North America - United States • International trade
Akin
‘Uniquely deep on trade, investment, and national security issues’, Akin houses a full-service international trade practice that is routinely involved in high-stakes trade remedy litigation and trade policy matters. The Washington DC-based group acts for domestic industries, as well as foreign producers and exporters, in many of the most closely watched cases to come to market. In a highlight example, Matthew Nicely is representing HMTX, and over 100 additional plaintiffs, in the marquee challenge to the US government’s Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods. In another high-profile case, Bernd Janzen is acting alongside next-generation partner Yujin Kim McNamara to represent the Government of British Columbia in a long-running series of countervailing duty proceedings and managed trade agreements involving US imports of softwood lumber from Canada. Other go-to trade litigators include Stephen Kho, who is a former acting chief counsel on China enforcement at the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR); and Hal Shapiro, who has had several government-side roles, including a stint as Senior Advisor for International Economic Policy at the National Economic Council. At junior level, ’strong counsel’ Sarah Kirwin is a key name.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘This practice is uniquely deep on trade, investment, and national security issues. I can always trust that the Akin team will steer me in the right direction on policy questions and initiatives. The ability to bring together the right internal assets is the innovation I value most.’
‘Lawyers are friendly, responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to get the information that I need. A stand-out partner is Stephen Kho, while a strong counsel is Sarah Kirwin.’
‘The team's coverage of trade law issues is quite broad, from the domestic legal analysis and updates of US and EU trade instruments, to drafting for dispute settlement cases. Lawyers respect the client's positions and can propose value-added alternatives.’
‘Akin's team is remarkable for its ability to delve into the most complex and esoteric areas for its clients and render the complex clear and understandable, yielding positive results.’
‘Each member of the team is committed to going to great lengths to understand the issues so that they can best represent us.’
‘Lawyers' communication is superlative and they are consistently accessible to us. They also care about our team and are willing to work around our operational needs. We are also very impressed with how effectively they represent our interests in public hearings.’
‘Partners Bernd Janzen and Yujin Kim McNamara have a wealth of experience and can give us sound advice from a big-picture perspective. Counsel Daniel Witkowski always tries to be precise and associate Sydney Stringer is quick to respond.’
‘We value the team for its outstanding collaboration, unparalleled expertise in all matters of trade, and 24/7 responsiveness to the client.’
Key clients
- Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
- Government of British Columbia
- HMTX Industries LLC
- Sumitomo Rubber Industries
- Mexican Association of Tomato Growers
- Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
- Electrolux North America
- Nextera Energy
Work highlights
- Representing HMTX, and over 100 additional plaintiffs, in challenging the US government's Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods—the largest group of related cases ever brought before the CIT.
- Representing five associations of Mexican tomato growers before the US Government on matters relating to the 2019 agreement suspending the antidumping duty investigation on fresh tomatoes from Mexico.
Lawyers
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Akin
Matt’s practice covers the full range of the U.S. trade regulatory regime, including trade policy, trade remedies, customs, export controls, economic sanctions, antiboycott and anticorruption laws. He also advises clients on opportunities and risks presented by international obligations under bilateral, regional and multilateral trade and investment agreements, including World Trade Organization dispute resolution and counseling. Matt represents clients across multiple industries in antidumping, countervailing duty and safeguard litigation, and provides counsel on the business implications of day-to-day trade and customs regulation. Matt represents clients before multiple U.S. government agencies and U.S. courts. His clients vary in scope and span the globe: governments, exporters of goods and services, importers, and producers and users of various metals, high-tech goods, auto parts, chemicals and many different consumer items from all over the world. Matt serves as President of the Customs and International Trade Bar Association. As an adjunct law professor at American University Washington College of Law, Matt teaches a course called The U.S. Trade Regime and coaches the school’s WTO moot court team. To learn more about Matt, please visit his full profile: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/matthew-r-nicely
Akin
Stephen Kho’s practice focuses on international trade and investment policy, and dispute resolution, including WTO proceedings and investor-state arbitrations. He represents companies and governments on matters ranging from market access and investment to public international law. To learn more about Mr. Kho, please visit his full profile: http://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/stephen-s-kho.html
Akin
Bernd Janzen advises clients around the globe across a range of trade litigation proceedings arising under U.S. law. These include AD/CVD and safeguard law, U.S. customs requirements, Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. In his practice, he assists corporate and sovereign clients in Canada, China, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Singapore, navigate duty and penalty risk, and develop litigation strategy geared to current U.S. trade policy. He represents clients in appeals before U.S. courts and international tribunals. Bernd works with clients across multiple industries—including the automotive, building materials, chemicals, energy, softwood lumber, aerospace, seed, tire, paper, steel and consumer electronics industries—taking care to understand the unique challenges each faces in the context of rapidly evolving and complex U.S. and international trade requirements. To learn more about Bernd, please visit his full profile: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/bernd-g-janzen.html
Next generation partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Stephen Kho, Matthew Nicely, Yujin Kim McNamara, Bernd Janzen