An In-House Counsel’s Guide to Preparing an Engineering Firm for a Successful Foreign Project

December 2017

Abstract

Cultural and language barriers, trade restrictions, local regulations – these are just a few of the key issues in-house counsel for professional engineering firms should consider when their organizations pursue foreign projects. In this article I explore these topics, based on my experience as in-house counsel for a mid-sized engineering consulting firm that is located in the U.S. and increasingly expanding its international services.

Author

Beverly Tompkins

Vice President, Corporate Counsel, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, USA

Beverly is Vice President and Corporate Counsel of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. (SGH) headquartered in Boston, MA. Beverly is experienced in developing and implementing risk management policies and programs, including contract drafting and reviews, ensuring compliance with a professional liability insurance program, and providing related training. Beverly manages the firm’s litigation, provides legal support in connection with the firm’s merger and acquisition activities, and guides the firm and its practitioners on intellectual property matters and the rules and regulations of state boards of professional licensure for engineers and architects. As SGH continues to expand internationally, Beverly advises the firm on the many legal and business issues the firm faces on its foreign projects. Beverly also advises the firm on international compliance matters, including the U.S. Export Control laws and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Beverly is a licensed attorney in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and a member of the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts and the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. Prior to earning her Juris Doctor, Beverly received a Master’s Degree in Art History from City College of New York where she was Magna Cum Laude, and her undergraduate degree in Art History and French from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. As part of her undergraduate studies, Beverly attended Schiller International University in Paris, France. Beverly speaks fluent French. Beverly is an in-house counsel fellow of the Forum on Construction Law of the American Bar Association. Beverly is a member of the Legal Counsel Forum of The American Council of Engineering Companies, and sits on the Client Council of Lexington Insurance Company. Beverly is also a member of the Boston Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association, Association of Corporate Counsel, New England Corporate Counsel Association.

Company

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm that designs, investigates, and rehabilitates structures, building enclosures, and materials. SGH's award-winning work encompasses building, energy, civil/infrastructure, and science/defense projects in the United States, Canada, and more than thirty additional countries.

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