Canadian Lawyer

June 2009

The most widely read magazine for Canadian lawyers

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regional wrap-up himself, or employees from represent- ing debtors in debts subject to litigation by the North Carolina State Bar. In November 2002, the Ohio State Bar Association took action against Kolodner for the unauthorized practice of law for doing business as Abraham & Christiansen Inc., Solomon & Forbes Inc., and Jacobs & Mathews Inc. The Ohio Supreme Court fined him $1,000 and obtained an undertaking that he would cease to hold himself out as a lawyer or participate in the practice of law. In making the ruling, the court noted that Kolodner had also had prob- lems in Florida, where he was under an injunction to halt similar activities. "Kolodner had also served a one-year probation in Florida for these unlawful activities," the court records state. Michael Bernard, media relations manager for the LSBC, said this activity by a U.S.-based company trolling for cli- ents was a new situation for the society. Only one B.C. case had come to light but lawyers are being warned to watch out for the scam. — JEAN SORENSEN jean_sorensen@telus.net Lang Michener lands in Hong Kong lawyers are shifting their sights east as the firm opens an office in Hong Kong. "I find doing business in China is never easy, but it's becoming more receptive to Canadian lawyers coming there," says Stephen Wortley, the chairman of Lang Michener's China practice who will be heading up the new office as its resident partner. The firm has set up what will essen- H tially be a representative office in Hong Kong in partnership with Angela Ho & Associates, a local business law firm. Wortley will split his time between Vancouver and Hong Kong, with other Lang Michener lawyers occasionally following suit. The goal, Wortley notes, is to build on work the firm Stephen Wortley will split time between Vancouver and Hong Kong oping to take advantage of Chinese companies' thirst for foreign capi- tal, Lang Michener LLP's Vancouver rural China to water purification systems. Despite the economic problems facing the country's export-oriented industries in the south, businesses making more value-added products elsewhere are doing well, he adds. "In the northern part of China . . . those are seen as very attractive targets for raising capital." At the same time, Lang Michener is also helping Chinese state enterprises acquire Canadian natural resource companies. As well, some of the deals are expanding into joint ventures with Canadian businesses, says Wortley. The investments have "noth- ing to do with oil sands. It just shows how diversified the companies are that are com- ing to list in Canada." Much of the growth is happening with- has been doing since the 1990s, business that has grown recently as companies in China increasingly look to foreign sources of capital. That's because private firms there have much less access to stock markets than state enterprises, a scenario that has seen Canadian companies buy them up and list them publicly here on places like the Toronto Stock Exchange. Wortley points out that recent estimates counted roughly 60 Chinese or Chinese-related companies on Canadian public listings, a scenario that's opening up new opportunities for lawyers to act as intermediaries. "Surprisingly, most of the companies coming to list in Canada are not natural resource companies," he says, noting that businesses getting Canadian financing are involved in everything from medical diagnostic devices for in China itself, but Wortley points out the firm chose to set up in Hong Kong due to its long history there. It's also hoping to tap into Hong Kong's vast investment banking sector to help finance some of the deals between Chinese and Canadian companies. Eventually, the goal is to help the newly listed companies also go public in Hong Kong. Wortley adds while Lang Michener like other firms is concerned about costs during the recession, China is nevertheless a good business opportunity, especially since Canada is well regarded as a source for capital given its strong analyst coverage and the fact that companies listed here can also tap into financing from U.S. sources. "I think Chinese people enjoy doing business with Canada. We're focused and we believe China is important." — GLENN KAUTH gkauth@clbmedia.ca Searching for a better way to attract candidates? www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com JUNE 2009 13

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