International Trade: Overview

Clients operating globally turn to Osler’s International Trade and Investment Law practitioners for astute guidance on critical compliance issues in several areas: customs, export/import controls, economic sanctions, anti-corruption laws, money laundering and anti-terrorist financing. We also provide strategic advice on how best to exploit bilateral trade, investment, regional and multilateral agreements. Working with our Tax Group, we implement corporate structures that achieve client savings while mitigating the risks of investing in emerging markets.

International Trade Litigation

Collectively, our practitioners have acted in many more international trade litigation matters than any other Canadian firm including: customs disputes, anti-dumping and countervailing proceedings, safeguard proceedings, economic inquiries and government procurement challenges before the CITT as well as proceedings before the Federal Court of Canada, NAFTA Binational Panels, the WTO and the London Court of International Arbitration.

Advice to Government

We frequently advise governments on the application of international trade and investment agreements to transactions, social and political initiatives, legislative proposals and trade negotiations. We counsel governments on nationalization proposals, privatizations, public-private partnerships in infrastructure development, public procurement transactions, inter-provincial trade disputes and trade remedies legislation reforms. Our leading practitioners also act for foreign governments negotiating bilateral trade agreements with Canada.

International Recognition

Considered at “the forefront of the Canadian trade scene,” Osler’s international trade and investment law practice is ranked at the highest level by the 2011 edition of Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers which notes that: “this team comprises two of the most senior and well-recognised practitioners in the field.”