@danharris

Daniel P. Harris

Partner, Harris & Moure

Author of the award-winning China Law Blog

Appearances on Fox News, Fox Report, CBC Report on Business, BBC World, BBC World Have Your Say

 

 

Today, we’re tweeting with @danharris: international lawyer, “Sushi grade” China Law blogger, news & movie junkie, and more

1. @Danharris, thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Who is the person behind @Danharris?
   Me. Just me.
    
2. Can’t go wrong with that. Tell us about your law practice.
   It’s 99% international law. Maybe around 60% China, 20% Korea, 15% Russia, 5% Misc.
    
3. What type of clients do you represent?
   From Startups to Fortune 50 companies. Most have between $5 and $300 in revenues.
   Whoops. Meant between $5 million and $300 million, not between $5 and $300.
    
4. What is the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
   Great question. Figuring out the law and following it.
    
5. Imagine that’s difficult in those jurisdictions. What’s the single most important business issue affecting your clients?
   Very tough in China, yes. Toughest business issue is the credit crunch.
    
6. What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
   “Hi, I’m Dan. ” Hard to generalize much beyond that….. sorry…..
    
7. It is what it is, right? What was the most significant client representation you’ve had?
   Helping recover $300+ million in assets from Russia RIGHT after fall of communism. Got WSJ cover story out of it. ….
   Funnest was going to Papua New Guinea to recover three helicopters.
    
8. Impressive results. Why do your clients hire you?
   Three reasons, primarily. 1. Quality 2. Responsiveness/Concern/Personality 3. Price Fairness
    
9. You’ve become a leading voice on China / China law in a relatively short time. What led you to your China practice?
   It’s actually taken a long time. We were big in Korea & Russia & China was thrust on us by our clients.
    
10. How will the rule of law in China affect the way business is done in China?
    It already has & it will continue to do so. Foreign companies must follow laws or they run real risk of getting tossed.
     
11. You may have just answered this in part, but what’s the future for foreign lawyers in China?
    Very bright. Cultural differences are a huge & permanent chasm. This holds true for most foreign countries, even European ones
     
12. How do you market your practice?
    By never sitting still. Blogging. Speaking. Writing. Lunches. Phone calls.
     
13. How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
    Every minute I work I am enhancing the brand, so I will say 12-16. As my Twitter profile says, “sleep is for wussies.”
     
14. You’re the principal author of the award-winning China Law Blog (http://bit.ly/n4k7T). Who do you write it for?
    The SME owner or CFO who is in China or thinking about going there.
     
15. Have your Web 2.0 activities had an impact on referrals or client engagements?
    It creates huge media publicity, which leads to clients. Clients come in already knowing where I stand on things.
     
16. That’s very useful, I’m sure. What is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
    BigLaw costs too much. Firms must move from hourly billing. Abt 75% of my firm’s work is flat fee. Better for clients & for us
     
17. That’s a lot! Guess we’ll need a second twitterview…. What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
    Mega firms and specialized boutique firms. Mid-sized “national” firms will be no more.
     
18. What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
    Radio Talk Show Host……Full time blogger/twitterer?
     
19. I’m sure you’d be successful at that too…. How do you want to be remembered?
    Too deep for me…. As a great father and a good person.
     
20. More down to earth, then: what do you do when you’re not working?
    Dote on my kids, work out, read, watch TV, go to movies & plays, travel for fun.
     
21. As opposed to traveling for clients… How many miles would you say you travel in a typical year?
    Maybe 150,000 air miles for clients…. 25,000 for pleasure. Guessing.
     
22. That’s a lot of time in the air… Final question for you: What advice do you have for people going to law school today?
    Don’t I know it. I would say don’t go to law school unless you know what you want to do with the degree once U have it.

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