Dorsey & Whitney Expands "China Initiative" Task Force

Multi-disciplinary team helps navigate enforcement environment

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that it has expanded its “China Initiative” Task Force to provide bilingual legal assistance to research institutions, their faculty members and other clients in navigating the U.S. government’s enforcement actions under the ”China Initiative.”

The Department of Justice’s “China Initiative” prioritizes U.S. government enforcement actions against Chinese companies and persons doing business in the U.S. or partnering with U.S. companies and universities, as well as individual researchers and scientists with ties to China. The focus of this DOJ initiative includes:

• Investigate and prosecute Chinese persons for trade secret theft cases.
• Target individuals, universities, and companies for transferring technology to the Chinese government and institutions.
• Engage U.S. colleges and universities in identifying and monitoring persons and companies with ties to Chinese companies and the Chinese government.
• Aggressively use existing authorities, including the False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Foreign Agent Registration Act, Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, NIH and DOD grant rules, university ethics rules and conflicts of interest policy, and export control laws, to target companies and persons seeking to obtain U.S. companies’ intellectual property and technology.

Dorsey’s U.S.-China Practice Group has deep experience and longstanding involvement with China-related legal issues. The expanded “China Initiative” Task Force at Dorsey is a bilingual, multi-disciplinary team of highly-skilled attorneys from the U.S.-China Practice Group and attorneys who formerly worked at U.S. government enforcement agencies. Our representations include U.S. academic research institutions and organizations, individual faculty members, and corporations. Dorsey’s “China Initiative” Task Force will help organizations and individuals successfully navigate the increased risks posed by the DOJ’s China Initiative.

Dorsey Partner Catherine Pan, who co-chairs the Firm’s U.S.-China Practice Group and is a leading member of the “China Initiative” Task Force, stated, “We help clients with four key components of the ‘China Initiative’: (1) internal investigations; (2) government enforcement actions; (3) federal grant regulations and related disclosure requirements; and (4) conflicts interest disclosure and compliance. Our Task Force is able to deliver around-the-clock, seamless legal services to our clients with cross-border legal needs.”

“Recent charges against university researchers who were involved in the Chinese ‘Thousand Talents’ (千人计划) and ‘Chang Jiang Scholar’ (长江学者) programs signal the further escalation of the China Initiative by the DOJ and FBI. Research institutions and faculty members who have received federal grants (including NIH, DOD and other grants) need to carefully review the bio sketches and ‘other support’ information they provided to the grant making agencies to check whether the disclosure guidelines are strictly complied with,” added Catherine Pan.

Partner Alex Hontos, another key member of the Dorsey “China Initiative” Task Force and a former DOJ trial attorney, said, “Whether you agree with the policy arguments behind the ‘China Initiative’ or not, this is the reality we live in.”

Dorsey’s China Initiative Task Force has been handling “China Initiative” cases on behalf of universities, hospitals, scientists and faculty members, including some of the high profile cases reported in the media. Dorsey’s deep understanding of China and the Chinese language capability of the expanded task force is critical to properly handling these cases.

To learn more about Dorsey’s “China Initiative” Task Force click here.

About Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in banking & financial institutions, development & infrastructure, energy & natural resources, food, beverage & agribusiness, healthcare and technology, as well as major non-profit and government entities. www.dorsey.com