DALLAS — July 16, 2012 — J. F. (Jim) Chester, of counsel at Klemchuk Kubasta LLP (KK LLP), a leading full-service intellectual property (IP) law firm, was featured in the July 2012 issue of the Texas Bar Journal.  A recognized expert in international IP law, Chester was asked to write an article discussing, “Protecting Intellectual Property in International Markets.”  In the article, he discusses the need for IP protection while suggesting actions to take when conducting business on a global scale.

Advising clients regarding trademark, copyright, trade secret protection, licensing and enforcement in the U.S. and abroad, Chester represents clients before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the U.S. Library of Congress (Copyright Office).  He also counsels companies on trade regulations involving customs, import and export laws which include International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). 

“For anyone conducting business outside of the U.S., the first stop in the protection process is to properly identify all IP assets,” Chester advises.  “Since all businesses make use of names, brands and logos (trademarks and service marks), designs, websites and software (copyright), inventions, ideas, and processes (patent and trade secrets) in some form, IP protection is essential when doing business outside the U.S.”

Chester routinely represents clients before U.S. Customs & Border Protection U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Defense Trade Controls, the Office of Foreign Asset Controls, the U.S. International Trade Administration, and other state, Federal and foreign governing agencies.  A licensed U.S. Customs Broker, he is admitted to practice law in Texas and Washington, D.C.

“Jim has a unique legal skill set combining international law with intellectual property expertise,” said Darin M. Klemchuk, co-founder and senior partner of the firm.  “He has advised clients on business deals involving almost 100 countries, and has coordinated with foreign counsel on legal projects around the world.  Jim has also served as legal advisor to foreign companies doing business in the U.S.”

To be an effective international business attorney, Chester has many years of experience in handling domestic business matters, including entity formations, transactions, acquisitions, and other legal issues commonly faced by businesses.

An In addition to his work in international and IP law, Chester is an adjunct professor of law at Baylor University Law School, teaching courses on International Trade Law and International Business Transactions.  He also has served as an adjunct professor of Business Law at the University of Dallas.