China Law Practice
The Law Offices of Alan Ellis have long been an American federal criminal defense law firm. Under the direction of lead attorney Alan Ellis and his wife and paralegal Jie "Hai Lin" Zheng (bottom photo), it will soon expand to China in association with Longan Law Firm (top photo), one of China's most prominent law firms. The Longan Law Firm has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, and soon Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Associated with the two firms will be the corporate and white collar criminal defense law firm of Allenbaugh Samini LLP, of Washington, DC, the Los Angeles area, and Guangzhou, China. In addition to its white collar practice, Allenbaugh Samini LLP also maintains a growing China Trade and Risk Assessment practice to advise businesses on both sides of the Pacific.
About Attorney Alan Ellis and China
In 2006-07, Alan Ellis, a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, delivered a series of guest lectures throughout China on the Rule of Law, Fair Administration of Justice, Criminal Liability of Chinese Doing Business in the Unites States, International Money Laundering and the Constitutional Protections Afforded Criminal Defendants in the United States. At his San Francisco home in May of 2007, he and Ms. Zheng hosted a delegation of Chinese Supreme Peoples Court judges who were reassessing China's death penalty system. As a result, he was awarded a coveted Fulbright award by the U.S. State Department to be a visiting Professor of Law at the prestigious Jiaotong University's School of Law in Shanghai. Mr. Ellis was the first practicing criminal defense lawyer invited by both countries to teach and train law professors, judges, lawyers and law students in China. A Fulbright award confers special status on winners during their year of foreign teaching, as outstanding, officially-recognized representatives of the United States. It is one of the most honored award programs worldwide. More Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes than those of any other academic program. While in China, Mr. Ellis met his wife and paralegal, Ms. Zheng. They live and practice in both the United States and China.
Criminal and Civil Legal Defense and Consultation
The enormous growth in trade between the U.S. and China, and the increasing number of business travelers and scholars from China to the U.S. has greatly improved opportunities for growth and prosperity but also for misunderstanding and legal problems.
The China law practice of Alan Ellis provides defense services for Chinese nationals doing business in the U.S. facing business crime charges for violating U.S. Law in criminal import-export cases, such as tainted goods or illegal products, fraud, and intellectual property infringement. Because of the cultural and legal differences between the U.S. and China, businesses may not be aware that they have violated the law until they are facing serious criminal charges and severe financial penalties. For example, on August 14, 2008 President Bush signed the "Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008" into law after it had passed the House and Senate by overwhelming margins.
The legislation is a comprehensive overhaul of consumer product safety laws. While it stems from well publicized recalls of children's toys with lead paint and other hazards imported from China, the law goes far beyond toys and targets all manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers of harmful consumer products. The new law substantially increases civil penalties to up to $15,000,000 and criminal penalties to up to five years imprisonment and fines or both.
Representing Chinese Interests in the U.S., and U.S. Interests in China
The Law Offices of Alan Ellis, in collaboration with Allenbaugh Samini LLP, specialize in representing the interest of Chinese citizens and their companies in both civil and criminal matters throughout the United States.
Likewise, I specialize in the same scope of representation and consulation for U.S. citizens and their companies in China through my association with Longan Law Firm, the largest law firm in China. From corporate formation, real estate acquisition and commercial litigation, to visa processing and white collar criminal defense, all three firms are able to provide comprehensive legal representation and business consultation in the most complex matters with discretion and competency in both countries. The firms have Mandarin and Cantonese speaking employees to assist in all transactions.
With qualified attorneys and a full staff of employee-analysts from diverse backgrounds both in the United States and in China who are fluent in both English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, the firms are able to offer the unique perspective of Attorney Mark H. Allenbaugh, a founding member of Allenbaugh Samini who is also in the business of manufacturing and importing goods from China for sale in the United States through some of the largest retailers in the world.
With ever increasing trade between China and the United States, it is becoming more relevant for businesspeople to protect their interests at home and abroad on both sides of the Pacific. The combined effort of the three firms are well situated to address the cultural and legal differences between the Chinese and U.S. legal and business landscape, a unique perspective that my clients require.
The Chinese Longan Law Firm and the Law Offices of Alan Ellis
Mr. Ellis also serves as Foreign Legal Counsel for the Chinese Longan Law Firm located in Beijing and Shanghai, with satellite offices throughout China. As Foreign Legal Counsel, Mr. Ellis represents Chinese nationals and Chinese businesses charged with crimes in the United States. He also assists individuals and businesses interested in and currently doing business in China by facilitating their introduction to and coordinating their relationship with the Longan Law Firm.
Established in 1992, Longan Law Firm is one of the four oldest private law firms in China. It has nearly 200 attorneys and over 150 supporting staffs across China with five offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shenyang and Guangzhou. English is the law firm's second language and many of the attorneys have law degrees from American, Canadian, British, and Australian law schools. Longan Law Firm maintains close contacts and strong working relationships with the Chinese government, regulatory agencies and financial institutions. Its position as a truly Chinese law firm has benefitted its international clients who use the law firm as a direct and effective method to securing their business and interest in the Chinese market. For detail, please visit the Longan Law Firm.
For additional information, please call me in my San Francisco, California office from the western United States or abroad at 415 380 2550 or my Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office at 610 658 2255 from the eastern United States or fill out the online intake form
