Pillsbury Partner Christopher R. Wall Wins Burton Distinguished Legal Writing Award

In Weak Tea, published in the prestigious magazine Foreign Policy on June 8, 2010, Wall discussed the proposed trade sanctions the Obama Administration was pushing the United Nations Security Council to impose on Iran and whether the resolution would actually be effective in deterring Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Within hours of the article's publication, Wall was contacted by numerous journalists from the BBC to the New York Times inviting him to comment on the U.N. sanctions vote, a testament to his thought-leadership in this highly sensitive area and to the influence that publishing an opinion piece in Foreign Policy carries.

"Pillsbury is wholly committed to promoting thought-leadership to help add value to our clients in a rapidly evolving marketplace, and that commitment is demonstrated by the fact that this is the fourth year in a row that one of our attorneys has been a Burton Distinguished Writing Award recipient," said Pillsbury partner Jim Rishwain. "The articles, press interviews, speeches and seminars Pillsbury attorneys do help our clients better understand the unique capabilities and experience our attorneys offer and help our clients bring differentiating approaches to tomorrow's complex issues. We are proud to have the Honorable Chris Wall, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, and one of the foremost thought-leaders on international trade today, be recognized with a 2011 Burton Award and can think of no Pillsbury author who deserves it more. We congratulate Chris on this achievement."

Wall is the firm's senior international trade partner, focusing on export controls, foreign investment, international trade proceedings and policy. He regularly advises clients on commercial and military export licensing and enforcement matters; economic sanctions; national security (CFIUS) reviews and investigations; anti-boycott compliance and enforcement; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; antidumping, countervailing duty and other trade proceedings; NAFTA and WTO dispute resolution; Court of International Trade appeals; bilateral investment treaties; complex Customs matters; and other trade policy and legislative matters.

Wall recently took off time from his trade practice to go into public service, when he was appointed by President Bush to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration from 2008-09. He returned to Pillsbury in March 2009. Wall works closely with U.S. government agencies including the Departments of Commerce, State, Defense Treasury, and Homeland Security, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Wall will receive his award on June 13 at a black-tie event held at the U.S. Library of Congress, which will include an address by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
   
About Pillsbury
Pillsbury is a full-service law firm with market-leading strengths in the energy, financial services, real estate and technology sectors. With a presence in the world's major financial and technology centers, Pillsbury counsels clients on all aspects of global business and litigation. We work in multidisciplinary teams that allow us to anticipate trends and bring a 360-degree perspective to complex business and legal issues – helping clients to take greater advantage of new opportunities and better mitigate risk. This collaborative work style helps produce the results our clients seek.