May 22, 2002
Special counsel Russell L. Smith quoted in the May 17th Wall Street Journal article, “Japan Joins EU in Plans to Slap Tariffs on Imports of U.S. Steel.” The front page article reports on the looming steel trade war between the United States and its Japanese and European trading partners.
Willkie special counsel Russell L. Smith was quoted in the May 17th Wall Street Journal article, “Japan Joins EU in Plans to Slap Tariffs on Imports of U.S. Steel.” The front page article reports on the looming steel trade war between the United States and its Japanese and European trading partners. Japan’s initiative to join the European Union in imposing tariffs on U.S. steel imports follows President Bush’s decision in March to assess tariffs on steel imports and his recent approval of domestic farm subsidies. Mr. Smith told the WSJ that this latest action “is the first shot in a real trade war.” He notes that the United States could construe Japan’s move as a unilateral action and implement retaliatory measures. Mr. Smith was later interviewed by Fox News on the same subject. Mr. Smith and Willkie’s Washington-based International Trade Department regularly represent steel companies in Japan, Brazil and Thailand. As special counsel to Willkie’s Government Relations Department, Mr. Smith specializes in a wide variety of federal relations areas, including Congressional investigations, and legislative matters involving environmental law, international trade and embargoes, consumer products, financial services and institutions, foreign investment, overseas bribery, foreign boycotts, nuclear power, and defense contracting.