Following the letter of and the spirit of the legal industry is essential in today's global business environment. Additionally, even with legal expertise on your side, management must proceed with caution. Daily, situations are encountered that must be reviewed, diagnosed and handled based upon the merit of each individual situation.
Riordan is an international plastics manufacturer with 550 employees and $46 million in projected annual revenues. Riordan was founded in 1991 and has seen impressive growth within its industry. The company’s focus in on manufacturing and sale of plastic beverage bottles, custom plastic parts, and plastic fan parts. In an effort to realize cost savings, the company has made a financial and strategic decision to move its China operations from Hangzhou to Shanghai in the upcoming year. This move will require change in the framework within the culture of Riordan.
This detailed plan will with review the current environment as it relates to the legal environment, specifically speaking to opportunities the company will face in the areas of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), enterprise liability, product liability, international law, tangible and intellectual property, legal forms of business, and governance. The ultimate goal is to provide insight in order to create a successful tool that can be used as a guide for the company to ensure a successful transition into the future.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
As with most change, there will be confusion that will come from the change in location. Job losses in Hangzhou will result in stress for displaced employees. The company must make every effort to ensure that the resulting layoffs, because of the move from Hangzhou to Shanghai, are in compliance with local laws. The company must have a tested ADR framework in place to deal with the residual conflicts.
ADR which includes arbitration and mediation is the most efficient and cost-effective method of dealing with the...