International Trade

With over 75 international trade lawyers in the U.S., Europe and Asia experienced in all aspects of the global marketplace, we are able to assemble a global, highly integrated team to advise and advocate for corporations, trade associations, governments and other clients with a stake in the global rules of trade and investment. We have extensive knowledge and experience, including from prior service in government positions around the world.

Our areas of focus include:

CFIUS filings and related national security reviews
international protection of intellectual property rights
anti-dumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard proceedings
international trade and investment negotiations and disputes under the WTO, NAFTA, BITs and FTAs
trade and investment policy issues before government officials, including MOFCOM (China), DG Trade (EU), METI (Japan) and USTR (U.S.)
structuring transactions to take advantage of investment treaties and trade rules
international commercial arbitration
customs enforcement and rulings
supply chain security issues
export controls and anti-boycott regulations
economic sanctions, embargoes and FCPA compliance

National Security Reviews of Foreign Investments – CFIUS

Sidley has substantial experience in guiding foreign and domestic companies through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) process. We have represented foreign interests making such acquisitions, U.S. companies being acquired, and foreign and domestic investors, lenders, and investment advisers involved in such transactions. We have represented companies seeking CFIUS approval and companies seeking to use the CFIUS process to block acquisitions. Our lawyers have long experience with CFIUS matters both inside the government and acting on behalf of private interests. Our team includes a former General Counsel of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) who served as the USTR representative on the CFIUS. Sidley’s global presence and extensive capabilities in other relevant regulatory fields, including export controls and sanctions, enable us to manage effectively even the most complex and difficult CFIUS reviews. We have participated extensively in the process for developing national policies concerning foreign acquisitions in the United States:

lobbying Congress on relevant statutory changes
submitting comments on implementing regulations
counseling a major trade association on a number of policy projects
speaking and writing frequently on CFIUS-related topics