Forbidden no more

The former Chinese Imperial Palace in Beijing – the Forbidden City – was emblematic of the inward looking, closed Chinese culture of yore.
And even in more recent times, the Chinese Communist government for the most part kept the country’s economy under tight control with comparatively little interaction with the outside world.
But it’s a new day and the market opportunities in China are rapidly expanding. A closed society no more, the Chinese government is embracing world trade. While this hasn’t happened overnight, the pace of investments in China is certainly quickening. Many U.S. companies in practically every market sector are either actively investing in China or planning to do so in the near future.
In our lead story this issue, we take a look at the legal and business challenges in-house lawyers can expect to face when their companies make China part of their strategic vision.
While the doors have opened for investing in China, the corridors of power and opportunity aren’t always easy to discern or understand. Doing business in China can be a steep learning curve, that’s for sure.
Our article explores the nuances of conducting commercial activity in China – from the perspective of understanding cultural differences, as well as knowing how the laws and regulations are implemented there.
Closer to home, we have a two-page photo spread (pages 18-19) in this issue highlighting the recent In-House Leaders in the Law gala event at which New England In-House and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly honored 15 in-house lawyers in our region for exemplary professional and community leadership.
The inaugural networking/dinner event was a delightful way to bring together lawyers in the corporate legal community, both inside and outside counsel. The cocktail hour networking was electric – so much so that it was a challenge to gather everyone for the dinner ceremony!
Based on the tremendous support shown by the community, we hope to host this event for years to come. We are pleased to honor deserving in-house leaders and to host a program bringing together lawyers in a festive environment.
As always, feel free to give me a shout to discuss whatever’s on your mind about New England In-House. You can reach me at 617.218.8141 or [email protected].

Paul D. Boynton
Publisher