjusted their course in this regard, which requires European producers and suppliers to participate actively in the development of the Asian market.

  • Aviation Industry

    The aviation industry in the Far East is growing faster than in Europe. Producers and suppliers are getting pressed more and more to invest in production and development on-site in Asia. Legal protection against technology outflow is one of the bigger challenges in this industry sector.

  • Chemical Industry

    From metal refining to specialty chemicals, Asia’s economy needs European chemical products. This industry sector often requires surmounting legal challenges to the establishment of on-site production.

  • Healthcare Industry

    East Asia is facing a dramatic demographic change, especially Japan and South Korea. The need for innovative solutions in the healthcare sector is high. In addition, the beauty industry is booming in all over Asia. Medical technology, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals as well as cosmetics require qualified legal supervision when it comes to the complex approval procedures regarding distribution licenses, product authorization and support with regard to product liability.

  • Information Technology and Telecommunication

    Asia considers Germany a model when it comes to production-related IT solutions, or “Industry 4.0.” Innovative software solutions for consumers as end-users have a big market potential as well. ADWA Law Firms support you with the drafting of licensing agreements and the adjustment of terms and conditions to local law.

  • Consumer Goods and Food

    Favoring a Western lifestyle, the Asian middle class focuses on European consumer brands, for which very prestigious consumer markets have developed in Asia. The markets are especially booming in the apparel and leisure industry, for outdoor and sports utilities as well as in the food sector.

  • Service Industry, Transport and Logistics

    We offer support during insurance supervision proceedings and the drafting of insurance contracts. We help with authorization procedures in all areas of the logistics industry including forwarding.

  • Strategic Investments and Logistics

    The Asian energy sector and the tourism industry are becoming more and more attractive for strategic investments. ADWA Law Firms provide legal support in the early stages of choosing a project, accessing infrastructure and the public utilities network as well as making the necessary property investments.