International law firm McDermott Will & Emery today announced that it has named Jay L. Eizenstat as a partner in its Regulatory Practice Group, based in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Eizenstat brings considerable public and private sector expertise on trade, World Trade Organization (WTO) and customs matters, particularly those of interest to multinational corporations doing business in Asia.
Mr. Eizenstat was a trade negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) from 2003-2008, where, among other responsibilities, he led the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations on customs and rules of origin, before returning to private practice. Most recently, he has been Of Counsel at Miller & Chevalier Chartered, where he developed a growing international trade practice covering primarily market access disputes, trade liberalization initiatives, U.S. and WTO trade law and policy, and complex customs matters for multinational companies, trade associations, and foreign governments, with a particular focus on Asia.
“As McDermott actively considers the opportunities brought about by the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, we’re delighted to welcome one of the lead negotiators of that agreement to the Firm,” said Jeffrey E. Stone, co-chair of McDermott Will & Emery, based in Chicago. “McDermott’s Korea Practice Group has deep roots working with Korean businesses and Korean government agencies, and with a ‘next generation’ leader like Jay on board, we are very enthusiastic about the possibilities for future growth.”
“We are very excited to welcome Jay to the McDermott family,” said Carolyn Gleason, partner and head of McDermott’s International Trade practice. “The combination of his public and private-sector trade and customs work is a perfect complement to our growing International Trade practice group, which has deep experience representing and counseling clients on a full range of transnational matters, trade disputes, market access initiatives and trade negotiations. We expect Jay’s experience and broad reach throughout Asia to be a valuable asset to our clients and the Firm in this key region of the world.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at McDermott, which boasts strong trade capabilities, a broad geographic platform and a common vision around the interests of U.S. and foreign multinationals in Asia and U.S. trade policy,” said Mr. Eizenstat. “I look forward to working with all of my new McDermott colleagues around the world to help our clients meet the shifting regulatory demands in today’s global marketplace as we work to expand the Firm’s global trade and customs practice.”
At McDermott, Mr. Eizenstat will continue to focus on the representation of multinational corporations, foreign governments, and trade associations on trade negotiations, strategy, market access disputes and initiatives as well as the utilization of free trade agreements and preference programs (GSP, CBI, AGOA) before the USTR, the Departments of Commerce, State and Treasury, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Congress, and the WTO.
Mr. Eizenstat has extensive experience representing clients on a wide range of complex domestic and cross-border customs matters related to classification, valuation, country of origin, duty drawback, protests, prior disclosures, the eligibility of merchandise under the Trade Agreements Act, U.S. preference programs, and FTAs. In addition, Mr. Eizenstat counsels companies on U.S. customs programs including the Importer Self Assessments, Focused Assessments, Lacey Act compliance, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), and Container Security Initiative (CSI) and with rules of origin and customs procedures related to U.S. and foreign preference programs and FTAs.
Mr. Eizenstat received his J.D. from Emory University School of Law, where he was the Managing Editor of the Emory International Law Review. He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and the State of Georgia.
