Multinational companies with global supply chains and data-intensive businesses face an increasingly challenging regulatory landscape around the globe, particularly in Asia. Evan Chuck advises corporate leaders and boards of directors as they make strategic decisions, particularly in the context of dueling U.S. and China laws and regulations resulting from geo-political competition. Evan advises Fortune 50 companies on matters involving China’s Antiforeign Sanctions Law, PRC Export Control Law, Unreliable Entity List, and the PRC Cybersecurity Law that impact their operations in China. He also advises on the impact of such laws on supply chains that incorporate Chinese manufacturing or sourcing that could conflict with laws like the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and other corporate policies related to environmental and social governance (ESG).
Evan has 30 years of corporate and international trade experience representing companies and private equity firms in their cross-border investments in key industries, such as aerospace, semiconductors, electric vehicle (EV) and automotive, “internet of things” (iOT), medical devices, home improvement products (particularly wood and flooring products), and electric power generation in high-stakes corporate transactions and investigations. As a strategic advisor to corporate executives, Evan helps with creating and executing risk mitigation strategies, particularly those that involve “de-risking” China business exposure. He helps companies establish “re-shoring” operations that move manufacturing or sourcing operations to the U.S. or countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, India, Japan, Korea, and Mexico.
Evan also represents IT hardware and app development companies that rely on cloud computing and cross-border data transmission, particularly between the U.S. and China in their cross-border investment and commercial transactions. Evan has a keen understanding of newly developing laws, regulations and practices in China that impact existing and new investments in China and throughout the Asia-Pacific region. He also works with multinational companies navigating the potential conflict with new U.S. laws, including the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which places conditions on receiving U.S. Federal financial support that can be dependent on development plans for new or expansion of existing operations in China.
Evan began his career as an international trade lawyer in Washington D.C., representing U.S.-based companies in major unfair trade disputes. He continues to advise U.S.-based companies with complex supply chains in the ongoing Section 301 trade dispute between the U.S. and China. On behalf of the U.S. lumber industry, Evan helped file a constitutional challenge to the bi-national dispute resolution mechanism of the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement which ultimately led to a settlement between the two countries.
Evan leads the Asia practice for the firm. Prior to joining Crowell & Moring, he served as the chair of a global firm’s International Trade group for seven years and also served as the managing partner of that firm’s Shanghai office for seven years.