(October 3, 2005, Washington, D.C.) – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Steptoe & Johnson LLP has announced the addition of Grace Parke Fremlin as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office, effective immediately in the Business Solutions Department.
Ms. Fremlin was previously a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Foley & Lardner LLP and the chair of that firm’s Asian practice.
“Grace’s significant M & A experience and her depth of expertise in cross-border international contracts, foreign direct investments and private company mergers and acquisitions is an excellent fit with the strategic expansion interests of our Transaction Group,” said Roger Warin, Chairman of Steptoe & Johnson. “We are pleased she has chosen to continue to develop her practice with us.”
Ms. Fremlin’s practice focuses on Chinese and other Asian companies, joint ventures, branches and representative offices, cross-border technology transfers, licensing arrangements and China IP enforcement as well as international dispute settlement, litigation and arbitration. She advises clients on sourcing contracts, supply agreements, purchase and sale agreements, purchase orders, commercial loans, project finance, commercial real estate purchases, industrial park and office developments, employment and labor, all in the cross-border context between the United States and Asia.
“At Steptoe, I envision having increased opportunities to assist Asian companies in Washington with a full range of international business issues,” said Ms. Fremlin. “I expect my experience in Korea, China, Hong Kong and Japan will enhance the firm’s visibility and reputation in Asia, particularly since I have well-established relationships in the major markets of Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, as well as in New York and Los Angeles. “
In addition, US companies increasingly require China expertise and experience for their Chinese investments, joint ventures and subsidiaries, inclusive of US and offshore structuring of China operations. “There is not a single manufacturer, distributor or retailer in the United States that is not affected by China. Each of them needs to create an offensive and defensive strategy to survive and succeed in the future,” she said. “I intend to keep Steptoe in the forefront of providing these strategies.”
Ms. Fremlin has served Asia’s Fortune 1000 companies in the United States and major U.S. companies with their investments and operations in China and throughout the rest of Asia for more than two decades. As lead counsel on large investments, acquisitions and commercial transactions, her experience in handling critical legal and business issues will afford Steptoe’s clients thoughtful and workable solutions in a range of complex international transactions.
“Grace has a proven track record of successfully developing long-term relationships with overseas clients investing in the U.S. and U.S. clients investing in East Asia,’ said Scott Katzman, chair of Steptoe’s Transactions Practice Group . “We expect her to make an immediate and significant contribution to our efforts in this rapidly growing area.”
A member of the District of Columbia, New York and California bars, and a registered foreign lawyer of the Hong Kong bar (1997-1999), Ms. Fremlin is a graduate of the East Asian Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School, the University of Virginia Law School, (J.D., 1981), and George Washington University (B.A. with distinction, International Affairs, 1978, Phi Beta Kappa).
Ms. Fremlin speaks Korean and has studied Japanese and Mandarin
