Dechert Brexit partner

Lawyers in Dechert’s international trade and EU regulation practice bring a unique perspective to the legal and commercial analysis of Brexit, as well as the full range of international trade-related issues. Our combination of experience and global reach enables us to offer a comprehensive mix of legal, strategic and public affairs advice.

In addition to legal expertise, our team draws on experience as former senior policy officials, government regulators, enforcement agents, trade negotiators and public affairs experts in the European Commission and in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Treasury and the Prime Minister’s Office. The team also calls upon sectoral experts in our network of offices across the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The team has a practical understanding of how UK and EU institutions operate, how business may be impacted by different policy outcomes and how best to exert influence to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.

Dechert is ‘the go-to firm’ in this space offering ‘cutting-edge and innovative advice’ on Brexit issues – Ranked Tier 1 Risk Advisory: Brexit, The Legal 500 UK 2017.

How Dechert can help

On Brexit: we have already helped industry bodies, companies and governments to plan for the different potential outcomes on 30 March 2019, including in particular:

• rigorous gap and risk analysis: based on an understanding of the likely Brexit options, identifying in detail the issues that a business or industry sector will face, where further research is required and where key risks and opportunities lie;
• planning: advising on practical contingency planning to prepare for potential outcomes and to mitigate key risks;
• priorities and red lines: defining evidence-based objectives that are ambitious while taking account of political realities;
• engagement strategies: developing policy papers and detailed draft treaty language for use with decision-makers in the UK and EU governments and institutions.

We also advise on the full range of legal, regulatory and compliance issues related to international trade including sanctions, export controls, EU regulation, customs and supply chains, international trade law, and anti-bribery, money laundering and corruption.

About Dechert

Dechert is a leading global law firm with 27 offices around the world. We advise on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.

Core EU and Brexit Team

 

Miriam Gonzalez, co-chair of the firm’s international trade and EU regulation practice, focuses on international and EU trade law policy, with particular experience in WTO and EU internal market regulations. Ms Gonzalez advises clients on Brexit, trade policy, trade agreements, sanctions and embargoes, export controls, antidumping, foreign investment proceedings and EU internal market regulations and infringement proceedings.

Ms Gonzalez previously served as a senior member of the Cabinet for EU External Relations Commissioners, where she had responsibility for trade policy as well as EU relations with the Middle East, the US and Latin America. Ms Gonzalez also acted as lead EU negotiator for the WTO telecoms agreement and led the services negotiations for EU bilateral and WTO accession agreements on e-commerce as well as on energy, postal and construction services.

Ms Gonzalez’s team was awarded ‘Global Trade & Customs Compliance Law Firm of the Year’ at the C5 Women in Compliance Awards. Ms Gonzalez was also recognised as ‘Best in International Trade’ at the European Women in Business Law Awards 2017.

 

Roger Matthews advises on EU law with a particular focus on EU internal market regulation, EU sanctions and trade restrictions and the EU financial services regulatory framework. He advises on both the legal and the practical/procedural aspects of EU law-making, challenging EU legal acts and engaging with EU institutions. He also now assists clients in preparing for Brexit, and developing positions for UK or EU engagement on Brexit negotiations.

Mr Matthews brings a wealth of previous experience on EU law and practice, especially in international trade, sanctions and financial regulation. He has served as a European Commission policy officer on EU sanctions, which included negotiating with EU member states in the EU Council as well as developing the EU’s position on other international trade issues. He has also served as a legal adviser at HM Treasury, advising the UK government on a wide range of EU legal issues.

 

Richard Tauwhare* advises on all aspects of international and EU trade regulations. He specialises in EU single market and customs union regulations, export licensing, sanctions and trade restrictions, and the trade-related aspects of Brexit.

As a former senior UK diplomat, Richard has represented the UK in EU Council working groups, negotiating on a range of issues related to trade and EU external relations. He has worked in a wide range of diplomatic roles in Africa, Europe, the UN in Geneva and New York, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Paris, and in the Caribbean. He headed Export Control Policy in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he led on strategic export licensing decisions, directed risk assessments, developed UK export controls policy and negotiated international arms control agreements, including the UN Arms Trade Treaty.

*Not engaged in the practice of law.