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.