LEGAL SERVICES

International Debt Recovery

An overseas supplier owed money by a U.S. buyer, or a U.S. company owed money by a counterparty in China, faces the same first question: is this debt worth pursuing? The answer depends on the contract, the debtor's solvency and assets, and what it will cost to reach them. We give that assessment before recommending any step, and then pursue the ones that make economic sense.

Request a free initial consultation Nationwide clients · Chinese and English

HOW WE HELP

What we look at first

Recoverability first

Who the debtor really is, whether it is still operating, what assets it has and where, and whether the contract gives you security, a guarantee or a forum you can use.

Demand and settlement

A demand letter from a U.S. law firm, with the documents attached and a deadline, often moves a debtor that has ignored invoices for months. Where it does not, we negotiate payment plans with security or move to proceedings.

Proceedings and enforcement

Litigation or arbitration where the economics justify it, then enforcement: garnishment, liens and asset discovery in the United States; recognition proceedings where the judgment or award has to travel.

Prevention for the next contract

Letters of credit, deposits, guarantees and dispute clauses that make the next debt easier to collect than this one.

OUR APPROACH

How the matter proceeds

Verify

Confirm the debt, the debtor and the reachable assets.

Demand

Send a proportionate demand and negotiate where the debtor responds.

Enforce

Pursue proceedings and enforcement where the numbers justify it.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Common questions

Practical answers to frequently asked questions. Individual circumstances can affect the best course of action.

Is it always worth suing for an international debt?+

No. We regularly advise clients not to, when the debtor has no reachable assets or the cost exceeds the realistic recovery. A clear "no" early is cheaper than a judgment you cannot collect.

Can a Chinese judgment or award be enforced in the United States?+

Arbitral awards generally can, under the New York Convention. Court judgments depend on state law—Washington, for example, has adopted the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act—and on the defenses available.

Can a U.S. judgment be enforced in China?+

Increasingly, under the principle of reciprocity, but not automatically. For Chinese counterparties, an arbitration clause is usually the more reliable route to an enforceable result.