International Trade Lawyers

Overview

Trading businesses need to import and export goods and services in accordance with international trade law. As the countdown to Brexit continues, EU-based importers and UK-based customers and exporters will need to be alert to restrictions, tariffs and regulations.

Future challenges could include trading under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules or free trade agreements. The import and export of services may increasingly be governed by the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) or bespoke future arrangements.

Our international trade lawyers help public and private sector clients achieve their commercial aims. We draw on trade expertise across a range of legal disciplines to help clients make the most of global opportunities in their sector.

We help businesses navigate complex international trade law and cross-border challenges. Our expertise includes assisting transport sector clients with cross-border regulatory issues, helping food clients with labelling and country of origin advice, and advising agricultural sector clients on business immigration.

As the UK readopts powers to negotiate free trade agreements and resolve international trade disputes, UK businesses and importers into the UK will face new challenges. Our international trade lawyers can help.

We deliver award-winning sector and specialist advice across all three UK jurisdictions (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and the EU.

We are an independent UK law firm that operates across multiple countries and jurisdictions. Through our trusted network of independent law firms, our international trade team provides a seamless legal service across the globe. This flexibility allows our international trade lawyers to collaborate with the right legal provider for our clients in each jurisdiction.

Areas of focus

Our international trade team can assist with all business issues connected to cross-border trade. Our international trade expertise includes the following:

Trade contracts including protections regarding tariff changes, restrictions on export/import and Brexit effects.
Implications of international trade bans and restrictions with nations/individuals.
Business immigration including helping businesses with EU citizen immigration requirements.
Cross-border financial services and passporting.
The effects of tariff changes and compliance with international tax obligations (including on trusts).
Cross-border businesses structuring for additional regulation/border checks e.g. at ports.
Competition, state aid and Anti-trust issues arising from international investment.
Implications of national trade agreements including future UK/third party free trade agreement and WTO most-favoured nation status.
Trade finance under English law for UK, EU or overseas lenders or traders.
International dispute resolution including international arbitration and choice of jurisdiction/courts.
Trade disputes including sector based disputes concerning tariff breaches.
Regulatory requirements for imports/exports including consumer law, product liability, obtaining approvals and engagement with regulators.
Food supply, import and export issues including challenges facing agricultural businesses
Supply chain and country of origin implications for registration, labelling and taxation.
Cross-border M&A involving inward investment or overseas acquisition.
International trade in nuclear goods and services including the role of nuclear co-operation agreements, export controls, nuclear safeguards, nuclear liability and more general obligations under international, European and UK nuclear law.

Experience

Advising a US bank on the provision of significant trade finance facilities for the import of various foods stuffs to multiple West African countries.

Acting for an international bank on the establishment of a consumer finance business in Thailand and compliance with the various regulatory requirements.

Advising National Express Group on its tenders to run public transport services in several projects across the Middle East. The competitions are mainly for bus concessions and include a mixture of operation, maintenance, infrastructure and construction contracts. We have advised on all areas of these projects, from the completion of compliant bids and negotiations with public authorities in each country, to the ongoing running of services following successful bids. We co-ordinated matters across Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

Co-ordinating ongoing work for Harrods in all 10 countries in South America working with local attorneys in each country.

Co-ordinating employment advice for Thomson Reuters across 19 jurisdictions for an IT outsourcing project including obtaining advice as to whether TUPE/ARD would apply in each relevant jurisdiction and planning for potential transfers. The matter spanned Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Co-ordinating advice for a UK-based premium soft drinks manufacturer on labelling and food regulatory requirements across the EU and the USA and working with local attorneys.

Acting for an international soft drinks bottler business on international arbitrations arising out of multi-jurisdictional contracts governed by English law.

Advising a significant Republic of Ireland dairy processor on English law food regulatory issues and subsequent criminal proceedings arising out of malicious contamination of products.

Acting for a global consortium in a successful appeal against a decision of the European Chemicals Agency on the testing obligations for its chemical products.

Meet the team