Douglas J. Heffner

Customs and International Trade Regulation and Litigation

Doug assists clients in all aspects of international economic trade regulation and litigation, including antidumping and countervailing duty counseling and litigation (including investigations, administrative reviews, sunset reviews and scope proceedings) before the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. International Trade Commission, Section 201 safeguard proceedings, section 232 steel and aluminum duties, section 301 duties, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection issues. He also represents clients in transshipment investigations pursuant to the Enforce and Protect Act and False Claims Act cases involving allegations of nonpayment of duties. Doug also represents clients in appeals before the Court of International Trade, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Panels and has represented companies in third-country antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Representative Experience

• Successfully defended a leading producer of fine chemical products against allegations made by a competitor that they were transshipping glycine produced in China and proved their upstanding compliance with regulations
• Assisted a major Canadian flat roll producer minimize antidumping duty exposure in numerous administrative reviews before the U.S. Department of Commerce and obtained an exclusion from the antidumping sunset review before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Represented the client in numerous appeals
• Assisted a major Canadian wire rod producer minimize dumping exposure in numerous administrative reviews before the U.S. Department of Commerce and obtained an exclusion from the antidumping sunset review before the U.S. International Trade Commission; also represented the client in numerous appeals, including appeals before NAFTA Panels
• Assisted a French chemical producer prove that its exports did not cause injury to a major U.S. chemical company. Also assisted the client in filing an antidumping and countervailing duty case against that company in the European Union
• Assisted a Brazilian stainless steel bar producer minimize its antidumping duty exposure in administrative reviews before the U.S. Department of Commerce
• Assisted a Japanese stainless steel producer to significantly reduce its antidumping duty liability in an administrative review

Compliance and Regulatory Counsel

Doug advises clients on U.S. legislative, regulatory and administration developments, including White House trade negotiations and agreements. He also advises foreign companies on bilateral and multilateral disputes arising from NAFTA, the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization.

Personal Interests

Outside of the workplace, Doug enjoys skiing, hiking and tennis.