Mayur Patel, chief international trade counsel for the Senate Finance Committee since Aug. 7, replaced Nasim Fussell, who returned to the private sector as a partner at Holland and Knight. Patel, who joined the committee staff in 2019, previously worked as a lawyer at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 2011 to 2018, working on World Trade Organization disputes and on the chapter language for the NAFTA renegotiation and negotiations with Europe.
European Union Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, who recently lauded the first tariff reduction between the U.S. and the EU in more than 20 years, resigned Aug. 26, British outlets reported. Hogan submitted his resignation after his attendance on Aug. 19 at an 80-person party in Ireland was revealed. COVID-19 restrictions in Ireland only permitted six people at indoor events, though the limit had changed just the day before, decreasing the allowed gathering size from 50.
Joanne Osendarp, a former senior counsel on trade for Canada, will become the co-head of McDermott Will's International Trade Group. Eric Parnes, who worked on Osendarp's team at Hughes Hubbard, is also being named a partner at McDermott Will. The other five members of Osendarp's team from her old law firm also were hired: Dean Pinkert, former commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission; Tim Hruby, Lynn Kamarck, Alan Kashdan and Conor Gilligan.
Steve Anderson is new general counsel of the Federal Maritime Commission, the FMC said in a July 29 news release. Anderson comes from the U.S. Coast Guard, where he was general counsel and judge advocate general, holding the rank of rear admiral before retirement.
Laura Lane, UPS's president of global public affairs, has been promoted to chief corporate affairs and communications officer, the company announced July 28. She will now report directly to CEO Carol Tome, and will oversee public relations, employee communications and the UPS foundation, in addition to public policy and government affairs. Her work background includes serving as a trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the negotiation of China’s entry to the World Trade Organization.
The Coalition for a Prosperous America hired Charles Benoit, a trade lawyer who previously worked as outside counsel for the European Commission during negotiations for the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, as trade counsel, the group said in a news release. CPA also hired Kenneth Rapoza, previously a journalist, as an industry analyst, it said.
Retired trade attorney Terry Stewart blogged about the eight candidates under consideration for the World Trade Organization director-general position in a post published July 19. He summarized the press conferences held to feature each one in Geneva.
New appointees were named to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee and six Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees by the secretary of agriculture and the U.S. trade representative. The 25 appointees will serve until 2024.
Jon Perdue is the new executive director of CBP’s Office of Trade Relations, Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said during the June 15 meeting of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee. Perdue was previously with the Caribbean and Latin America desk of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Valarie Neuhart, previously acting executive director, will continue to be deputy executive director at the Office of Trade Relations, a CBP spokesperson said.
Holland & Knight hired Francisco Sanchez, previously CEO of CNS Global Advisors, to co-chair the firm's International Trade Practice, it said in a news release. Sanchez was also undersecretary of commerce in charge of the International Trade Administration, 2010-2013.