JMC News and Events

James Madison College graduate Sanford H. Perliss (IR, 1980) opens the first international law branch office in Southwest China.  Below is an article from the Chengdu Weekly describing the event.

Better Understanding of cultural differences leads to business potentials
By Zhong Ying
Chengdu Weekly Staff
Chengdu Weekly, 11/19/2001

The Law Offices of Perliss & Gross is a Los Angeles based law firm established in 1987, which now has three offices. Its main office is located in the heart of the financial district in downtown Los Angeles; one of its branch offices is in the center of the Chinese community in Southern California and it has also just set up its Chengdu branch office – the Law Offices of Perliss, Gross & Sellier this month. This office is to render services to American and multinational companies doing business in China, and the Chinese companies doing business in the United States and internationally.

As law sector insiders know, before this month there had not been any foreign law office licensed in Chengdu and Southwest China. Why did the Law Offices of Perliss & Gross forestall in the City of Chengdu? Why does it now have the foreknowledge and visions to set up a branch office here and in West China? And what made it become a pioneer in its own country and other western countries who have been eyeing the West China market?

"At present, most of the branches of the foreign law offices in China are based in Beijing, Shanghai and the other costal cities. With the Chinese Government Develop-the-west Strategy and further reforms to open up to the outside world, there are more and more local Chinese enterprises and foreign companies needing legal services. The City of Chengdu plays a very significant role in West China and the market potential here is enormous. I’m very glad we are the first here,” said Mr. Sanford H. Perliss, one of the three partners of the Chengdu branch.

When asked how cultural differences between China and the US in handling law cases were going to be dealt with, Mr. Perliss told reporters: “The cultural difference is not a problem for us. There’s always lots of common ground between different cultures. In the United States, over 95 per cent of our customers are Chinese. We have three Chinese colleagues in our American law offices. My other two partners Messrs, Kenneth, I. Gross and Jean-mare Sellier, and I married a Chinese wife each and Jean’s wife and my father-in-law are native Chengduers. The idea of 'east meets west' is very harmoniously reflected in our families."

"We started our on-the-spot investigations in several cities in China more that two years ago. Through our special relations with China and a relatively complete understanding of all aspects of China and its west regions and after careful consideration, we finally decided to locate our first Chinese branch in Chengdu. And with the help and support of the Sichuan Provincial Government and relevant local departments, the branch office has been set up and we have received business. I am fully confident in the great market potential in Chengdu and West China," Mr. Perliss added.

At the launch ceremony of the Law Offices of Perliss, Gross, and Sellier held on last Sunday, we met many Chinese guests who are very interested in the office and its affairs. The three office partners warmly and patiently answered the questions posed by the guests. We wish from the bottom of our hearts that the first foreign law office in Chengdu and Southwest China will develop and grow successfully.