Practice Areas & Industries: Patton Boggs LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Patton Boggs represents more than 200 international clients on six continents. Our international clients include both private and public entities, and we maintain a unique leadership position among U.S. law firms as counsel to sovereigns across a broad spectrum of issues.

The firm's exceptional capabilities in business and public policy permit our lawyers to represent international clients both in the United States and in other nations. In the United States, we specialize in assisting foreign governments and international companies with federal marketing, international law and trade, U.S corporate law and business, government contracting and relations and public policy. Abroad, Patton Boggs is a pioneer in assisting sovereigns in their respective nations or regions. We have handled transactions, provided counsel, managed complex projects and resolved legal disputes in over 70 countries. We also advise private sector companies on market access issues around the world.

Our comprehensive strategy is to work within the legal systems that influence almost every international engagement. These include international law, such as treaty regimes; U.S. federal laws that have extraterritorial application; the laws of host countries; and the regulations of multinational political associations and organizations, such as the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the World Trade Organization, and the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. For example, our involvement with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council has led the firm to develop many key relationships in the Middle East. Patton Boggs is proud to be the first US law firm licensed to practice in Qatar, where we opened an office in 2003. The firm also practices widely in Europe, Latin America and Asia, and has numerous global affiliates.

Patton Boggs attorneys regularly represent clients before international entities concerning a wide variety of foreign trade issues. We have participated in all aspects of the U.S. trade legislative process, from drafting legislation, amendments, and testimony to working directly with Members of Congress, their staffs, and the Administration to pass or oppose legislation. We also have substantial experience with the WTO dispute settlement process. Patton Boggs has been instrumentally involved in the establishment and furtherance of numerous free trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Trade and Development Act of 2000, the Free Trade Act of 2002 and the implementation of GATT Uruguay Round Agreement.

The strength of the firm's legal practice is grounded in the capabilities of over 400 attorneys and legal professionals who concentrate in various areas of legal practice. A number of Patton Boggs professionals are fluent in foreign languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Representative Matters:

Represent a sovereign nation in the Middle East in their Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) issues.

Advised the five Central American Countries in successfully enhancing and extending their trade benefits under the Caribbean Basin Initiative through the Trade Development Act of 2000.