Washington, D.C., May 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blank Rome LLP is pleased to welcome seven new attorneys and two international trade professionals to the firm’s International Trade practice group in Washington, D.C., further strengthening the firm’s capabilities in this area. Led by partners Joanne E. Osendarp and Eric S. Parnes, the group includes senior counsel Lynn G. Kamarck and Alan G. Kashdan; of counsel Conor S. Gilligan; associates Tyler Kimberly and Brendan S. Saslow; and trade economic advisor Jorge Miranda and international trade manager Deborah Flinn. Joanne will also serve as co-chair of the International Trade group with Blank Rome partner Anthony Rapa, who also leads the firm’s National Security team. Prior to joining Blank Rome, the group practiced at McDermott, Will & Emery LLP.
“I am thrilled to welcome Joanne, Eric, and their international trade team to Blank Rome,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “Their leading experience in navigating trade remedies, negotiating free trade agreements, and handling international trade disputes complements our International Trade group’s strong work in the sanctions and export controls space, further bolstering our reputation as a leading resource for clients and their full range of international trade needs.”
“Blank Rome has a longstanding history of strong international trade work, and we are excited to help grow the team and expand our client services on such a solid platform,” said Osendarp and Parnes. “The current geopolitical and economic environment have made trade—and international business—more difficult for governments and corporations. As we enhance our international trade capabilities, we will also be eager to identify opportunities for cross-collaboration with other firm practices and industry teams, which was a key factor in our decision to join Blank Rome.”
Veterans in the international trade dispute realm, the group collectively represents governments, industry associations, export credit agencies, and corporations in all manner of trade remedy cases and appeals proceedings, including countervailing duty and anti-dumping matters, as well as national security reviews of foreign investments and U.S. export controls and sanctions. Additionally, the group conducts internal and government investigations and handles False Claims Act litigation. They routinely appear before the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”), U.S. Court of International Trade, World Trade Organization (“WTO”), U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and panels under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), to name a few.
In a joint statement, Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C, office co-chairs James D. Kelly and Shawn M. Wright, who also serves as co-chair of the firm’s national Litigation Department, stated, “We are so excited to welcome Joanne and Eric and their highly respected team of leading international trade practitioners to our firm’s growing D.C. office. Their well-known work in some of the largest and most high-profile trade disputes and negotiations over the past few decades will be a tremendous asset to our International Trade group as well as enhance our nationally recognized litigation services, notably with regards to False Claims Act litigation and other critical investigations and compliance work.”
“I am excited to co-chair the firm’s International Trade group with Joanne, and to collaborate with Eric and the rest of this truly impressive team on expanding Blank Rome’s international trade and national security services and capabilities,” added Rapa. “As the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, our clients will greatly benefit from the depth and breadth of their experience, and I look forward to working with our team to help our clients navigate the complexities of international trade in a changing world.”
The group’s addition continues Blank Rome’s strategic growth in Washington, D.C., which has welcomed many prominent attorneys across the firm’s Consumer Finance, Energy, Finance, Government Contracts, Intellectual Property & Technology and Intellectual Property Litigation, International Trade, Labor & Employment, and White Collar Defense & Investigations practices over the past two years, including partners Hussein Akhavannik, R. Andrew Arculin, Walter D. Davis, Jr., Elizabeth N. Jochum, David E. Kronenberg, Anthony Rapa, R. Colgate Selden, Jennifer A. Short, and R. Paul Zeineddin, as well as numerous associates and patent agents.
About the Team
PARTNERS
Joanne E. Osendarp has a renowned, comprehensive international trade practice that includes representing governments in trade remedies litigation, investment arbitrations, state-to-state arbitrations, and international trade negotiations. Additionally, Joanne has distinguished herself in international legal circles for serving as the government of Canada’s principal U.S.-based lawyer in its long-running softwood lumber dispute against the United States, which has resulted in over 30 proceedings in the past two decades. She earned her LL.B. from the University of Ottawa and her M.A. and B.A. from York University.
Eric S. Parnes is an accomplished litigator who focuses on advocating for and advising clients in international trade disputes and other high-stakes government-facing matters, including internal and government investigations and False Claims Act litigation. He represents clients in complex disputes—in court as well as before administrative agencies and arbitral tribunals—and by conducting internal investigations and advising clients on corporate compliance matters. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from the University of Maryland.
SENIOR COUNSEL
Lynn G. Kamarck has more than 30 years of experience in international trade and regulatory matters, with an emphasis on trade remedy proceedings, trade policy, export controls, and customs. She received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and managing editor of the Journal of Law and Social Problems, and her B.A. from Grinnell College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Alan G. Kashdan focuses his practice on trade remedies and international trade regulation, including compliance with U.S. export controls and sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control as well as the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and State. Alan also has significant experience with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton University.
OF COUNSEL
Conor S. Gilligan focuses his practice on regulatory matters, particularly trade remedies, trade agreement negotiations, arbitration, litigation, and regulatory compliance. He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A., magna cum laude, from The Ohio State University.
ASSOCIATES
Tyler Kimberly focuses his practice on international trade matters, previously clerking at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana and at the United States Court of International Trade. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from The Ohio State University.
Brendan S. Saslow focuses his practice on international trade matters, previously serving as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He received his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.A. from Duke University.
TRADE ECONOMIC ADVISOR
Jorge Miranda focuses his practice on international trade matters. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Georgetown University, and his BSFS in International Economics, from the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.
About Blank Rome
Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 14 offices and more than 650 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.
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Kate Tavella Blank Rome LLP 215.988.6988 tavella@blankrome.com
