Senior Attorney Seeking Mnc Position

[DFW2BKK]

I am a Senior Attorney with a major semiconductor company, and currently live in the U.S. I worked in Bangkok for two years (and for stretches elsewhere in Asia) while litigating a couple of major matters with Thai counsel. I have now set my sights on obtaining a position in Bangkok as an in-house attorney for a multinational company. I write in the hope that someone out there might be able to provide me with a lead. (I note that I have dutifully read similar topics and have begun to pursue the suggestions already offered there.)

I am a 1994 graduate of an Ivy League Law School and worked at a top-tier international law firm for 6 years prior to assuming my current in-house position. To continue preening, my expertise includes:

-- operational support of worldwide broadband and wireless businesses

-- broad technology industry knowledge

-- all types of intellectual property licensing

-- successful management of numerous multi-million dollar litigation matters

-- management of a three-lawyer team of mid-level attorneys

This is obviously a longshot, but I would most sincerely appreciate any info, here or in PM, that might help.

Thanks All!

[GuestHouse]

I'd be glad to help you out with a few suggestions, please contact my secratary to arrange an initial consultation. (contact details below).

The first 30 minutes of your consultation will of course be free, there after my standard fees will aply.

My fees are $500 per hour for general search work

$750 per hour + Expenses for out of the office attendance (there will be a minimum charge of 4 hours for work in Bangkok and 8 hours for work outside of Bangkok)

Phone Calls shall be charged at the hourly rate in incraments of 20 minutes

Letters will be charged at $300 per item

Emails will be charged at $150 per item

Photo will be charged at $5 per page copyied

Certified copies will be charged at $25 per page.

I reserve the right to have any or all of the above work, excluding my personal attendence to be carried out by Miss Somtam our secretary.

If I am unable to attend to personal visits myself our trainee consultant will stand in for me. but because I have complete confidence in his work you will still be charged at the senior consultant rate.

I have taken the liberty of opening an account for you and have already debeted the charge of this email.

[Indo-Siam]

IP practice is a hot area here, particularly in light of the fact that IP protection will be a key sticking point of the Thai-US Free Trade agreement. Two main players in that area here are multi-national firm Baker & McKenzie, and the Thai firm of Tilleke & Gibbens.

Attorney Edward Kelly at T&G is the finest foreign attorney in Thailand, as far as I am concerned - you might want to contact him - see contact info at the bottom of:

http://www.tillekeandgibbins.com/Attorneys/edward.htm

Good luck!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

[GuestHouse]

Contact Details are:

Widget and Bracket

Big Posh Georgian Office

Part of Town You can't afford to live in

(Please dress appropriately when you attend)

Tel: 02 555 555

May we respectfully remind you that your account now stands at $300 and ask that you settle this account soonest. We accept all major cards.

[DFW2BKK]

Thanks much, Steve! I appreciate it more than I can express.

[Snapshot]

I'd be glad to help you out with a few suggestions, please contact my secratary to arrange an initial consultation. (contact details below).

Thanks "Guesthouse" ... your's were more entertaining ... but please next time, don't be so sarcastic about the law-men. Remember this is Thailand. Everybody respects the law here !!!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'd be glad to help you out with a few suggestions, please contact my secratary to arrange an initial consultation. (contact details below).

Thanks "Guesthouse" ... your's were more entertaining ... but please next time, don't be so sarcastic about the law-men. Remember this is Thailand. Everybody respects the law here !!!

Particularly those brimming with optimism.

[Thai IP Guy]

I am a Senior Attorney with a major semiconductor company, and currently live in the U.S.  I worked in Bangkok for two years (and for stretches elsewhere in Asia) while litigating a couple of major matters with Thai counsel.  I have now set my sights on obtaining a position in Bangkok as an in-house attorney for a multinational company.  I write in the hope that someone out there might be able to provide me with a lead.  (I note that I have dutifully read similar topics and have begun to pursue the suggestions already offered there.)

I am a 1994 graduate of an Ivy League Law School and worked at a top-tier international law firm for 6 years prior to assuming my current in-house position.  To continue preening, my expertise includes:

-- operational support of worldwide broadband and wireless businesses

-- broad technology industry knowledge

-- all types of intellectual property licensing

-- successful management of numerous multi-million dollar litigation matters

-- management of a three-lawyer team of mid-level attorneys

This is obviously a longshot, but I would most sincerely appreciate any info, here or in PM, that might help. 

Thanks All!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dear DFW:

Please send me a resume and cover letter at [email protected] and we'll see what we can do. Work permits are tough to come by for foreign lawyers but maybe there is something we can work out to overcome the restrictions on foreigners. I wake up every day counting my lucky stars that the powers that be gave me a work permit in this beautiful country. Seagate might be a good place to look for an in house position. UBC/True is also a possibility. I understand Adobe/Macromedia are looking for an in house anti-piracy person, but the position may be in Singapore.

Steve, thank you for your generosity in referring this candidate to me and also for the kind words. Actually, Albert Chandler is the best foreign attorney in Thailand (he was my professor at Chula). In any event I owe you a few Singha beers at some point. Let's get together when you have a free night.

Best of luck to all, seems like you are on the right track and will find something that's a good fit

Best regards

Ed Kelly

[The_Moog]

How about teaching English to Law Students?

[samran]

Wow,

This must be a Thai visa first..

Serious question from a serious person.

And then a serious reply from a serious person.

By the way....

Indo, totally professional as always!

Ed, good to see that someone can help someone else out!

[bendix]

Just an aside, directed more at Ed Kelly than anyone else. Ed, I work in senior management for one of your (international) rival firms. Given that offering legal advice is one of the restricted professions in Thailand and that when we hire farangs we call them 'consultants', how easy would it be for the OP to get an inhouse position? Wouldn't inhouse legal positions also be restricted.

By the way, I know Pfizer are currently looking for an inhouse role in Bangkok but I think that's restricted to Thai nationals.

I would think the salary positions would also be difficult. Junior inhouse roles are very poorly paid.

[Thai IP Guy]

Just an aside, directed more at Ed Kelly than anyone else.  Ed, I work in senior management for one of your (international) rival firms.    Given that offering legal advice is one of the restricted professions in Thailand and that when we hire farangs we call them 'consultants', how easy would it be for the OP to get an inhouse position?  Wouldn't inhouse legal positions also be restricted.

By the way, I know Pfizer are currently looking for an inhouse role in Bangkok but I think that's restricted to Thai nationals.

I would think the salary positions would also be difficult.  Junior inhouse roles are very poorly paid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi yes, I agree that the restrictions are a challenge, and you have to stay away from a straightforward description of what the person will do as a so called "consultant or foreign legal advisor" but for in-house, it may be overcome with a suitable work permit application describing the role as a manager of a department with regulatory and advisory responsibilities which could include comparative analyses of the law in Thailand vs the foreign law in the MNC's home jurisdiction, etc., ie., a creative but honest description of work which shows the Laour authorities that it is your intention to enable Thai lawyers and staff to improve their skills and ability so as to eventually replace you, that you have a unique set of skills that isn't generally available in the market but will have a positive impact on bringing more taxable revs into the company etc. Minimum monthly wage for a work permit is 60,000 Baht, sometimes, I have seen up to 350,000 Baht monthly in some placements. He's up against a tough chalenge but with the right credentials and patience and persistence, it could be doable.

Nothing ventured nothing gained right?

Ed

[Digger]

Integration mgr is the way to go - its such a confusing title and always work for a MNC company - i.e including the need for integrating Thai acquisition in terms of processes, policies, procedures etc

[samran]

Forgot to add too, you should sniff around and look at who may likely be doing work for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). They are the recently established telecom regulator, so I envisage that there will be plenty of work there in the pipeline. They won’t pay fantastically though, unless you can scam some sort of ADB/WB funded roles. Various consulting firms also work in regulatory issues, so its worth sniffing about the major consultancies to see what they have and who they intend to work with as well.

[DFW2BKK]

Thanks so much for all of the great responses and feedback. Just back from a long trip to BKK and gearing up for a triumphant return on Christmas Day.

Mr. Kelly, I will definitely be in touch.

All the best.