Overview
Joanne E. Osendarp is co-head of the Firm’s International Trade practice. She has been described by her clients as ‘a senior experienced trade lawyer of international repute blessed with superb judgment.’
Joanne advises and represents governments, industry associations, export credit agencies and companies in international trade and investment matters including countervailing duty, antidumping and other trade remedy proceedings before the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission, as well as appeals to the Court of International Trade, the World Trade Organization and panels under the US, Mexico, Canada Agreement. She has also represented governments in investment arbitrations, state-to-state arbitrations and international trade negotiations. Joanne is currently assisting the UK Government in its negotiation of five free trade agreements, including the UK – Mexico, UK – India and UK – Canada Agreements, as well as working with the UK on its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Joanne has distinguished herself in international legal circles as Canada’s principal United States-based lawyer in its high-profile ongoing softwood lumber dispute with the United States, called the “biggest trade battle on the planet” by The Economist. Chambers International recognizes her as having “Foreign Expertise in Canada.”
Prior to joining McDermott, Joanne served as chair of the International Trade practice and co-chair of the International Trade and Investment practice at her previous firms. Prior to private practice, Joanne worked for the Government of Canada as senior counsel to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Department of Justice and was lead counsel for all institutional issues relating to NAFTA, including subsidies and dumping, safeguards and section 301 actions. Joanne headed up Canada’s teams in the WTO Aircraft dispute with Brazil and all arbitrations arising out of the 1996 Softwood Lumber Agreement. She was also a principal counsel for the Agreement on Internal Trade and assistant principal counsel to Canada for the negotiation of the NAFTA.
Results
- Representing the Government of Canada in the CVD, AD and Injury cases concerning softwood lumber from Canada, and related WTO, NAFTA and CIT appeals
- Representing the Government of the United Kingdom in its negotiation of five free trade agreements, including the U.K.- Mexico, U.K. – India and U.K. – Canada Agreements, and assisting with the U.K.’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
- Representing the Government of Canada in the CVD and AD cases in Wind Towers from Canada
- Representing Export Development Corporation in Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada
- Representing the Colombian Federation of Biofuels in the CVD investigation of Ethanol from the United States
- Represented the Government of Canada in the CVD investigation of Supercalendered Paper from Canada, and related WTO and NAFTA appeals*
- Represented the Government of Mexico in the investigation of Sugar from Mexico*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.
Recognitions
- Chambers Global, International Trade, 2008 to 2022
- Chambers Global, Foreign Expert for Canada, 2017 to 2022
- Chambers USA, International Trade, 2007 to 2022
- Legal 500, International Trade, 2007 to 2022
- Legal 500, Hall of Fame, 2022
- The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, Leading Practitioner in Trade & Customs, 2008 to 2022
- Profiles in Diversity Journal, Women Worth Watching Award, 2018
- Benchmark Litigation, Top 250 Women in Litigation, 2012 to 2014
- Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law, Leading Practitioner, 2010 to 2022
- The Best of the Best USA, International Trade, 2012 to 2019
Community
Credentials
Education
University of Ottawa, LLB, 1986
York University, MA, 1983
York University, BA, 1981
Admissions
District of Columbia
New York
Ontario
Courts/Agencies
Court of International Trade
Supreme Court of New York
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Supreme Court of Ontario
Languages
English
Dutch
