Dennis Unkovic

Dennis Unkovic e (born March 24, 1948) is an international attorney, business advisor, and author. He is a partner with Pittsburgh-based Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP.

Unkovic is an accomplished writer who has written six books, contributed to three other books, and authored over 148 articles. Several of his books and articles have been published in Japanese, Chinese, Serbo-Croatian and other languages. His most recent book, The Art of Investing in America: Secrets to Success (published in 2009), was written to provide foreign investors with insights into how best to acquire United States assets.

For three decades, Unkovic has advised companies and individuals from throughout the United States as well as Europe, Asia and the Americas on complex business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and international dispute resolution. He frequently speaks to business organizations, government officials, trade associations, and academic institutions on a broad variety of international topics.

Career

Unkovic is a partner at Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP, a law firm composed of 63 attorneys that handles a wide variety of business transactions, significant corporate litigation, and technology and intellectual property matters.

In his practice, Unkovic primarily works in three areas. First, he handles mergers, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances, acquisitions, and technology licensing relationships with domestic and international companies. Second, he advises in the areas of technological innovation, intellectual property and technology transfer. Finally, Unkovic works closely with companies, financial institutions, not-for-profit entities and trade associations in managing their operations both in the United States and abroad. His work has taken him to over 45 countries during his career with particular emphasis on the Pacific Rim.

Unkovic has written six books and over 148 articles that have been published both nationally and internationally. Several of his published works have been translated into the Japanese and Chinese languages. He is often called upon to speak with government, business, and academic officials on international relationships and other high profile issues.

A respected attorney, Unkovic was named to all editions of The Best Lawyers in America since 2001. He is affiliated with numerous courts, professional organizations, and domestic and international arbitration tribunals.

Background and Education

Unkovic earned his B.A. with distinction from the University of Virginia before receiving his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Prior to joining Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP, Unkovic served as Legislative Director to former United States Senate Minority Leader Hugh D. Scott in Washington D.C. At the same time, he served as Assistant Counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights.

Themes in His Writing

Drawing upon 30 years of extensive experience, Unkovic often writes AbOUT the ins and outs of international business transactions, many of which center on the Asia region, particularly China, India and Japan. “There are risks, certainly, but also rewards for the savvy investor,” he points out in Successful Strategies for Doing Business in Asia, “Those who are patiently waiting for Asia to become more settled or its legal systems more predictable before venturing there to look for business or investment opportunities should not wait long. The may find themselves missing out on perhaps the greatest economic expansion of all history.”

His most recent book, The Art of Investing in America: Secrets to Success is designed specifically for Chinese investors and provides insights into how to successfully acquire American assets in today's trying economic conditions. In an article for International Law News, he takes the same approach for investors looking for opportunities in India. “India presents diverse and rewarding opportunities for foreign direct investment,” he explains. “Before entering this booming market, it is important to understand the country’s procedures, laws and regulations in order to operate successfully.” He proceeds to outline the basic government statutes, business procedures and taxes, duties and levies investors can expect to encounter. Discussing the difficult subject of recovery from the worldwide recession in the ACC Docket he states, “China and India each have the potential to be a dynamic powerhouse that will mold future growth prospects for the world economy.”3.

“What executives around the world demand regardless of their nationality or business is a high degree of certainty in predicting the outcome of any given situation,” Unkovic says in an article for Dispute Resolution Journal. He aims his writing to address that demand and the issues that affect companies and investors looking to develop solid international business channels.

Unkovic's typical writing style is clear and informative. Often dealing with complex subject matter, his work is generally explanatory and offers both opinion and practical suggestions on the topics being discussed. In The Art of Investing in America, fifteen topics are covered in separate chapters that are individually formatted to address potential questions an investor should ask. The style of the text is intended to be a guide for readers when planning American investments.

Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America - 2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions (Woodward/White)

Works

Books

  • The Art of Investing in America: Secrets to Success - 2009 Metallurgical Industry Press (Beijing, China)
  • Deal With It…A Duquesne Club Retrospective on the Work of Tim Menees - 2008 Duquesne Club
  • Beyond The Japanese Style Management: The Last Survival Strategies in the 20th Century - 1995 Diamond, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Revisioning Japan: Inside the American Mind - 1990 Diamond, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan)
  • The Trade Secrets Handbook: Strategies and Techniques for Safeguarding Corporate Information - 1985 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
  • International Opportunities and the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 - 1984 Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.

Contributions

  • Editor,Successful Strategies for Doing Business in Asia - 2007, Meritas, Inc.
  • Contributing author,Licensing Best Practices: Strategic, Territorial, and Technology Issue - 2006, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Contributing author,The LESI Guide to Licensing Best Practices - – 2002, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Forbes, Japan
  • The Japan Times
  • Shukan Diamond (Japanese weekly business news magazine)
  • Malaysia Current Law Journal
  • The Nikkei Weekly
  • This Is Yomiuri
  • Nihon Keizai Shimbun
  • Licensing Best Practices: The LESI Guide to Strategic Issues and Contemporary Realities
  • Corporate Legal Times
  • Dispute Resolution Journal
  • IP Litigator
  • International Law News
  • ACC Docket
  • Legal Intelligencer (Intellectual Property Section)
  • Executive Counsel
  • Legal Environment for Foreign Direct Investment in the United States
  • Strategies (The Journal of Legal Marketing)
  • Understanding Japan: Business, Culture, Technology
  • Dynamic Business
  • U.S. Business Litigation
  • Forbes, Japan
  • Commerce in Germany
  • Finance & Treasury
  • International Trade Committee Newsletter
  • Transnational Joint Ventures
  • International and Comparative Law Newsletter
  • Direct Investments/U.S.A.
  • Trends Magazine
  • BNA’s Corporate Counsel Weekly
  • Association Management(publication of the American Society of Association Executives)
  • IPBA Journal
  • Corporate Counsel’s International Advisor ,printed in International Quarterly
  • TEQ (journal published by the Technology Council)
  • Trustee (magazine of American Hospital Association)
  • Portfolio – International Economic Perspectives
  • Policy Perspectives on National Industrial Development
  • Pittsburgh Quarterly
  • Boardroom Reports
  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  • The Practical Lawyer
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Corporation, Banking and Business Law Newsletter
  • The University of Pittsburgh School of Law Journal of Law & Commerce
  • The Dickinson Lawyer
  • Dickinson Law Review
  • William & Mary Law Review
  • Michigan Yearbook of International Legal Studies

Law Firm

Publishing House

Literary Publications

Educational Institutions

See Also

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