Melisa has more than 20 years’ experience in Thailand, representing multinationals in trade & customs matters, as well as in all aspects of their licensing and compliance requirements. She has a particular expertise in complex regulatory matters involving foreign ownership issues, antibribery, competition, and data protection, focusing on both compliance and investigations.

Melisa’s practice focuses on highly regulated industries such as telecoms, e-commerce, tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceutical, food & beverages.

Experience

Melisa’s long-term Thailand experience, coupled with her knowledge of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, provides her with a unique ability to meet the complex needs of clients in highly regulated industries. She is also able to draw on many years’ experience in both Corporate/M&A and Dispute Resolution matters to provide an effective bridge for clients experiencing investigations and administrative proceedings with Thai regulators, particularly in areas with little or no precedent.

Melisa is one of a small number of attorneys recognised in The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers - Trade & Customs 2019 and 2020 for Thailand, which notes that Melisa “is highly regarded as “an excellent and seasoned trade lawyer” and “a very knowledgeable expert who possesses a sharp commercial mind.” According to the Legal 500 “…the team has a standout practice in trade and customs, where Melisa Uremovic is a name to note.”

Chambers and Partners (2020) also lists Melisa as a Recognised Practitioner for her work in Technology, Media and Telecoms, noting that Melisa “is respected for her expertise in this space, including for telecommunications and data privacy issues. She is also well versed in regulatory matters related to e-commerce.”

Notable Cases & Transactions

Customs & Trade Law

• Representing a leading tobacco importer in its Criminal Court and appeal proceedings regarding alleged duty evasion involving imports from Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Advising legal counsel to the Government of the Philippines on an international trade dispute brought to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the Government of the Philippines against the Government of Thailand.
• Advising a global e-commerce company on export/import due diligence regarding various products and services, relevant licensing requirements and other related compliance matters.
• Advising a global e-commerce company on various import licensing requirements applicable to data centre equipment.
• Advise a US law firm regarding export restrictions on face masks and personal protective equipment, to send out as a public service to hospitals and other parties who are trying to obtain this equipment in the U.S.
• Advise a US headquartered manufacturer on import licensing requirements and restrictions of various products, including those subject to hazardous substances provisions.
• Advising a US headquartered manufacturer on the potential application of anti-dumping proceedings to its products.
• Advising a US headquartered manufacturer on legislative developments in respect pf plastics in Thailand on an ongoing basis.
• Representing a leading tobacco importer in its successful appeal to the Thai Board of Appeal against an uplift of their declared customs values on imports from the Philippines.
• Advising a NYSE listed alcoholic beverages company on customs valuation disputes, as well as its settlement of a dispute with Thai Customs and use of preferential tariff rates.
• Advising a Japanese automotive exporter on a potential tariff classification dispute involving its subsidiary in Thailand.
• Advising a Japanese importer of vehicles and automotive parts on its use of JTEPA.
• Advising a Japanese pharmaceutical company on its importation and licensing of pharmaceutical products.
• Advising Japanese steel mills in various Thai Government safeguard proceedings.
• Advising Japanese steel mill(s) in various Thai Government antidumping review and sunset review proceedings.
• Advising various multinationals, including U.S. conglomerates, on the importation of products such as medical devices, hazardous products and technology products.

Competition

• Representing a European headquartered company in respect of a post-merger notification, the first in Thailand.
• Representing a Japanese manufacturer in respect of a post-merger notification filed in Thailand.
• Representing a global technology company in respect of competition law matters.
• Advising the Thai subsidiary of a multinational steel company in assessing its trade program compliance with competition laws.
• Advising a multinational importer and distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, on a routine basis, in assessing its trade program compliance with competition laws.
• Advising a PRC-based technology company in respect of competition compliance matters.
• Advise a European headquartered company in respect of competition law concerns arising from a potential acquisition.
• Advising various multinationals, including European and U.S. conglomerates, on their competition law concerns and compliance programs.

Regulatory & Investigations

• Advising a healthcare company on the privacy implications of criminal record checks and sanctions screenings.
• Advising a NYSE listed alcoholic beverages company during their FCPA investigation by the U.S. SEC.
• Advising a U.S. heavy vehicle manufacturer on an issue regarding compliance with anticorruption laws.
• Advising a US headquartered importer of fast moving consumer goods on the filing of a complaint to the NACC.
• Advising a European telecommunications company on a foreign ownership investigation by the Ministry of Commerce and Economic Crime Division.
• Advising a European telecommunications company on its shareholdings in a Thai mobile telecommunications company, including concession and licensing related issues.

Corporate/M&A

• Advising a European telecommunications company on its acquisition of stakes in a Thai listed mobile telecommunications company, and various related matters following the acquisition.
• Advising a Singaporean holding company on its acquisition of stakes in a Thai listed mobile telecommunications company, and various related matters following the acquisition.
• Advising a PRC gaming company on its establishment of a joint venture in Thailand.
• Advise a US multinational on the potential shutdown of its operations in Thailand.
• Advise a European headquartered multinational in respect of its market exit, including in respect of various shareholding and dissolution/liquidation issues.
• Advising a European headquartered company on foreign ownership and licensing issues in Thailand.
• Advising various multinationals, including European and U.S. conglomerates, on foreign ownership and licensing issues in Thailand.

TMT

• Advising various multinationals, including European and U.S. conglomerates, on their Privacy Statements, privacy implications of various programs, as well as their implementation of data protection regimes under the newly enacted Personal Data Protection Act.
• Please also see various entries above related to matters for telecoms, technology and e-commerce companies.