WASHINGTON– LAWFUEL – Law News, Law Jobs Network –International law firm Vinson & Elkins LLP is significantly expanding its international trade law practice by adding of a team of 14 lawyers who are considered among the nation’s top lawyers in their practice area.
V&E is pleased to announce that a team of five partners, one counsel, eight associates and five analysts who specialize in all aspects of international trade law are joining the firm’s Washington, D.C. office effective immediately. The legal team, led by partners William H. Barringer, Christopher A. Dunn, James P. Durling, Kenneth J. Pierce, and Daniel L. Porter, who have practiced together for many years at the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, has extensive experience in defending foreign corporations in antidumping, countervailing duty and other trade remedy investigations, as well as advising governments and businesses on international trade negotiations and trade policy disputes.
The addition of the new international trade law practice group comes as Vinson & Elkins, repeatedly ranked as the world’s leading energy law firm, continues to strengthen its international presence. V&E opened a new office in Hong Kong earlier this year, as well as offices in Shanghai and Tokyo during the past three years. V&E also has international offices in Beijing, Dubai, London, and Moscow, and domestic offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, New York, and Washington, D.C.
“This group of lawyers is consistently ranked as being among the best international trade attorneys in the country,” said V&E Managing Partner Joe Dilg. “Vinson & Elkins is proud that they have joined us. Our clients are the true beneficiaries.”
Bill Barringer, the senior lawyer leading the international trade law group, said the changing dynamics of the global economy led his team to join Vinson & Elkins. “Our move reflects the increased participation of emerging economies in global trade, including Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia,” said Mr. Barringer. “V&E’s expanding global presence offers an ideal platform for a thriving international trade practice. The firm’s strong presence in Asia, and China in particular, provide us the ability to provide better and more effective representation to our international trade clients. Willkie is a great law firm and although our paths have separated we fully expect to maintain our happy relations with our many friends there.”
The lawyers joining Vinson & Elkins include:
Partner William H. Barringer, a 1973 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, has been involved in some of the most significant international trade disputes during the past 30 years, including disputes between Japanese and other foreign interests in trade disputes with the United States and in World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement proceedings. Chambers Global in 2006 ranked Mr. Barringer among the leading lawyers in the United States practicing international trade law.
Partner Christopher A. Dunn, who received his law degree in 1975 from Georgetown Law Center, has significant experience representing Asian and Latin American governments and companies in actions before the WTO. He has recently defended antidumping cases involving outboard motors from Japan, shrimp from Thailand, orange juice from Brazil, lemon juice from Argentina, and steel from Brazil and Canada. Mr. Dunn, who is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, was named by Chambers USA (2006) as one of the nation’s leading international trade lawyers.
Partner James P. Durling, a 1984 graduate of New York University School of Law, has handled a wide array of high-profile trade policy disputes involving automobiles, semiconductors, and color film. He has an extensive trade regulatory practice representing clients from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines with regard to trade remedies, WTO disputes, customs law, and transfer pricing. Mr. Durling was ranked by Chambers Global (2006) as being among the leading international trade lawyers in the United States.
Partner Kenneth J. Pierce, a 1984 graduate of Cornell Law School, led the defenses in recent high-profile trade disputes on shrimp and steel imports. He represents government and corporate clients from diverse industries in Mexico, Thailand, Japan, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Canada, China, and the United States in antidumping, countervailing duty, safeguards and custom investigations and settlement negotiations in the agency, judicial, WTO, and legislative forums. He has been named as one of the best international trade lawyers in the United States by Chambers Global (2006).
Partner Daniel L. Porter, who received his law degree from Cornell Law School in 1985, specializes in the variety of U.S. laws that affect the cross border shipment of goods. Mr. Porter has particular expertise assisting foreign exporters and governments in antidumping proceedings. Mr. Porter has represented clients in a wide variety of industries such as steel, semiconductors, agriculture products, and consumer goods, and from diverse economies such as China, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Canada, and India. Chambers USA (2006) ranked Mr. Porter among the nation’s leading lawyers in international trade law.
Counsel Matthew R. Nicely, a 1991 graduate of The American University’s Washington College of Law, represents producers, exporters, importers, and users of steel, agriculture, and others products from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam in disputes before the U.S. Department of Commerce, the International Trade Commission, and the WTO. He was named by Chambers USA (2006) as one of the best international trade lawyers in the United States.
Associate Robert E. DeFrancesco, a 2001 graduate of American University Washington College of Law.
Associate Valerie Ellis, a 1998 graduate of Tulane University School of Law.
Associate David T. Hardin, a 2003 graduate of George Washington University Law School.
Associate Robert L. LaFrankie, a 1989 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law.
Associate Joseph A. Laroski Jr., a 1997 graduate of Fordham University School of Law.
Associate Yu Li, a 2004 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Associate Matthew P. McCullough, a 2002 graduate of The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.
Associate Victor S. Mroczka, a 1999 graduate of American University Washington College of Law.
For more information about Vinson & Elkins’ international trade law practice, please contact Darrin Schlegel, V&E’s senior communications specialist at 713.758.2171 or via e-mail at dschlegel@velaw.com.
Vinson & Elkins was established in 1917 and is one of the world’s largest international law firms. The firm has about 700 lawyers practicing in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Moscow, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington D.C. Vinson & Elkins offers a wide range of legal services. Clients include public and private companies, financial institutions, municipalities, governments of sovereign nations, entrepreneurs, families and individuals.
