Media Coverage
Source: The National Law Journal
Media Coverage
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Taina Rosa, Olivia Thomas
05.27.25
In response to sweeping changes in trade and tariff policies under the Trump administration, leading law firms are expanding their international trade practices—bringing on attorneys with significant government experience to meet rising client demand, according to recent coverage.
In an interview with The National Law Journal (TNLJ), Pillsbury International Trade partner and Global Business Leader of the Regulatory practice, Nancy Fischer, said that clients are “trying to make sense of it all.”
She emphasized the broad scope of Pillsbury’s trade practice, which spans sanctions, export controls, Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) reviews, trade agreements, tariffs, trade remedy matters and supply chain issues. According to Fischer, the firm had anticipated an uptick in demand and that expectation has proven accurate, leading to the addition of several new lawyers, including former government officials.
The article highlighted key hires at Pillsbury, including senior counsel Sahar Hafeez and special counsel Julian Beach, both former senior advisors from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Also noted was the integration of a 14-member team, featuring partners Daniel Porter, James Durling and Matthew McCullough, further strengthening the firm’s capabilities.
Fischer told TNLJ that the firm is continuing to recruit lawyers to expand its bench, specifically in high-demand areas such as investigations and national security. She concluded that much of the surge in trade-related legal work is tied to industries the firm advises, including technology, semiconductors, critical minerals, aerospace, energy and life sciences.
To read the full article, click here.
Ranked by Chambers USA, Chambers Global and Chambers Greater China, Pillsbury’s International Trade practice is known for its sophisticated work on export controls and sanctions, Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) reviews, international trade agreements, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and customs compliance. Combining in-depth knowledge of trade measures with a nuanced understanding of the related political, policy and diplomatic context, Pillsbury provides clients with the full range of legal services related to regulation of international trade and investment. Click here to learn more about Pillsbury’s International Trade practice.