For many companies, logistics is one of the most challenging aspects of doing business both in the U.S. and abroad. Efficiently moving supplies, components and finished product from one point to another and on an international scale is often a hallmark of outstanding operations management practices. Masuda Funai advises businesses of all types and sizes on domestic and international logistics, including shipping operations and documentation, customs and import procedures, and export compliance for a wide array of products and destinations.
Our firm is more than just a group of lawyers who provide legal advice on transportation, but rather a part of this industry, which is governed by a maze of complex laws, regulations and procedural requirements. Our attorneys offer the guidance and legal counsel needed for logistics endeavors across the country and around the globe, helping suppliers and distributors to move their cargo efficiently and safely secure payment for such transactions. Whether the cargo moves by air, ocean or surface routes, we provide strategic counseling for the sourcing and routing of critical products, components and materials for international supply chains.
Our lawyers are also trusted advisers to carriers and transportation intermediaries, guiding them through licensing and ongoing regulatory compliance and transportation documentation, including the use of documents, delivery of goods, and review of terms and conditions in key shipping documents. We negotiate and document carrier, broker and warehouse agreements. In addition, we advise on transportation-related insurance issues such as coverage for goods in transit for air, ocean, surface and rail, coverage for goods in stock and storage, and the integration of such counseling into the full spectrum of commercial agreements as needed.
Our attorneys work closely with clients to design and implement preventive measures that detect unreliable customers and counterparties. We advise on collection matters related to bankruptcies of major importers and the resolution of cargo liens and conflicting claims by buyers, sellers and bailees over the disposition of cargo in transit or storage. We counsel our clients on the continuum of federal agency rules and security requirements effecting their logistics initiatives, and create customized standard forms and shipping documents to ensure best practices. Our attorneys also represent clients in federal agency audits, complaints and investigations, as well as resolve customer and business-to-business disputes pertaining to logistics and transportation.