International Trade

  • March 14, 2024

    Biden Comes Out Against $14.9B US Steel-Nippon Merger

    President Joe Biden came out in opposition of U.S. Steel's planned $14.9 billion merger with Japan's Nippon Steel Corp. on Thursday, echoing lawmakers who have expressed concerns about the sale of an American institution to a foreign power. 

  • March 13, 2024

    Treasury Says Crypto Mixer Is 'Corporation In All But Name'

    The U.S. Department of the Treasury told the Fifth Circuit on Wednesday that it was justified in sanctioning crypto mixer Tornado Cash because the crypto project "is a corporation in all but name" rather than ownerless computer code, as its users contend.

  • March 13, 2024

    Importers Threading Chinese Rod In US To Duck Tariffs, Feds Say

    Importers appear to be shipping blank steel rod from China to the U.S. to dodge tariffs on alloy and certain carbon steel threaded rod, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced in a Federal Register notice posted Wednesday.

  • March 13, 2024

    Italy Defeats Investor Suit Against Solar Subsidy Reduction

    Italy has beaten back a German investment fund's claims that the country's lowered solar energy subsidies breached treaty obligations to ensure a stable investment environment, after an international tribunal ruled that the scale-down was reasonable, foreseeable and in the best interests of the public.

  • March 13, 2024

    DC Circ. Affirms Trafficker Label For Venezuelan Businessman

    The D.C. Circuit has refused to disturb a fugitive Venezuelan businessman's designation as a narcotics trafficker, rejecting claims that the Office of Foreign Assets Control failed to give fair notice before levying the sanctions.

  • March 13, 2024

    House OKs TikTok Divestment Bill Despite Free Speech Worry

    The House voted 352-65 on Wednesday to pass legislation that would require ByteDance Ltd. to divest TikTok or face a ban in the United States, in a vote that transcended party lines.

  • March 12, 2024

    1st Amendment Only The Start Of Woes Facing TikTok Ban

    Federal lawmakers are making an aggressive push to exclude TikTok from the U.S. market unless it severs ties with its Chinese parent company, but First Amendment concerns and questions over the proposal's breadth and its interplay with a recent executive order restricting certain foreign data sales threaten to hinder these efforts. 

  • March 12, 2024

    Treasury Sanctions More Iran-Backed Terrorist Operatives

    The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday unveiled new sanctions against a handful of individuals with ties to the designated terrorist group Al-Ashtar Brigades, singling out "key Iran-based operatives" as well as a financier for the group.

  • March 12, 2024

    Patent Deal Brings End To Philip Morris Import Ban

    The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided to pull its import ban on a line of Philip Morris heated tobacco products following a settlement of its patent fight with British American Tobacco, over the objections of the agency's own in-house lawyers.

  • March 12, 2024

    Unions Say China's Shipbuilding Boom Is Based On Unfair Trade

    The United Steelworkers and other labor unions called on the Biden administration to investigate unfair trade practices in China's shipbuilding sector in a 4,000-page petition Tuesday, calling empty U.S. shipyards a threat to national security and critical supply chains.

  • March 12, 2024

    Court Bars Ex-Exec From Sharing Info On Co.'s Body Armor

    A North Carolina federal court granted a defense contractor's request to stop a former sales executive from sharing confidential information and export-controlled data with a foreign rival, while the court reviews the contractor's allegations.

  • March 12, 2024

    House Dems Seek Probe Of Claims X Verified Sanctioned Entities

    Democrats on the House of Representatives' oversight committee say social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, must be investigated over recent allegations that it allowed terrorist groups and other U.S.-sanctioned entities to buy premium subscriptions and make money off advertising revenue.

  • March 12, 2024

    GOP's Crapo Wants Quick Resolution Of Tax Relief Package

    The Senate Finance Committee's top Republican tax writer said Tuesday that he wants to quickly resolve sticking points in pending bipartisan tax legislation that contains key incentives for families and businesses in order to advance a bill that would boost U.S. manufacturing.

  • March 12, 2024

    CIT Accepts Revised Ruling Freeing Importer From Pipe Duties

    The U.S. Court of International Trade accepted a U.S. Department of Commerce ruling freeing a piping products manufacturer from paying duties on Chinese pipe fittings to import its flange fittings, saying the reworked decision was supported by the evidence.

  • March 11, 2024

    Ford To Pay $365M After US Says Sham Seats Ducked Tariffs

    Ford Motor Co. has agreed to shell out $365 million to put to rest allegations it installed "sham" rear seats in hundreds of thousands of cargo vans to avoid paying higher duties, according to an announcement made by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday.

  • March 11, 2024

    Forex Firm Wants CFTC Sanctioned For 'Bad Faith' Behavior

    A foreign exchange firm accused by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission of defrauding customers is calling on a New Jersey federal judge to sanction the agency for a "pattern of misconduct" that includes knowingly submitting false statements to the court and attempting to intrude on attorney-client privilege.

  • March 11, 2024

    Senate Could Be Hurdle To House Plan For TikTok Limits

    A bill to clamp down on TikTok that was unanimously approved by a House committee is expected to come to the House floor this week, but its fate in the U.S. Senate looks dicier.

  • March 11, 2024

    3rd Circ. Unsure Of Reasons To Halt Del. Assault Weapon Ban

    A Third Circuit panel seemed to lean toward letting Delaware keep its ban on so-called assault weapons and extended magazines during arguments Monday, with Judge Stephanos Bibas pressing gun rights advocates on their claim the ban should have been blocked solely on the grounds that a Second Amendment violation may have taken place.

  • March 11, 2024

    Magnet Co. Says Feds' Leak On PACER Bars ITAR Charges

    A rare-earth magnets manufacturer and executives facing an April criminal conspiracy trial asked a Kentucky federal judge Monday to trim charges that they violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations by sending sensitive technical data to a Chinese company, arguing that prosecutors recently disclosed the allegedly sensitive materials in court filings.

  • March 11, 2024

    Steptoe Adds Dentons' Ex-Global Security Chief As Partner

    Steptoe LLP has added a security and threat analysis expert who previously served as Dentons' global chief security officer as a partner in Washington, D.C., the firm announced Monday.

  • March 11, 2024

    Menendez Must Face May 6 Trial Despite Likely Appeal

    A Manhattan federal judge on Monday refused to push back U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's May 6 corruption trial after the New Jersey Democrat and his wife pled not guilty to newly added obstruction of justice charges.

  • March 08, 2024

    Justices Urged To Take Up 'Who Decides' Arbitration Question

    An international arbitration scholar has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve whether a court or an arbitrator should decide a dispute's proper venue in cases involving nonsignatories to an arbitration agreement, an issue that's arisen in antitrust litigation over National Association of Realtor rules.

  • March 08, 2024

    DOJ Eyes FCPA For New Whistleblower Rewards Program

    U.S. Department of Justice officials on Friday signaled a renewed emphasis on fighting foreign corruption, saying its planned whistleblower rewards program should prove useful in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases against private companies, and warned companies against running afoul of new rules barring the sale of personal data to foreign adversaries of the U.S.

  • March 08, 2024

    Patent Case Over Air Conditioners For Boat Use Sinks At ITC

    The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided that a Swedish manufacturer of air conditioners for use on boats doesn't have a patent case against a handful of rivals based in Florida and China after all.

  • March 08, 2024

    ITC Clears LKQ, Others In Car Lamp Patent Cases

    The U.S. International Trade Commission has undone administrative findings that Chicago parts maker LKQ Corp. and other companies flouted federal patent law by allegedly importing certain headlights and taillights.

Expert Analysis

  • Trends Emerge In High Court's Criminal Law Decisions

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    In its 2022-2023 term, the U.S. Supreme Court issued nine merits decisions in criminal cases covering a wide range of issues, and while each decision is independently important, when viewed together, key trends and takeaways appear that will affect defendants moving forward, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

  • How Rights Owners Can Be Proactive With CBP Enforcement

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    Recent seizures show that intellectual property rights remain a U.S. Customs and Border Protection priority, and the Intellectual Property Rights Branch recordation program and the Exclusion Order Enforcement Branch's procedures offer holders powerful ways to assist in keeping unauthorized goods out of the U.S. market, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • Terror Funding Suit Could Affect Inherited Jurisdiction In NY

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    Depending on how New York’s highest court answers two questions certified from the Second Circuit in a case litigating companies’ liability for terrorist attacks, foreign companies with no relevant New York contacts may be subject to suit in state courts by virtue of an asset purchase, say attorneys at Norton Rose.

  • Perspectives

    A Judge's Pitch To Revive The Jury Trial

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    Ohio state Judge Pierre Bergeron explains how the decline of the jury trial threatens public confidence in the judiciary and even democracy as a whole, and he offers ideas to restore this sacred right.

  • What Patent Bills Would Mean For Infringement Litigation

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    Attorneys at Farella Braun summarize a pair of recently introduced patent bills — one that would reform patent eligibility and another that would change procedures for litigating patent invalidity — and explore the potential impact of each.

  • How To Recognize And Recover From Lawyer Loneliness

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    Law can be one of the loneliest professions, but there are practical steps that attorneys and their managers can take to help themselves and their peers improve their emotional health, strengthen their social bonds and protect their performance, says psychologist and attorney Traci Cipriano.

  • Opinion

    Litigation Funding Disclosure Should Be Mandatory

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    Despite the Appellate Rules Committee's recent deferral of the issue of requiring third-party litigation funding disclosure, such a mandate is necessary to ensure the even-handed administration of justice across all cases, says David Levitt at Hinshaw.

  • Recalling USWNT's Legal PR Playbook Amid World Cup Bid

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    As the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team strives to take home another World Cup trophy, their 2022 pay equity settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation serves as a good reminder that winning in the court of public opinion can be more powerful than a victory inside the courtroom, says Hector Valle at Vianovo.

  • A Look At US Injunctive Relief Trends Amid UPC Chatter

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    While much remains to be seen regarding how the new EU Unified Patent Court will treat injunctive relief in practice, recent data shows that the U.S. framework may be turning in favor of injunction, despite a perception that it can be nearly impossible to obtain in the U.S., say Nirav Desai, Patrick Murray and Roberta Lam at Sterne Kessler.

  • Potential Outcomes After E Visa Processing Update

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    A recent update to the Foreign Affairs Manual’s E visa provisions may help ease consular backlogs, but a policy change that will require some applicants and their family members to process renewals overseas at different times creates new administrative burdens for practitioners, say Anna Morzy and Elizabeth Przybysz at Greenberg Traurig.

  • China TM Risk Shifting For Original Equipment Manufacturers

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    Amy Hsiao at Eligon IP explores China's trademark system's concerning rise in bad faith squatters, focusing on the risks faced by the original equipment manufacturing industry and the potential disruptions to the global supply chain.

  • What's Causing EU-US Impasse On Steel And Aluminum

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    The EU and the U.S. have made limited progress in negotiating for a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum, and they face high obstacles to meeting the fast-approaching October deadline, say attorneys at Akin.

  • Perspectives

    Mallory Gives Plaintiffs A Better Shot At Justice

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    Critics of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Mallory v. Norfolk Southern claim it opens the door to litigation tourism, but the ruling simply gives plaintiffs more options — enabling them to seek justice against major corporations in the best possible court, say Rayna Kessler and Ethan Seidenberg at Robins Kaplan.

  • CFIUS Clampdown Will Deter Allied-Country Investment

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    The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ recent redefinition of transaction "completion date" is the latest in a series of steps taken in the name of U.S. security that are likely to deter investments from friendly countries and increase capital costs for U.S. startups, says Stephen Heifetz at Wilson Sonsini.

  • Navigating Europe's New Game-Changing Unified Patent Court

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    Europe's recently opened Unified Patent Court has ushered in a new era in patent law focused on the power of provisional relief, and adapting to both broad protections and compressed timelines is essential for plaintiffs and defendants alike, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

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