John H. Friedhoff

With more than 35 years of experience, John Friedhoff concentrates his practice on International, Intellectual Property and Entertainment/Sports Law. He has been a Board Certified Specialist in International Law for over 20 years and has been AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell for almost 20 years. John served as Vice President of the Central – American Chamber of Commerce and served as President of the Brazilian – American Chamber of Commerce.

Practice Focus

John handles a broad range of matters, including drafting international contracts for U.S. outbound investors, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, distribution of products and services abroad, foreign agency agreements, trademark, registration and licensing of intellectual property. He has in-depth experience with foreign investment matters, including transfer pricing issues, registration of foreign capital and loans, and the establishment of offshore banks, corporations, trusts and mutual funds. A significant portion of his practice involves the counseling and licensing of wire remittance businesses.

John represents foreign investors in the establishment of companies in the U.S., and he assists foreign individuals with estate and income tax planning, and immigration concerns. A specialist in international law, John is a frequent speaker on issues relating to foreign investment in Latin America and authors articles on foreign investment for publication abroad.

In addition, John handles a variety of entertainment/sports law issues, the intellectual property matters that arise from those issues, including global brand management, trademark and licensing. The following are demonstrative of John’s entertainment/sports law experience:

• Representation of one of the best soccer players in history
• Negotiated the acquisition and licensing of film rights in professional soccer games
• Negotiated with municipalities for land grants to develop soccer academies
• Drafted acquisition documents for investment bank’s purchase of equity in a Brazilian soccer club
• Consulted on governance and international licensing issues for Brazilian soccer club owners
• Drafted licensing agreements for sponsors at sports stadiums
• Represented free diver holding the world record
• Frequently asked to represent foreign sports stars in doing business within the United States
• Representation and counsel to the US Olympics Sailing Team for the 2016 Olympics
• Representation of Formula One race car driver in various matters including sponsorship contracts
• Representation of NASCAR driver in various matters
• Negotiated sponsorship contract with bicycle wheel manufacturer with Olympic cyclist

In The News

• Featured and interviewed by Philip Bell’s LNR Radio Show “Legal News & Review” focusing on international legal work, particularly on inbound and outbound foreign investments, February 2018
• Featured, “Banrural de Guatemala Se Propone Abrir una Representacion en Miami,” (“Guatemalan Bank Set to Open Representative Office in Miami”) El Nuevo Herald, December 16, 2008

Professional Associations and Memberships

• U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group – Delegate, Fall 2009
• International Business Law Consortium
• Inter-American Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• The Florida Bar, International Law Section, Business Law Section
• Dade County Bar Association
• Central-American Chamber of Commerce – Past Vice President
• Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, Advisory Board Member – Past President
• Zamorano University, – Board of Trustees, 2010 – 2018 / Secretary of the Board of Trustees, 2013 – 2018 / Chair of the Legal Committee, 2012 – 2018

Speaking Engagements

• Panelist, “International Forum on the Impact of Agribusiness, Environmental and Economic Development in the CARICOM Region,” Fowler White Burnett, February 2016

Publications

• Co-Author, “Why Has My Bank Account Been Frozen? The IEEPA and Its Historical Underpinnings,” Daily Business Review, October 29, 2019
• Author, “What Is It Like To Do Business in Latin America: Leave Your Assumptions at Home,” The Complete Lawyer, November 3, 2008
• Author, “Sales Representative Agreement: Commentary and Form,” International Business Transactions, Kluwer Law International
• Author, “A Offshore e Obsoleta?,” (“Is the Offshore Corporation ARTICLES Obsolete?”) USA Lifestyle
• Author, “Mercado Aberto,” (“The Open Market: Distribution of Products in the United States”) USA Lifestyle
• Author, “Cuidado com as Franquias,” (“Beware the Franchise”) USA Lifestyle
• Author, “Um Destino Brasileiro,” (“A Brazilian Destiny”), Icaro
• Author, “Como Obter Vistos para Abrir Negocio nos EUA,” (“How to Obtain Work-Authorized Visas in the United States of America”) Gazeta Mercantil
• Author, “O Que e um Trust?,” (“What is a Trust?”) USA Lifestyle
• Author, “Imigracao: As Seis Preguntas Mais Frequentes,” (“Six Most Frequently Asked Immigration Questions”) USA Lifestyle
• Author, “Imposto Sobre Venda de Mercadorias do Estado da Florida: Voce Pode Evita-Lo?,” (“How to Avoid Sales Tax in Florida”) USA Lifestyle