Nicole Simonian concentrates her practice in the areas of international transactions, including acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures and strategic alliances as well as representing multi-national companies in their international labor and employment strategy.  Ms. Simonian represents a broad array of U.S. and foreign companies in structuring their international operations in China, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Italy, Germany and Mexico.  Ms. Simonian also represents companies in strategic outsourcing transactions.  In particular, she has experience in a number of industries, including semiconductor assembly and testing, contract manufacturing, outsourcing services, apparel and textiles, toy and design manufacturing and advertising services.

Ms. Simonian regularly assists clients in their international business expansion in China, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore.  Her experience in Asia includes identifying and assessing  vehicles available to conduct business activities. She works with companies to ensure and manage compliance risks with government authorities in Asia on issues dealing with investment regulations, labor and employment, customs and trade and FCPA.  Ms. Simonian also advises U.S. companies to formulate their Asia regional strategy which includes overseeing the corporate, labor and employment, real estate and international trade matters.  She has played a key role in obtaining customs valuation rulings to obtain import clearance in multiple countries for clients in the automated test equipment industry.

Ms. Simonian serves as the Asia labor and employment coordinator.  She is also a member of the Firm’s Diversity Committee, head of the Women’s Forum, Mentor Coordinator and active in the Firm’s Recruiting Committee.

Representative Experience

• Represented the Huntington Library, Arts Collection and Botanical Gardens in the design and construction of one of the largest Chinese classical gardens to be built outside of China
• Represented a U.S. entertainment company in the development of its flagship retail megastore in Shanghai
• Represented a U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturer in structuring it operations in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, PRC, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and Italy
• Represented a GPS manufacturer in acquiring licensing rights to mapping data from various Chinese governmental authorities
• Counseled a U.S. industrial construction materials manufacturer in the transfer of operations to Mexico
• Represented  multinational corporation in a multi-jurisdictional disposition of offshore assets and operations in the U.S. and China
• Represented multiple multinational corporations in connection with their Asia labor and employment strategy, regulatory compliance and ongoing maintenance

Professional Affiliations

• Pacific Council on International Policy
• Inner City Law Center, Board of Directors
• Women in International Trade
• Armenian Bar Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association – Conference of Delegates to the State Bar of California (2002-2004)

Civic Involvement and Distinctions

• Junior League of Los Angeles
• Named by Los Angeles magazine as one of Southern California’s Rising Stars for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010