Cassidy Levy Kent Expands Into Europe with Opening of Brussels Office

BRUSSELS and WASHINGTON and OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cassidy Levy Kent, an internationally recognized law firm that specializes in international trade and operates offices in Washington and Ottawa, announced the opening of a new Brussels office and the addition of more than a dozen European lawyers who specialize in international trade and customs law.

"The combination of the practices of Marie-Sophie Dibling, Yves Melin, and Joost Pauwelyn, each with decades of experience in European practice, is a force multiplier" said Charles S. Levy, one of Cassidy Levy Kent's founders based in Washington, D.C. "These are some of the most talented legal minds in Europe who deliver business success for their clients in challenging cross-border matters."

Marie-Sophie Dibling's team is recognized as one of the top trade remedies practices in Brussels today, with a distinguished track record representing the interests of the EU industry in Europe and globally. Joost Pauwelyn is a recognized authority in WTO law and international trade agreements and disputes. The recognized strengths of Yves Melin's team are in complex customs enforcement actions and policy and advisory work around cross border supply chains.

"Combining our expertise creates one of the biggest and strongest international trade law practices in Brussels, covering the entire spectrum from trade defense and WTO dispute settlement, to sanctions and export controls, customs investigations and carbon border adjustment," said Marie-Sophie Dibling, a partner in the new Brussels office. "The three Cassidy Levy Kent offices share a common commitment to strong and fair enforcement of trade remedies across many different sectors, including manufacturing companies, agricultural producers, and services industries. This is what our clients need."

"What Cassidy Levy Kent has achieved for clients in North America in just over a decade is exactly the model for the successes we will achieve for clients in Europe," said Yves Melin, another partner in the new European practice. "Every member of our new team is excited to work within this outstanding group, to continue securing excellent results for clients."

"Expanding our footprint to Europe is the culmination of 13 years of robust growth in North America as one of the world's leading firms in trade and customs law," said Robert C. Cassidy, Jr., one of the firm's founding partners based in Washington D.C. "The Brussels office augments the large Cassidy Levy Kent teams in Washington D.C. and Ottawa in a fully integrated trade law firm servicing clients in all aspects of their international trade operations."

"The leaders of the Brussels office bring decades of combined experience to the table, and CLK Europe will immediately be recognized as the powerhouse trade firm in Europe," said Christopher J. Kent, one of Cassidy Levy Kent's founders based in Ottawa. "We're delighted to join with them on this exciting new initiative and continue to achieve successes for clients."

About Cassidy Levy Kent

Cassidy Levy Kent was founded in 2011 as a boutique firm that could nimbly address client needs in challenging cross-border matters.

Cassidy Levy Kent specializes in international trade, customs, export controls, economic sanctions, and trade remedies law. The firm was founded by top trade practitioners in Washington and Ottawa from WilmerHale and Fraser Milner Casgrain (now Dentons), and was soon thereafter joined by partners from other large law firms including White & Case, WilmerHale, ArentFox Schiff, Dentons, Williams Mullen, and DLA Piper. The firm's focus is on rendering excellent client service in a highly specialized area of the law without the rigid billing practices or high overhead of big law firms.

CLK has been described as "the foremost trade and customs team in North America" (Who's Who Legal), with "an impressive roster of clients that includes trade associations, multinational corporations and provincial governments" (Chambers).

The firm's ethos continues to be squarely focused on our founding principle of excellent client service. Our team works collaboratively and leverages its international trade experience to develop creative legal strategies and solutions to secure business wins for clients. CLK and its lawyers have earned national and international recognition in publications such as Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Best Lawyers in America, Washington DC's Best Lawyers, Expert Guides, and Superlawyers.

About Cassidy Levy Kent (Europe)

Mr. Melin and Ms. Dibling, both recognized by Chambers Europe as top International Trade practitioners, join Cassidy Levy Kent after years of practice in the Brussels offices of large multinational firms. They each advise clients facing complex trade remedy, customs, trade policy, regulatory/sustainability and market access issues.

Prof. Pauwelyn's time is balanced between his trade law practice, with years of experience at the World Trade Organization and a major international law firm, and his roles as Professor of International Law and Co-Director of the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration at the Graduate Institute of International & Development Studies in Geneva.

The new Brussels team includes a deep bench of trade attorneys with a tremendous wealth of experience both in private practice and inside the halls of the European Commission, European Court, and World Trade Organization, among others.

SOURCE Cassidy Levy Kent