Macaluso LLP is a well-respected boutique law firm composed of attorneys who previously practiced in government and as leaders with some of the largest international law firms and corporations in the world. With a team of deeply skilled attorneys, Macaluso LLP offers comprehensive legal solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Our partners have successfully guided companies in multibillion dollar transactions, and clients launching new endeavors both domestically and internationally. We have significant expertise in the cross-border issues that arise in a transactional context in sophisticated capital markets transactions, across our private funds practice, and in joint ventures, market entry, and international technology ventures in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Many of our attorneys have significant direct international experience, having resided in cities such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, and Moscow in a professional capacity, in some cases for several years.As an attorney with Macaluso LLP I represent clients in US and international business matters, including: corporate governance; negotiating and drafting transactional documents utilizing best practices for avoiding litigation; compliance for US and foreign clients with applicable US and foreign law; counsel on investments and foreign market entry and operations; and coordinating legal work done in foreign countries.Select client matters include:▪ Assisted in representation of a global sovereign wealth fund that was the lead investor in a $180 million structured investment securitized by U.S. originated loans.▪ Successfully represented a group of lenders in commercial arbitration before the American Arbitration Association and workout of a syndicated collateralized loan, including managing outside local counsel in enforcement of the award.https://www.mlg.us.com/

Global Access is an independent direct private investor, operating partner, and strategic advisor. I negotiate, plan, and execute international contracts involving the commercial entry of intellectual property into new markets, including healthcare and biotech, agricultural technology, and financial services. Write and prepare deal-related documents for both international and domestic use. ▪ A representative project for this position involved counseling a portfolio medical device client on market entry in Asia, particularly Vietnam and Indonesia. I advised on legal, regulatory, tax, business, and other requirements for a medical device designed for early stage detection of cardiovascular disease.https://www.globalaccesscsg.com/

I worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce at two different times – from 2018 to 2019 and earlier in my career, from 2001 to 2004. In my most recent tenure I served in a limited-term appointment advising the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance on law related to unfairly traded imports into the U.S., including anti-dumping and countervailing duty law. I also worked on strategy and policy with other departments, the Under Secretary for International Trade, and the Office of the Secretary of Commerce. After analyzing priority cases, I made recommendations on public policy and communications with foreign governments, the executive branch, Congress, and other stakeholders. I also managed the International Trade Administration’s priority initiatives and assisted with budget matters. A few accomplishments include:▪ Advised U.S. government officials tasked with formulation of trade policy positions with China with the goal of increasing U.S. exports of goods and services during the following two years by +$200B over 2017 levels.▪ Counseled top officials in the Department of Commerce on strategy during sensitive, high-profile negotiations with Mexican industry that involved the Mexican government, Congress, and U.S. industry and resulted in conclusion of a new agreement affecting $2B of imported goods.https://www.commerce.gov/bureaus-and-offices/ita

Global Access is an independent direct private investor, operating partner, and strategic advisor. Originated, negotiated terms, managed issues with foreign government officials, and planned and carried out execution on cross-border deals to commercialize unique/ transformative intellectual property in new global markets, particularly in the following sectors: healthcare/ biotech/ genetics; agricultural technology; sports and entertainment; global real estate; and financial services. Also drafted deal-related US legal documents and coordinated non-US legal work by outside counsel. Representative deals include:▪ Initiated and led negotiations with one of the oldest and largest, publicly listed professional sports investment and management firms in China to jointly develop a +$160M sports, entertainment, and digital media venture in a Tier-1 Chinese city.▪ Advised independent energy project for several large wind farms in China to use big data to save ¥O.2B, including reducing labor costs 20%, and improving the power production rate by about 5% for each 20,000 wind generators.https://www.globalaccesscsg.com/

Advised clients on a variety of business matters, including: planning, negotiating, and executing international contracts and managing US and foreign legal and regulatory compliance, and US securities law at the state and federal levels. A few representative client matters include: ▪ Advising Chinese clients on the full spectrum of legal compliance for investment in several U.S.-based technology companies.▪ Representing a Chicago-based dealer of rare, stringed instruments in a $7.1M sale of a Stradivarius violin and bow to a Hong Kong buyer, which involved structuring a deal to legally source funds from mainland China.▪ Counseling a U.S. biotech client on market entry in India, China, and Mexico – involving market analysis, product registration with regulatory agencies, working with foreign government officials, intellectual property protection, international shipping, writing contracts with foreign distributors, and compliance with both U.S. and foreign law.https://www.avisenlegal.com/

I worked for an international private equity group based in Minneapolis and Shanghai. I drafted and negotiated contracts on employment, consulting, non-disclosure, and lease agreements to maintain compliance with applicable law in relevant countries - including tax, employment, business, and U.S. securities regulations. Other legal work included intellectual property protection, corporate governance, formation of subsidiaries, and oversight of work done by foreign law firms and other consultants. Select accomplishments include:▪ Spearheading the establishment of company offices and operations in China, including a subsidiary Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) - in compliance with Chinese and Shanghai law.▪ Oversight of mergers and acquisitions, including a $5.2M merger between a publicly reporting U.S. investee company and an Indonesian mining company involved in the exploration, mining, processing, smelting and marketing of tin.

I worked for the Department of Commerce from 2001 to 2004 and again later, from 2018 to 2019. In this earlier position, I worked in the Office of General Counsel on international issues – advising client agencies within the International Trade Administration on export promotion and U.S. Government advocacy in support of the interests of U.S. companies. I provided legal advice to assist U.S. companies with issues involving foreign trade compliance under applicable trade agreements (particularly WTO) and U.S. trade statutes. Select accomplishments include: ▪ Formulation and drafting of official U.S. Government positions on trade cases, including securing approval from other interested federal agencies and accounting for comments from members of Congress, for resolution with the foreign governments involved.▪ Achieving a substantial increase of 54% in exports over a four-year period, by negotiating an agreement to allow joint exporting of commodities by agricultural producers despite persistent strong objections by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.▪ Providing technical/ legal support for bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.https://ogc.commerce.gov/collection/office-chief-counsel-international-commerce