David Townsend

International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that David Townsend has joined the Firm as Counsel in its Corporate Group and its Technology Commerce and National Security Law Practice Groups.

Mr. Townsend is an international trade and transactions lawyer with extensive experience advising clients on U.S. sanctions, export controls, customs, antidumping and countervailing duties, trade remedies, export licensing, compliance, enforcement matters and trade due diligence in mergers and acquisitions.  He also counsels businesses on supply chain management related to trade and corporate social responsibility laws.  He has represented clients before the Department of Commerce, the International Trade Commission, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. courts on trade matters.  He has advised clients in a variety of industry sectors, including various agricultural products, aluminum, automotive, chemicals, energy, distilled spirits, financial and other services, electronics, software-as-a-service items, polysilicon, solar products and steel.  In addition, he has worked on a variety of trade policy and dispute settlement matters involving the World Trade Organization (WTO) and U.S. free trade agreements.

Mr. Townsend is an adjunct professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches a course on the GATT and WTO Agreements, including trade remedies.

He joins Dorsey from Perkins Coie LLP where he was counsel in that firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Mr. Townsend has a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, an M.Sc. degree from The London School of Economics and Political Science and a J.D. degree from The George Washington University Law School.  He is a prolific writer and speaker on international trade and transactions law.

“David Townsend is a very gifted international trade lawyer with expertise and experience that will complement perfectly our strong international trade and national security law team,” noted Ken Cutler, Managing Partner of Dorsey & Whitney. “We continue to add talent strategically to Dorsey’s practices across the Firm’s global platform.”

“I am delighted to join Dorsey and its great team of international trade and national security lawyers,” noted Mr. Townsend. “Dorsey is an extraordinary law firm.  I look forward to serving Dorsey’s exceptional client base around the world.”