Dave Townsend Bio

Dave advises clients on international trade and transactions. Dave is a partner in the firm's Government Solutions and Investigations Practice Group. Dave obtains favorable outcomes in international trade-related disputes, investigations, litigation, and negotiations. Dave represents U.S. and foreign clients in trade litigation and disputes, including in matters before the Department of Commerce, the International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). He has represented clients in antidumping, countervailing duty, duty evasion, and safeguard proceedings. In addition, Dave has assisted clients in investigations under sections 232 and 301, and compliance with free and preferential trade agreement obligations. Dave also assists companies with import compliance, including classification, country-of-origin, and valuation, and prior disclosures to CBP. Dave advises clients on U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, and national-security related matters, including matters before the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He helps clients with voluntary self disclosures, enforcement matters, developing corporate compliance policies, and trade due diligence in mergers and acquisitions. Dave’s clients have included those in a variety of industry sectors, including various agricultural products, chemicals, energy, distilled spirits, financial and other services, solar products, and steel. Dave has significant experience helping clients that are doing business between China and the United States. Dave is adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he teaches courses on U.S. trade law. Dave also previously taught at the Georgetown University Law Center on WTO agreements, negotiations, and disputes.