D. Craig Parry

Craig Parry is a partner with 27-years of experience in a wide range of matters from complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on intellectual property matters, to advising corporate clients from start-ups to publicly traded companies in an outside corporate counsel capacity.

Mr. Parry worked at a Japanese law firm in Tokyo, and for nearly three decades his practice has included significant international transactional work, representing both U.S. and foreign clients in cross-border transactions. He has represented clients throughout Japan and Southeast Asia, the EMEA, Central and South America, and Canada. As a Board Member of Meritas, a premier global alliance of independent law firms located in all 50 states and in almost 100 countries with over 8,000 attorneys, Mr. Parry has worked closely with local law firms throughout the U.S. and in over 50 countries to meet the needs of clients. Parr Brown’s membership in Meritas allows clients immediate access to high-quality, stringently vetted, reasonably priced, local law firms throughout the world.

Respected by clients, some of whom he has represented for nearly three decades, Mr. Parry is a trusted adviser who takes the time to know and understand his clients’ business, needs, and goals. He draws upon his extensive litigation experience in working with and advising clients on strategies to set up and carry out operations to minimize the risk of disputes and litigation. He assists regional, national, and international clients in developing, obtaining, utilizing, and protecting their intellectual property assets by negotiating and drafting licensing, distribution, joint venture, purchase and sale, and other agreements.

Mr. Parry frequently consults with U.S. companies expanding into foreign markets, bringing to their attention and advising them on legal issues that bear on their business plans and counseling them on ways to enter and operate in the foreign market that fit with the company’s goals and strategies and the relevant legal environment. Mr. Parry assists clients in setting up the business structure necessary to effectuate the plans, including establishing a presence in the foreign jurisdiction and negotiating and drafting inter- and intra-company agreements, such as licensing, distribution, services, manufacturing, management, marketing, and joint venture agreements.  He also advises clients in the U.S. and other countries concerning compliance with the European Union data privacy and security laws (such as the GDPR) and with respect to best practices for clients in protecting electronic personal data.

Mr. Parry also has a diverse litigation practice that includes an emphasis in technology, intellectual property (including patent, trademark, and copyright infringement), unfair competition, trade secret, and other complex litigation.  He is a highly effective litigation strategist and an effective and financially responsible problem solver. Mr. Parry regularly represents clients in international mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

Mr. Parry’s extensive experience includes providing advice, counseling, and handling disputes for clients in the semi-conductor, professional sports, consumer electronics, computer software, pharmaceutical, workplace safety, lifestyle products, outdoor retail, industrial machinery, manufacturing, nutritional supplement, wholesale and retail foods, education, and other industries. His clients include small start-ups to established enterprises to publicly traded companies.

Mr. Parry has a nationwide practice and is admitted to practice before State and Federal Courts and Circuit Courts of Appeals throughout the country.  Mr. Parry is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating possible. He is continually recognized by Best Lawyers in America, including in the areas of commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation. He has also been consistently selected by his peers as one of Utah’s Legal Elite.

Sample of Recent Matters:

Business:

• Establish Joint Ventures to bid on and carry out World Bank-financed projects in Bangladesh and Nepal
• Establish foreign business entities to undertake significant construction projects in Peru and Italy
• Negotiate and draft all necessary agreements to establish manufacturing, supply chains, and distribution channels in Asia and Europe for an active-wear clothing company
• Negotiate and draft all necessary agreements, including agreements to protect intellectual property rights, for a U.S. lifestyle products company to expand sales throughout Europe and South America
• Survey governmental regulations applicable to certain medicines in 40 countries to advise a client with respect to potential sales of an FDA-approved drug overseas
• Advise publicly traded Japanese company in obtaining permits to conduct recruiting activities in four-dozen jurisdictions throughout the world

Dispute Resolution:

• Represent Taiwanese and Japanese companies in patent infringement lawsuits in the United States
• Represent NHL franchise in dispute with its minor league affiliate
• Represent NBA basketball player in international arbitration with Chinese shoe manufacturer
• Represent state high school activities association in seminal Due Process and Title IX lawsuit
• Represent broker dealer clients in several arbitration matters before FINRA

Sample of Publications and Speaking Engagements:

• Panelist, International Law Symposium, Brigham Young University
• Presenter, Legal Considerations in Expanding Business Overseas,
Utah World Trade Center
• Presenter, Legal Pitfalls of International Business Operations,
Utah Global Forum
• “The Importance of Wa When Doing Business in Japan”,
Journal of Asia-Pacific Business
• A Study of Trust in Japanese-American Joint Ventures”,
Journal of Managerial Issues
• “Japanese Business Practices: Myth and Reality”,
The Asian Century Business Report
• Protecting and Enhancing Intellectual Property Rights in the United States, Presentation to clients, corporate counsel, and attorneys in Japan
• “Bridging The Cultural Divide”
Utah Business