On June 23, 2009, Robert Allan was a panelist on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Globalization breakout sessions in the two day conference, which is the nation’s premier executive education program for directors and senior executives of publicly traded firms. Mr. Allan is highly regarded in the area of international business, especially as it relates to U.S.-China relations. Other panelists included the Hon. Stanley Sporkin, former U.S. District Court Judge and Alan Crain of Baker Hughes. Attending the seminar were CEOs of publicly held companies, scholars and board members. Additional topics analyzed were the credit crunch, corporate governance and risk management.

For more information on the Directors’ College program, please click here.

Beijing, China

Robert J. Allan recently spoke at The 2nd International CEO Roundtable of Chinese and Foreign Multinational Corporations, in Beijing, China on November 16, 2008.  Mr. Allan gave a speech about the “Western and Chinese Perspective of Corporate Social Responsibility”.

The Roundtable forum was sponsored by China International Institute of Multinational Corporations and seven UN organizations, including the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, United Nations Development Programmer, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, United Nations Environment Programmer, and the United Nations Global Compact Office and South Centre.

Participants in the event included: 20 CEOs or vice-presidents from global Fortune 500 Companies, 100 CEOs or vice-presidents from China Fortune 500 companies, envoys to China from various countries, directors of industrial development zones, bank presidents, stock exchange chairmen, foundation presidents, and 11 leaders from foreign chambers of commerce in China.

The Roundtable also included: 15 Chinese ministers or vice-ministers, Chinese and foreign mayors or deputy mayors, representatives from the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and Straits Exchange Foundation, and UN officials also attended the conference.

After the Opening Ceremony, the speaker sessions included ‘The Roundtable of Industrial and Commercial Leaders’, ‘Forum on Energy Crisis and Environment Deterioration’, ‘Forum on Inflation and Financial Crisis’, ‘Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility’, ‘Forum on Protectionism and Equal Development’ and ‘Forum on Harmonious Development’.

On October 24, 2008, attorney Robert J. Allan gave a speech on how investing in non-performing loan transactions in China compare to traditional asset investment vehicles at the UCLA School of Law.  Mr. Allan outlined how non-performing loan transactions are affected by changing property markets in China, and how to evaluate opportunities and manage the risks in structuring asset investments in China.

Joining Mr. Allan on the speaking panel was Donald C. Clarke, Professor of Law at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  Professor Clark created the Chinese Law Prof Blog, and is a prolific author on Chinese law subjects, including most recently “The Role of Non-Legal Institutions in Chinese Corporate Governance,” in Transforming Corporate Governance in East Asia (Routledge, 2008).  Professor Clarke spoke on the new developments in China’s property law and foreign investment environment.

The keynote lunch address was given by L.A. Superior Court Judge Charles Lee, Chief Representative of the U.S. Delegation to the Beijing Olympics.  A Superior Court Judge since 1989, Judge Lee recently returned to Los Angeles from the Beijing Olympics, and candidly shared his personal experiences with U.S. Olympic athletes in Beijing and his insights into Olympic negotiations with the Chinese government.

Not a newcomer to the Olympic Movement, Judge Lee was appointed as Envoy to the People’s Republic of China for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee.  After the Soviet Union announced its boycott of the 1984 Olympic Games, Judge Lee headed a LAOOC delegation to China which negotiated China’s agreement to participate in L.A.’s 1984 Olympic Games.

On October 14, 2008, The USA-China Law Group sponsored the Business Leader Roundtable in Los Angeles, hosted by The Asia Society Southern California with special guest speaker Mr. Long Yongtu, Secretary General, Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). Mr. Long discussed the global economic climate, the current trade relationship between China and the United States, and his views to strengthen and promote Asia-Pacific integration.

Julia Zhu will be representing the USA China Law Group on the 2008 Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce Trade Mission to China in July.  While in China, Ms. Zhu will be addressing over 600 top Chinese and American manufacturing companies on the legal issues involved in establishing joint business ventures along with information on alternative investment vehicles.