March, 1996 Signa S.A. de C.V. filed lawsuit against the Canadian Government using NAFTA Investor-State dispute settlement process.

Appleton & Associates International Lawyers filed a lawsuit against the Canadian Government on behalf of Mexican fine chemicals manufacturer, Signa S.A. de C.V. for an amount of aproximately $50 million.

Signa is being prevented from manufacturing a powerful antibiotic for the Canadian marketplace - the first generic version of this antibiotic available to Canadian consumers. The suit has been brought under Chapter 11 of the NAFTA agreement.

"It is the first time NAFTA's investor-state dispute settlement process is being used. It gives an individual investor from a NAFTA country the ability to sue a fellow member country." - Barry Appleton, Managing Partner of Appleton & Associates