Delegating to Robots: Document Automation for Lawyers

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As the cost of office rent and salaries continues to increase while in-house budgets continue to shrink, how can law firms and in-house legal departments cope with the financial squeeze and enhance profitability? The answer – according to a recent presentation at an AmCham Taipei workshop – may be automation of the preparation of legal documents.

On July 13, Peter Davies of Thomson Reuters gave a presentation in AmCham Taipei’s Lincoln Room on “Delegating to Robots: Document Automation for Lawyers.” A former private equity lawyer, Davies now works with corporates in North Asia to determine how new technological models can assist in bringing efficiencies to the legal profession.

From left to right: Speaker Peter Davies with Don Shapiro, Chamber’s Senior Director

Davies stressed that several preconditions are necessary for documentation automation to be feasible:

  • The existence of a good set of templates that computers can draw on to compile a document
  • Sufficient volume for each type of document to create economies of scale
  • A willingness to invest the money and especially the time to create an effective automation system
  • The market power to devise documents based on the office’s own determination (not possible, for example, if a law firm must work on the client’s own template)

Given the right conditions, however, automation brings the advantages of faster speed – manual preparation takes 80% longer on average – and greater accuracy, reducing the incidence of typos and other errors. Davies asserted that automation does not mean robots taking away lawyers’ jobs. Rather, it should free up lawyers’ time for more productive activity.

From attendees’ comments during the interactive presentation, it appears that the automation of legal documents in Taiwan is far less common than in markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore. The main reason may be the lesser volume here of any given standard document.

2017 AmCham Membership Satisfaction Survey

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At AmCham Taipei, we are constantly working to deliver a great experience for our members and looking for ways to further improve our services. Between May 18 and June 23, we conducted a Membership Satisfaction Survey consisting of 12 questions. A total of 111 AmCham Taipei members responded to the survey with their feedback.

“The Membership Satisfaction Survey provides valuable insight into the needs of our members,” said Andrea Wu, president of the Chamber. “It serves as a benchmark for our performance and provides a comparative measure of our success from year to year.”

AmCham Taipei is grateful to all members who participated in the survey. As a token of our appreciation, a lucky draw contest was held, with prizes to three participants.

The Membership Satisfaction Survey not only reflects areas of success and needed improvement but also helps inform future AmCham Taipei initiatives and priorities. Future surveys will enable us to track the results of our member satisfaction efforts over time.

Here are the results of the 2017 Membership Survey (click images to enlarge):

Digital Marketing Roadmap: 2017 and Beyond

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In this age of digital media, marketers face sharp new challenges, but they are also armed with new tools and techniques to deal with them.

At a two-hour AmCham Taipei “Digital Marketing Roadmap: 2017 and Beyond” workshop on June 14, James Chard, an independent digital media and marketing consultant and former Communications Manager at AmCham Taipei, shared insights on how to form a successful digital marketing strategy. The program included a hands-on group exercise to spark ideas on ways to develop an effective email marketing campaign.

Chard began with an overview on the current state of digital marketing, noting that consumer expectations are higher than ever. As consumer trust continues to decline and consumer savviness increases, marketers must pursue personalized, relevant, and targeted marketing strategies in order to capture and retain consumer attention. Chard highlighted the importance of technology trends in modern day digital marketing, such as the dominant role of mobile communication and the growing significance of video, chat functions, and influencer marketing, among others. He then discussed the “new customer journey,” which has shifted with the evolution of consumer needs and the expanding landscape of technological possibilities.

From left to right: Don Shapiro, Chamber’s Senior Director, James Chard, Independent Digital Media and Marketing Consultant, Andrea Wu, AmCham President

The New* Customer Journey: Pre-Purchase Stages

  1. Engagement – Brand Awareness
  2. Education – Problem Identification
  3. Research – Investigate Solutions
  4. Evaluation – Assess Satisfaction of Needs
  5. Justification – Justify & Quantify Value, the Internal Buy-In
  6. Purchase – Transactional and Transitional Factors

The New* Customer Journey: Post-Purchase Stages

  1. Adoption – Onboarding and Implementation
  2. Retention – Satisfaction and Success
  3. Expansion – Up-sell, Cross-sell
  4. Advocacy – Loyalty and Evangelism (winning the trust battle and getting consumers to spread the word for you)

Chard emphasized the importance of inbound marketing – pulling consumers in organically – rather than outbound marketing, which depends on fighting for consumer attention in a sea of communication messages. He concluded with an analysis of the most powerful tools to boost marketing effectiveness and best practices:

  • Website
  • Content
  • Social media
  • Search
  • Email
  • Ads
  • Marketing Automation
  • Analytics

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

The AIT and AmCham Taipei Co-Host U.S.-Taiwan International Patient Day

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The American Institute of Taiwan (AIT) and AmCham Taipei co-hosted U.S.-Taiwan International Patient Day at the AmCham Taipei Lincoln Room on May 24. The goal of the International Patient Day is for foreign government regulators and high-level officials to see the personal impact U.S. medical technology has on the Taiwan population.

The event featured presentations by local doctors and medical experts on how U.S. medical technologies are being used to ease suffering for patients, while increasing the probability of full-recovery and reducing mortality in Taiwan. Patients were also in attendance at the event to share their personal stories and experiences on how U.S. medical technologies have helped to improve their lives during the treatment and recovery. U.S. technologies that were highlighted include: 1) advanced hemodynamic monitoring for major burn victims; 2) transcatheter aortic valve replacement surgery (TAVR); 3) insulin pump therapy for diabetic patients; and 4) closures for left atrial appendage. Representatives from Cigna also introduced their healthcare platform to help consumers manage their health and engage with care systems via mobile app.

From left to right: Henley Jones, Commercial Officer, AIT Commercial Section, Tsung-Hsi Wang (王宗曦), Secretary General, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Andrea Wu, President of AmCham Taipei, Mao-Ting Sheen (沈茂庭), Chief Secretary, National Health Insurance Administration, MOHW

Attendees to the U.S.-Taiwan International Patient Day included Tsung-Hsi Wang (王宗曦), Secretary General, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Cheng-Hua Lee (李丞華), Deputy Director General, National Health Insurance Administration, MOHW, Mao-Ting Sheen (沈茂庭), Chief Secretary, National Health Insurance Administration, MOHW, and other officials from healthcare and medical related divisions.

Special thanks to the doctors and specialists who presented and shared their medical expertise:

  • Chia-Shen Yang, Chief, Burn Center and Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
    楊家森醫師 – 高雄長庚燒燙傷中心主任、高雄長庚醫院整形外科醫師
  • Wei-Hsien Yin, Cardiologist, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Heart Centre at Cheng Hsin General Hospital
    殷偉賢醫師 – 振興醫院心臟醫學中心 心臟血管內科主任
  • Chia-Hung Lin, Attending physician, Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology at Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
    林嘉鴻醫師 – 桃園長庚醫院新陳代謝科主治醫師
  • Amy Lee, VP of Operations at Cigna Taiwan
    李映慧 – 康健人壽資深副總
  • Sandy Chen, Chief Operation Officer at Cigna Taiwan
    陳立琳 – 康健人壽營運長
  • Chia-Ti Tsai, Attending Physician in Cardiology, National Taiwan University Hospital
    Professor of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University
    蔡佳醍 醫師 – 台大心臟內科部主治醫師、國立台灣大學醫學院內科專任教授

AmCham’s 2017 Golf Championship

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On May 12, AmCham Taipei held its 2017 Golf Championship at the Kuo Hua Golf & Country Club in Beitou.

With a full shot-gun start, all players teed-off promptly at 6:30 a.m., following the Texas Scramble based on Peoria format. The day was mostly cloudy with pleasant temperatures, and players were able to stay refreshed with non-alcoholic drinks generously sponsored by Swire Coca-Cola, Savanna Cider by Distell, and Ice cream by Swensen’s.

A total of 55 golfers, organized into 14 teams, took part in the golf event.

Thanks to hole-sponsors Corning, and Taiwan Sotheby’s International Realty, golfers had the chance to win Nearest to the Pin contests at every Par-3 hole, as well as Longest Drive on two Par-5 holes. In addition, Ally Logistics Property also sponsored 8 sleeves of top-quality golf balls as hole prizes.

All participants also took home “goody bags” filled with prizes provided by Asian Tigers, Ally Logistics Property, Costco, Crown, and Taiwan Sotheby’s International Realty.

Tournament Results

Team handicaps for this year’s tournament were determined using the Peoria system, with the six special holes drawn randomly by players during the awards lunch. Evonik (Thomas Zechel, Albert Lee, Michael Huang, and KC Lin) won the championship. Other golfers also had opportunities to win prizes in the lucky draw that followed, with products sponsored by Audi, Costco, Grand Hyatt Taipei, Howard Plaza Taipei, IGST, Patron Spirits, Regent Taipei, Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei, Silks Place Taroko, The Place Tainan, The Sherwood Taipei, and the W Taipei. Distell also sponsored Scottish Leader Whisky that was served during lunch.

Before ending lunch, AmCham President Andrea Wu extended special thanks to the 2017 AmCham Golf Committee – Doug Klein, Jesse Chen, James Hsiao, and Wayne Shen – for their expert advice on all things golf-related.

View the full photo gallery here

Special Event – Chemical Registration

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With the upcoming requirement (Taiwan-Reach) to register of existing chemical substances in Taiwan, the industry will face new challenges. ERM/ReachCentrum has supported industry in Europe since 2008 and since 2015 in Korea on similar registration requirements. i.e. joint registration and data sharing management.

On April 13, AmCham Taipei invited Willi Muenninghoff, Project Manager of ReachCentrum to share his expertise on involvement with regulatory issues for the chemical industry. The seminar also highlighted some of the challenges and provided practical guidance on how this has been handled in other regions.

From left to right: James Leu, Managing Director of ERM, Willi Muenninghoff, Project Manager of ReachCentrum, Kenny Jeng, Co-chair of Sustainable Development Committee

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

AmCham Wine Tasting Night

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AmCham Taipei held its Wine Tasting Night on Thursday, April 6 at AmCham Lincoln Room. Members and guests gathered to learn about the world of wine and discover different wine flavors. We invited Mr. Benjamin Vigier to share his unique experiences and fascinating stories about the winery. In addition to samplings of wines from Italy, France, and Spain, we also served delicious appetizers, cheese and crackers to accompany the tasting.

Thanks to our sponsor, Taifung Trading, for providing wine samplings and making this event possible. Wine samplings served at the event:

  • Gancia Brut NV
    The Gancia Company was founded in 1850 in Canelli, Piemonte (Italy), by Carlo Gancia. In 1865, Carlo Gancia produced the very first Italian Sparkling Wine. Gancia Brut is a dry Italian wine with fruit flavor which always creates a festive mood!
  • Chateau de Valcombe Tradition White 2015
    Vineyard soils are made of Rhone pebbles on 3% to 5% slopes, with a South exposure, overlooking the Camargue ponds. A very thin limestone layer brings up a surprising freshness and a mineral touch to the wine; this is an absolutely unique case within the Costières de Nîmes wine region.
  • Tinto Figuero Crianza F12 2012
    20% of the Tempranillo grapes used in this wine come from vines older than 50 years, with the remaining 80% coming from vines between 20-40 years old. After being hand-harvested and undergoing cluster selection in the vineyards, the grapes are destemmed and go through gravity-controlled tanks, with 5-6 days of cold-skin maceration prior to fermentation. An additional 2 months of maturation follow, with malolactic fermentation taking place. The wine is aged for twelve months in 2-plus year-old barrels (80-percent American and 20-percent French oak). It is then aged an additional 2 years in bottle before leaving the cellar.

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

Technology Licensing Expert Dialogue

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The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham), in partnership with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), and the Taiwan–USA Industrial Cooperation Office (TUSA), hosted a Technology Licensing Expert Dialogue on March 30.

Building on the success of the second Digital Economy Forum in October, 2016, the dialogue brought together legal and technology experts from the United States and Taiwan to discuss practical guidance on the booming US$5 billion trade in technology licensing. The esteemed speakers included Hong Shu-ming, Director General of the Taiwan Intellectual Protection Office (TIPO) and the Honorable Judge Sidney H. Stein of the United States District Court Southern District of New York, who opened the forum.

Hosted by Kris Kvols, economic officer at AIT, over 100 participants listened to presentations discussing myriad complexities of licensing technology between American, Taiwanese, and Chinese markets.

Special Luncheon: Time to Revamp the Company Act

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More than 15 years has passed since the Company Act was last amended in 2001. Comprehensive amendments are widely viewed as long overdue given the many challenges arising from the transformation of industries, the emergence of micro e-commerce businesses, the aging population, the increasing importance of stakeholders, and environmental sustainability.

On March 29th, we invited members and guests to join an important workshop, “Time to Revamp the Company Act” led by the “Steering Committee of Company Act Reform” (the Steering Committee). The effort was aimed at discussing proposed amendments and recommendations to Taiwan’s Company Act.  At the workshop, participants were able to ask questions and network with people facing similar challenges and issues.

* This event was conducted in Chinese. 

From left to right: Chen Yen-liang (陳彥良) Professfor at NTU, Huang Ming-jye  (黃銘傑) Professfor at NTU, Faung Kai-lin (方嘉麟) Professor at Chengchi University, Andrea Wu AmCham Taipei President, Tseng Wang-ruu (曾宛如) Professor at NTU, Vivian Ho (何嘉容) Tax Partner at KPMG, Chu Te-fang (朱德芳) Professor at Chengchi University

Topics covered at the workshop:

  • Explanations on why changes to the Company Act are so urgently needed
  • The foreign laws that have been considered and approaches undertaken by the committee during their study
  • The major proposed revise to the Company Act
  • The government and the general public reaction to the proposed changes
  • Any feedback from AmCham members?

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

Event Reminder: Technology Licensing Expert Dialogue

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The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei is pleased to co-host with the Taiwan-USA Industrial Cooperation Promotion Office (TUSA) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) a “Technology Licensing Expert Dialogue” on March 30, 2017. Members of the media are invited to cover the opening session of the dialogue.

Members of the media who plan to cover this event are required to sign up with AIT’s Public Diplomacy Section by noon on March 29 via email to [email protected] or fax 2162-2242.

Event:             Technology Licensing Expert Dialogue

Time:               9:00 – 10:00 a.m., Thursday, March 30, 2017

Venue:             AIT’s American Center – 21st Floor, 333 Keelung Road, Section 1, Taipei

Language:        English with simultaneous interpretation

 

Agenda:

08:40 – Media registration

09:00 – Welcome remarks by Christian Marchant, Acting Deputy Director, AIT

  • Remarks by Mei-hua Wang, Vice Minister, Ministry of Economic Affairs
  • Remarks by Mark Cohen, Senior Counsel, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

09:20 – Group Photos

09:25 – Keynote Speeches

  • TIPO, Your Best Partner!, Shu-min Hong, Director General, TIPO (Taiwan Intellectual Property Office)
  • Maximizing IP Commercialization:  Less is More, Honorable Judge Sidney H. Stein, United States District Court Southern District of New York

10:00 – Opening Session Concludes

The expert dialogue will address the legal framework and provide practical guidance for industry participants in the thriving US$5 billion U.S.-Taiwan licensing trade.  This trade creates value through spurring innovation, disseminating technology, and generating income for intellectual property owners through technology transfer and commercialization. This program is being held in furtherance of the October 2016 Digital Economy Forum, at which both sides affirmed the importance of intellectual property rights and licensing to expand two-way technology trade and investment between the two economies.

For more information, please contact the AmCham Government & Public Affairs or tel: 02-2718-8226 ext. 213