Paul Rosenthal co-chairs the firm’s Government Relations and Public Policy practice. Paul is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, and previously served as managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office. Paul is well-respected for his knowledge of both international trade and government relations. Strong advocacy, informed by extensive experience, has provided Paul’s clients with excellent results. He serves as both a strategic advisor and hands-on advocate for his clients’ interests, which often involve a complex mix of legal, economic and political challenges.
Paul has assisted clients from a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, technology, food and healthcare, to name only a few. He has appeared, and succeeded, before all of the U.S. trade agencies and reviewing courts, participating in hundreds of agency and court proceedings. Paul has represented clients in disputes involving the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as well as in multilateral and bilateral negotiations. Paul’s government relations practice involves trade and non-trade issues before Congress and the Executive Branch. Of particular note, Paul acts as general counsel or Washington counsel to several international and national trade associations, and previously served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs for more than five years.
In his fourth decade of practice, Paul is among the premier lawyers practicing in international trade law in Washington, D.C., across the country and on a global scale. A testament to his dedication, intellect, advocacy skills—and sense of humor—many of Paul’s clients have been with him for decades.
Paul holds prominent rankings in Chambers International, Washingtonian Magazine, The Legal 500 U.S., The Best Lawyers in America©, the Legal Times, International Who’s Who in Trade & Customs Lawyers, Law & Politics Super Lawyers, and Lawdragon 500’s Leading Lawyers in America. He was selected for inclusion among the elite Band 1 lawyers listed in Chambers for International Trade and, according to a market source, is “probably the best of the petitioner lawyers” he knows. Paul delivers multi-dimensional solutions and representation that is not only intelligent, but also consistently effectual.
International Trade
Served as lead counsel to brief and/or argue hundreds of cases before agencies and reviewing courts.
Represented a wide variety of industrial and agricultural interests in multilateral negotiations including the Uruguay Round and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Doha Round negotiations, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the U.S./EU Free Trade Agreement, as well as legislation to implement various trade agreements.
Represented the worldwide chocolate and cocoa industry in connection with its efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in its supply chain.
Represented the U.S. auto industry in its dispute concerning access to the Japanese market.
Represented a machine tool client in a Section 232 (National Defense) voluntary restraint agreement.
Represented U.S. exporters of beef, pork, pasta and dairy products in successful General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)/WTO dispute settlement proceedings involving unfair subsidies, quotas and phytosanitary restrictions.
Represented numerous U.S. producers in successful antidumping and countervailing duty cases involving a range of products, including flat-panel displays, forklift trucks, transfer presses, foundry products, a wide variety of steel products, PET resin, polyester fiber, pork, pasta, garlic, honey, canned pineapples and indigo.
Represented the U.S. lamb, specialty steel and carbon steel industries in successful “escape clause” proceedings.
Represented the U.S. juice manufacturing industry in connection with the first pre-importation judicial review involving customs issues at the Court of International Trade.
Represented numerous food and industrial clients on customs issues, including valuation, drawback, marking and classification matters.
Represented chemical manufacturing clients in generalized system of preference (GSP) proceedings before the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.
Represented U.S. food exporters in trade cases in Mexico and South Africa.
Represented a large pharmaceutical company in connection with enforcing its rights under the WTO’s agreement on the trade-related aspects of intellectual property.
Represented U.S. exporters in matters involving market access issues in Europe, Korea and China.
Government Relations and Public Policy
Represented clients in connection with Buy America requirements in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as well as other legislation.
Represented clients on major policy initiatives in the areas of appropriations, healthcare, agriculture, labor, trade and tax. Serves as general counsel to the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association, Municipal Casting Association, and several other international and national trade associations and industry coalitions.
Pro Bono
Serves as Chair of the advisory board of the University of Iowa Institute for Vision Research.
Serves on the advisory board of the Robert T. Matsui Center, Institute of Governmental Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
Recipient of the “Burton Award” for legal writing, 2018.
Selected as one of Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top Lawyers.”
Ranked as one of the leading practitioners in the International Trade area by Chambers USA, Chambers Global and The Legal 500 U.S.
The Best Lawyers in America© (Woodward/White, Inc.), International Trade and Finance Law.
Selected as a “Leading Lawyer in International Trade” by Legal Times.
Listed as a top attorney in the International Trade area in the International Who’s Who in Trade & Customs Lawyers and Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers.
Listed in Lawdragon 500: Leading Lawyers in America.
U.S. Court of International Trade Advisory Committee, former member
Practicing Law Institute, former member