contact
Paul H. Irving
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
310.312.4196

Jean Lin
Manatt Jones Global Strategies, LLC
310.231.5454

Susan M. Schmidt Selected As Contributor To Inside The Minds

Los Angeles, June 5, 2006 – Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, the national law and consulting firm, is pleased to announce that Susan M. Schmidt has been selected as an author in the new book, Inside the Minds: The Laws Behind International Trade (ISBN: 1-59622-094-5). The Inside the Minds series is published by Aspatore Books.

The Laws Behind International Trade is an authoritative, insider’s perspective on the legal and business issues companies confront while importing and exporting goods. Featuring department heads, group chairs, and leading partners representing some of the nation’s top firms, this book provides a broad, yet comprehensive overview of this highly-regulated practice area. From representing multi-national clients on import and export enforcement actions to counseling clients through structuring a plan for complete compliance, this text covers the ins and outs of international trade. The different niches presented and the myriad of appendices including sample agreements and orders, enable readers to get inside some of the great legal minds of today, as experts offer up their thoughts around the keys to success.

Ms. Schmidt's chapter in Inside the Minds:  International Trade Laws, entitled "The International Trade Lawyer:  Facilitating Business and Commerce," outlines the role of an international trade lawyer in the various law and policy issues they inevitably encounter.  She also explains in detail the financial, ethical, and cultural factors that must be explored and evaluated carefully in anticipation of their impact on international trade ventures.  Ms. Schmidt further discusses upcoming changes in law and policy that, as a result of increasing globalization, likely will augment the weight of these factors in international business decisions.

Ms. Schmidt’s practice focuses on international trade, business, advocacy and government relations. In her work with Manatt, and prior to that with the U.S. Diplomatic Service, she has developed effective strategies to address international opportunities and complex disputes, with experience as an advocate, negotiator and public speaker.

Ms. Schmidt received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. She also holds a professional diploma in economic and commercial studies from the Foreign Service Institute in Washington, D.C.

About Aspatore
For complete information on Inside the Minds, please visit www. Aspatore.com or email Jason@aspatore.com. The book can be purchased immediately by visiting http://www.aspatore.com/store/details.asp?id=72 and will be in bookstores nationwide. To order a copy of this book, you can also call 1-866-Aspatore.

About Manatt
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, provides legal and consulting services to a global client base from offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto and Sacramento, California; New York City and Albany, New York; and Washington, D.C.  Manatt includes ManattJones Global Strategies, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary that develops and implements strategies to expand client businesses and facilitate their effective competition in global markets, and Manatt Health Solutions, a healthcare policy and strategic business advisory group. For more information, visit www.manatt.com and www.manattjones.com.

###

About Inside the Minds
Inside the Minds provides readers with proven business intelligence from C-Level executives (Chairman, CEO, CFO, CMO, Partner) from the world’s most respected companies nationwide, rather than third-party accounts from unknown authors and analysts. Each chapter is comparable to an essay/thought leadership piece and is a future-oriented look at where an industry, profession, or topic is headed and the most important issues for the future. Through an exhaustive selection process, each author was hand-picked by the Inside the Minds editorial board to author a chapter for this book.