Practice

Mr. LaRussa is counsel in the firm’s International Trade and Government Relations Practice. This group offers a rare combination of expertise in WTO negotiations and compliance, international trade law, litigation, and Customs law, along with former high-ranking government officials who have both practiced international trade law and have been counted among the most influential trade policy makers in the United States. Mr. LaRussa takes a pragmatic, comprehensive approach that is designed to fit the needs of both the client and the situation. He works with economists, media, the U.S. Congress, the Bush Administration and foreign government officials to position clients, help them develop substantive positions, and advocate their positions before the highest levels of government. He manages several of the practice’s largest matters and advises clients on a variety of issues, ranging from strategic policy initiatives to trade proceedings in a variety of fora. Mr. LaRussa also handles a variety of other regulatory issues affecting international business, including Exon-Florio reviews of transnational mergers and acquisitions.

Before joining Shearman & Sterling, Mr. LaRussa was Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, where he engineered the development and implementation of U.S. trade policy for the Clinton Administration. He also held two prior appointments: as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration and as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. During his tenure in government, Mr. LaRussa represented the United States in WTO negotiations, developed positions on key elements of U.S.-China WTO accession negotiations and played a key role in gaining Congressional approval of Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. He was also in charge of administering the U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws for four years; drafted dumping and subsidy regulations implementing Uruguay Round trade agreements; initiated technical assistance programs; ran a global export promotion network and led international trade missions. Prior to his work in the Administration, Mr. LaRussa was trade counsel to the current chairman of the House Ways and Means International Trade Subcommittee and ran a Congressional task force on the Uruguay Round trade negotiations. Mr. LaRussa began his career as a journalist and editor and spent several years covering international trade, Congressional, regulatory and judicial matters.

• Representation of the world’s largest steel company in all trade matters before U.S. federal agencies and courts. This includes over 35 matters, including U.S. and foreign antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings, lobbying matters and federal court appeals. Notable examples include the following:
  • Negotiated a significant volume of products to be excluded from steel import tariffs
  • Representation in the Section 201 midterm review that resulted in the termination of the steel tariffs
  • Representation in an effort that prevented the Commerce Department from deducting Section 201 duties in its dumping calculation, a practice that would have severely increased duties on steel products
  • Mobilized customer and Congressional support, advocated before high-level Bush Administration officials, and coordinated with foreign governments and trade associations
  • Representation in successful efforts to terminate the antidumping orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from France, stainless steel wire rod from France and corrosion-resistant steel from France in the sunset proceedings before the International Trade Commission
  • Had several major antidumping actions dismissed and duty liability reduced in other standing antidumping orders on this company’s steel imports
• Representation of German producers of newspaper printing presses and their U.S. subsidiaries in litigation under the Antidumping Act of 1916. Mr. LaRussa succeeded in having bills introduced in both Houses of Congress to repeal WTO-inconsistent legislation that formed the basis for major litigation against our clients.
• Representation of a Macedonian steel company in securing an exemption from steel import tariffs in connection with Macedonia’s accession to the WTO.
• Representation of a global automotive joint venture in trade matters before the U.S. Department of Commerce.
• Representation of Kuwaiti interests in preparation for consultative sessions on trade and investment issues with the U.S. government.
• Representation of Mexican agricultural interests in implementation of an antidumping agreement with the U.S. Commerce Department.

• Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade (2000 – 2001)
  Responsible for formulating U.S. trade policy as head of the Commerce Department’s 2,300-person International Trade Administration. Priorities included promoting U.S. exports, advocating U.S. business interests abroad, enforcing laws against unfair trade practices, and ensuring compliance with trade agreements. Developed global information technology trade initiative, linking U.S. high-tech companies with opportunities in Asia and Latin America and creating an e-commerce policy dialogue with the European Union. Concluded U.S.-EU data privacy agreement and represented the United States in a range of bilateral negotiations. Played key role in gaining Congressional approval of Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China; designed rapid-response China trade compliance initiative. Oversaw a $300 million yearly budget.
• Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration (1996 – 2000)
  Chief administrator of U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty trade laws. Drafted dumping and subsidy regulations implementing Uruguay Round trade agreement. Oversaw $29 million yearly budget and 300 Commerce Department professionals and staff.
  • Trade Negotiations. Represented the United States in WTO negotiations. Developed positions on key elements of U.S.-China WTO accession negotiations. Negotiated amendments to the U.S.-Russia uranium agreement to promote continued stability in Russia’s nonproliferation efforts. Chief negotiator of the U.S.-Mexico tomatoes agreement.
  • Clinton Administration’s Steel Policy. Developed Administration-wide trade enforcement response to the 1998 steel crisis; chief negotiator of U.S.-Russia comprehensive steel agreements and bilateral steel agreements with Ukraine, China, Brazil and South Africa; designed Commerce Department’s steel import monitoring and subsidies enforcement programs; conceived and managed global steel study; initiated U.S.-Russia and U.S.-Ukraine technical assistance programs; managed more than 60 steel dumping and subsidy cases in one year.
• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (1993 – 1996)
  Second highest-ranking official in 1,300-person global export-assistance network; one of principal architects of Clinton Administration’s trade-promotion policies, including emerging markets initiatives in Asia and Latin America; in charge of Administration’s trade programs in Southeast Asia; established first U.S. commercial-promotion programs in Vietnam and represented Commerce in U.S.-Vietnam trade talks; conceived and established U.S. Commercial Centers for U.S. exporters in China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil; oversaw redesign of global information and communications network; Commerce Department point person on NAFTA.
• Presidential Transition, Deputy Director for Manufacturing and Technology (1992 – 1993)
  As deputy to Dr. Laura Tyson, developed manufacturing, trade and technology policies for new Administration.
• International Trade Counsel, Office of Congressman Sander Levin (1989 – 1992)
  Trade specialist for Rep. Levin, the current chairman of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee. Directed House leadership task force on the GATT, which helped develop Congressional positions in the Uruguay Round trade negotiations. Staff director of Congressional task forces on NAFTA, U.S.-Japan relations and auto-sector issues.