Michael Jacobson

Michael Jacobson

Partner Global Regulatory

Washington, D.C.

+1 202 637 4653

michael.jacobson@hoganlovells.com

Michael Jacobson

Overview
Experience
Credentials
Insights and events

Michael Jacobson helps clients solve complex and high-stakes international trade and investment problems. He is a leading advocate before the U.S. International Trade Commission and other U.S. Government agencies, in U.S. federal court, and before international tribunals. He regularly first-chairs trade disputes under U.S. law and treaty-based arbitrations under international law. He also helps clients resolve cross-border problems through innovative policy solutions.

Michael regularly appears before U.S. Government agencies such as the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Michael also has an active treaty-based international law practice, including through investor-state arbitration on behalf of both investors and states, as well as state-state dispute settlement before the rules of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) such as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), its predecessor NAFTA, and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Michael was counsel in the first-ever Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRLM) dispute under the USMCA.

Michael advises companies across diverse economic sectors, including e-commerce, energy, solar, automotive, financial services, medical devices, building materials, industrial products, steel, aluminum, telecommunications, mining, and agriculture.

Michael is an adjunct faculty member at the American University Washington College of Law, where he teaches a course on current issues in international trade and investment law and policy.

While in law school, Michael was a legal intern at the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Office of Services and Investment. Michael also founded, captained, and coached Harvard’s WTO moot court team, winning best oralist at the North America and Final International Rounds. He was also a member of Harvard's Willem C. Vis international arbitration moot court team, winning awards for oral argument and brief writing.

Representative experience

Secured a negative injury finding and full dismissal in investigations before the ITC on behalf of a U.S. purchaser of glass containers from China.

Secured a second negative injury finding and full dismissal before the ITC on behalf of a U.S. purchaser of glass containers, in this case on glass wine bottles from Chile, China, and Mexico.

Secured a negative injury finding and full dismissal in investigations before the ITC on behalf of major U.S. agricultural interests in urea ammonium nitrate solutions from Russia and Trinidad.

Represented Canadian solar manufacturers and their affiliated U.S. manufacturers in a Section 201 safeguard investigation, mid-term review, and extension proceeding before the ITC and court appeals.

Won a complete victory before the second-ever USMCA dispute settlement panel, which was ultimately resolved with a successful negotiated solution to remove tariffs on solar panels from Canada.

Secured a negotiated solution to resolve ICSID arbitration claims related to the electricity sector in a Caribbean country.

Represented several multinational companies bringing claims against Latin American countries in ICSID and UNCITRAL arbitrations including in the energy and technology sectors.

Defended the Government of Panama in multiple ICSID arbitrations including in the mining and financial services sectors.

Advising numerous clients regarding trade and tariff policy include tariffs brought under Section 232 and Section 301 and related tariff exclusions.

Secured a negative injury finding and full dismissal before the ITC on behalf of a U.S. purchaser and a foreign producer of silicon metal from Australia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Norway.

Secured a negative injury finding and full dismissal in investigations before the ITC on behalf of a foreign producer of automotive tapered roller bearings from Korea.

Advised clients on Free Trade Agreement negotiations, including the NAFTA renegotiation (resulting in the USMCA), the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

Secured CFIUS clearance within 30-day review period for consortium of Hong Kong, Chinese, and Singaporean investors in the technology sector.

Aided in advising Canadian interests to favorable trade settlement that removes barriers to Canadian exports and paves the way for solar growth in the U.S.

Secured full dismissals of AD duties through ITC sunset reviews on behalf of a Brazilian manufacturer of cold-rolled steel and hot-rolled steel, and won appeals before the Court of International Trade

Representing a leading U.S. manufacturer of solar products to oppose AD/CVD measures on solar cells and modules from Thailand.

Secured a favorable negotiated solution on behalf of a Canadian and U.S. investor in Mexico in the energy sector to resolve USMCA/NAFTA investor-state arbitration claims

Won a complete victory on behalf of a Mexican mine before the first-ever USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRLM) case on the basis of no jurisdiction.