Baker & Daniels combines the expertise of attorneys with significant experience in manufacturing and logistics with the firm’s knowledge of corporate, international, regulatory, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property and tax matters to provide legal service to clients from the beginning to the end of a project. Chaired by partner Jim Birge, our manufacturing and logistics practice provides service in the numerous areas of law affecting transportation, manufacturing, third party logistics, packaging, warehousing and distribution companies.
As a founding (and sole law firm) member of Conexus Indiana’s Logistics Executive Committee, Baker & Daniels is at the forefront of emerging opportunities in manufacturing and logistics in the State of Indiana and beyond. We understand niche issues related to federal and state contracting, trade regulations, bonded warehousing, economic incentive opportunities, union relations, protective R&D, workforce development and new market opportunities, and utilize our various resources to provide comprehensive counsel to clients in this rapidly developing industry.
Experience
Our representative experience in the manufacturing and logistics industry includes:
- Representation of transportation providers (motor carriers, rail, water, air), transportation consumers (manufacturers, distributors, utilities, service providers) and transportation intermediaries (forwarders, associations, property brokers, logistics consultants).
- Assisting Fortune Global 50 automobile manufacturer with site selection, real estate acquisition and economic incentives for new manufacturing facility.
- Ongoing representation of rail freight car provider, including the acquisition of a car repair facility, sale of cars to China, negotiation of real estate leases and preparation, and negotiation of a letter of intent for acquisition of a scrap metal company.
- Assisting in the creation of a for-hire carrier subsidiary of one of the largest beverage companies in North America. Services included corporate organization, preparation of interstate and intrastate regulatory filings, drafting of operational agreements and documents, identifying and planning of tax exemptions in various states, transfers and assignments of contracts and leases, and coordination of asset transfers, including tax planning, registration and tax compliance.
- Consulting with one of the largest marine transportation and manufacturing companies in the United States regarding formation of a captive insurance entity.
- Formation of captive insurance entities for construction and engineering companies.
- Representation of a third party logistics provider in sale of assets to a capital investment firm.
- Providing general corporate representation to third party logistics providers.
- Drafting and negotiating many transportation agreements and logistics agreements.
- Assisting and advising clients regarding USDOT compliance audits.
- Serving as national labor and employment counsel for a Fortune 500 diesel engine and power generation equipment manufacturer to negotiate a long-term contract with the union. Assisting in relocating work from union facilities to non-union U.S. facilities and overseas facilities.
- Assisting a 1st tier automotive supplier with a union organizing campaign and providing ongoing representation on traditional labor matters, including relocations to non-labor facilities, negotiation of labor contracts and defense of ULP charges.
- Assisting a multi-national automotive glass and accessories manufacturer in union decertification efforts and advising on labor-related issues in transactions involving unionized plants.
- Representation of numerous manufacturers, shippers and carriers in cargo damage claims.
- Counseling various manufacturers on clearance of exports to a variety of countries, including Russia, Libya, Cuba, China and Iraq.
- Counseling a U.S. construction company on compliance issues relating to its operations in the U.A.E., Libya, Egypt and Oman; conducted internal audit for purposes of self-disclosure to BIS and IRS on failure relating to possible violations of anti-boycott regulations and tax code.
- Counseling transmission manufacturing company on the proper classification of inputs under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, anti-dumping/countervailing duties, product markings, international trade agreements, compliance with trade regulations and methods for companies to save on import duties (i.e., drawbacks, foreign trade zones, bonded warehouses).
- Counseling and representing a Fortune 50 chemical company before Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of State and Office of Foreign Asset Controls.
- Representing an avionics software and hardware manufacturer in commodity jurisdiction request for commercial technology with potential future military applications.
- Counseling a German entity in establishing its $530 million operational plant in Indiana as a manufacturing foreign trade sub zone.