Irwin P. Altschuler began his career in 1975 with the U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Treasury Department when those agencies were charged with enforcing unfair trade remedy laws of the United States. He advised senior Customs, Treasury and Justice Department officials on major antidumping cases, and spent substantial time in Japan investigating and resolving those disputes. Irwin also served as a liaison with a number of U.S. attorneys prosecuting cases of fraud and other serious customs violations.
In the private sector, Irwin has built a practice that retains its original focus on trade remedies litigation and enforcement proceedings and has grown to include trade policy matters and business issues arising from accessing and defending international markets. Irwin's practice has a strong focus on Mexico. Over his distinguished career, he has represented some of Mexico's largest corporations and Mexican government entities in international trade and other complex legal, policy and business matters. His experience extends to representations in South America, the Caribbean, and Asia.
Most recently, Irwin served as Senior Advisor for International Affairs at a major Mexican steel company where he played an instrumental role in launching the company’s corporate affairs office in Washington, D.C. In this role, Irwin counseled the company on legal, regulatory, and political matters important to its access to the U.S. market.
Concentrations
• Trade remedies and disputes (U.S., third countries, WTO)
• Trade policy and negotiations
• United States-Mexico relations
• International business and foreign investment issues
Experience
Significant Representations
• Litigated numerous antidumping and countervailing duty cases before the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission and their reviewing tribunals; the U.S. Court of International Trade; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; World Trade Organization Panels and Appellate Body; U.S. administrative tribunals; and NAFTA Chapter 11 and 19 Dispute Panels.
• Helped settle major antidumping cases involving Mexican cement and sugar.
• Counseled foreign governments and companies on litigation and related proceedings at the World Trade Organization.
• Appeared before the U.S. Trade Representative and other agencies on matters including Section 201 and 301 cases and tariff preference proceedings.
• Counseled a foreign government's agriculture department on a full range of bilateral and multinational regulatory, judicial and political issues arising from agricultural trade, and assisted in developing direct sales programs to United States mass retailers.
• Assisted in the defense of a Mexican bank subject to federal prosecution in connection with the "Casablanca" money laundering "sting" operation.
• Represented clients before Congress on issues including, most recently, proposed amendments to U.S. unfair trade laws, renewal of the Andean Trade Preferences Act, renewed "Fast Track" negotiating authority to the President, and the Farm Bill.
• Assisted a major multinational corporation with establishing operations in Mexico, providing business advice ranging from the selection of partners and distributors, and the likely impact of Mexican government and policy.
• Helped a major U.S. company resolve issues with regulators and partners in a South American nation.
Previous Experience
• Senior Advisor for International Affairs, DEACERO, 2020-2023
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
• Recipient, DEACERO, "Founder's Award for Service to the Company"
• Listed, Acritas Stars™ Independently Rated Lawyers, “Star Lawyers,” 2019-2020
• Listed, Latin Lawyer, "Latin Lawyer 250 - Practice Recognition: Trade," 2020
• Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2008 and 2010
• Listed, Chambers Global, 2008-2009
• Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2007-2008
• Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
°AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM and Martindale-Hubbell NotableSM are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.
Professional & Community Involvement
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, District of Columbia Bar Association
• Member, Fundacion Pro Niños de la Calle, I.A.P. (Mexican charity that provides training and job opportunities for Mexican street children)
• Member, Maryland State Bar Association
