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International Trade and Investment Law


Running full steam ahead - we clear your trade and investment hurdles.
Governments and multinational corporations face pressures from industrialization, globalization and outsourcing.
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Overview

We provide client-focused solutions to overcome complex international trade and investment barriers. Our deep experience with regulators and arbitrators reduces risk and allows our clients to win the race.

In a rapidly changing global environment, doing business across borders is more challenging than ever. Our deep understanding of the regulatory, legislative, and commercial issues affecting cross border trade allows us to create practical solutions for your business to overcome obstacles.

Fasken’s International Trade & Investment Law Group advises on all aspects of international trade and investment law, with particular expertise in the following areas:

  • Sanctions
  • Export controls
  • Anti-bribery and corruption compliance & investigations
  • Customs law and border administration (including valuation, classification, origin, compliance verifications, audits, and remission)
  • Forced child labour
  • Trade agreements
  • Investment treaties
  • Trade remedies, including anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguards
  • Government procurement and procurement disputes

Our clients include businesses of all sizes and government entities. We work across all industries.

Areas of Expertise

  • Anti-bribery and Corruption, Anti-corruption law and enforcement is increasingly at the forefront of the corporate risk landscape.
  • Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union (EU) is Canada's biggest bilateral trade initiative since NAFTA.
  • Customs Law and Border Administration, Navigate customs with confidence: streamlining your global trade operations.
  • Export Controls, Mastering export controls: navigate complex regulations and safeguard your business.
  • Forced and Child Labour, Navigate evolving labour regulations: expert guidance for ethical and compliant supply chains.
  • Government Procurement, Expert procurement solutions for achieving excellence in government contracts.
  • Investment Treaties, Fortify your international ventures: strategic counsel on investment treaties.
  • Sanctions, Navigate sanctions complexity with confidence: your proactive partner in global compliance.
  • Trade Agreements, Global market expansion: leverage trade agreements for competitive advantage.
  • Trade Remedies, Essential tools for a fair and competitive global market.

Achievements

  • Ranked nationwide in International Trade, The Globe and Mail 2022 to 2026
  • Ranked nationwide in International Trade/WTO, Chambers Canada 2016 to 2026
  • Ranked nationwide in Canada in International Trade/WTO, Chambers Global 2018 to 2026
  • Ranked nationwide in International Trade , The Legal 500 Canada 2018 to 2026
  • Recognized in International Trade and Finance law in Canada, The Best Lawyers in Canada 2020 to 2025
  • Recognized in Trade & Customs, Lexology Index 2018 to 2024
The Globe and Mail The Globe and Mail Ranked nationwide in International Trade This award is presented by The Globe and Mail and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

Team

Primary Contacts
  • Clifford Sosnow, Partner | International Trade and Investment Law, Toronto, ON | Ottawa, ON, +1 613 696 6876, [email protected]
  • Christopher Little, Associate | International Trade and Investment Law, Ottawa, ON | Toronto, ON, +1 613 696 6928, [email protected]
Clifford Sosnow Ottawa Lawyer Clifford Sosnow Partner | International Trade and Investment Law Toronto, ON Ottawa, ON +1 613 696 6876
Christopher Little Ottawa Lawyer Christopher Little Associate | International Trade and Investment Law Ottawa, ON Toronto, ON +1 613 696 6928

Experience

  • Krystal Growth Partners acquires Seair Seaplanes, [Deal - Krystal Growth Partners], Seair Seaplanes acquired by private equity firm
  • Smiths Group PLC acquires Wattco, [Deal - Smiths Group PLC], Acquisition of Wattco by Smiths Group PLC.
  • Provincial crown agency seeks guidance on compliance, [Deal - Confidential Client], Crown agency's billion-dollar infra procurements meet stringent sanctions compliance standards.
  • SensorUp completes a $12 million CAD Series B financing round, [Deal - Climate Investment], Climate Investment participates in SensorUp Series B financing.
  • Global Steel Manufacturer receives legal expertise on sanctions in acquisition bid, [Deal - Confidential Client], Global Steel Manufacturer in navigating sanctions complexities during an acquisition bid, addressing Canadian and UK shareholders' compliance within the target's parent company structure.
  • Tru Tech Corporation acquired by ODL, Incorporated, [Deal - Tru Tech Corporation], Canadian leader in exterior door manufacturing acquired by prominent American building products supplier
  • Canadian food manufacturer seeks guidance on anti-dumping duty and their application for a remission order, [Case - Confidential Client], Food subsidiary recoups losses from anti-dumping duties
  • Medical equipment manufacturer secures rare medical export permit for cutting-edge technology, [Case - Confidential Client], Uncommon medical export exemption is aiding in the global distribution of revolutionary artery treatment technology.
  • IAMGOLD Corporation completes sale of its interest in Rosebel Gold Mines to Zijin Mining for approximately US$360 million in cash and release of US$41 million in liabilities, [Deal - IAMGOLD Corporation], Canadian gold mining company sells interest in one of the largest in-production gold mines in South America

Knowledge

  • Canada Introduces New Bill to Strengthen Importation Ban, 6/19/2026
  • USTR Finds Canada’s Forced Labour Enforcement Insufficient: Key Considerations for Canadian Businesses, 6/9/2026
  • New Brunswick May Enact Canada’s Most Onerous Lobbying Disclosure Law, 5/28/2026
  • US Initiates Investigations of Canada and Other Trade Partners Over Failure to Prohibit Forced Labour Imports, 4/1/2026
  • US Supreme Court Rejects IEEPA Tariffs: Key Takeaways for Canadian Businesses, 2/24/2026
  • Looking Ahead to 2026: A New Era of International Trade, 1/15/2026
  • New Measures to Protect Canada’s Steel and Lumber Industries: Key Takeaways for Businesses, 12/2/2025
  • Buy Local, By Law - Ontario Introduces “Buy Ontario Act”, 11/25/2025
  • 2026 CUSMA Review Consultation, 10/23/2025
  • FASTER, But to Where? The Defence Investment Agency’s Murky Mission, 10/9/2025

Events

  • Sanctions and Tariffs: The Financial and Operational Risks Every Mining Executive Must Understand, 2/26/2026
  • Fasken Global Mining Group Seminar Series, 2/23/2026
  • Proxy Season Preview: Business & Human Rights and Preparing for Reporting Requirements and Climate Change & Climate Disclosure, 1/10/2024
  • Bill 78 | Corporate Transparency, 5/9/2023
  • Bill 78 | Corporate Transparency, 3/8/2023
  • Mining At War: Managing the Complexity of a Sanctions-driven Business Climate, 6/14/2022
  • What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: Russia, Sanctions, and the Unknown Unknown, 4/13/2022
  • Business and Legal Roundtable: Updates and Trends for the Canadian Market - COVID-19 and Beyond, 5/27/2020
  • Canada et commerce international: où en sommes-nous?, 1/23/2019
  • Fasken, EisnerAmper and Whitney Moore present: Invest in Ireland - Entry to Europe, 11/29/2018

News

  • Marcia Mills highlights growing opportunities linked to Canada’s defence commitments in the Ottawa Business Journal, 3/30/2026
  • Clifford Sosnow discusses the trade outlook for Canadian businesses in the coming year in the Financial Post, 1/16/2026
  • Clifford Sosnow analyzes a judicial ruling declaring many tariffs imposed by the Trump administration to be illegal in the Financial Post, 9/2/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on Canada’s decision to remove retaliatory tariffs on certain American goods in the Financial Post, 8/26/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on the challenges companies face when trying to certify their products are CUSMA compliant in the Financial Post, 8/12/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on small companies’ efforts to comply with USMCA rules in a report by Reuters, 8/6/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on the conditions Canada must meet for securing a new trade deal with the US on BNN Bloomberg, 6/16/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on the importance of regional trade agreements for Canada in The Globe and Mail, 6/13/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on the U.S.-U.K. trade deal and its possible effects on Canada in the Financial Post, 5/8/2025
  • Clifford Sosnow comments on Canadian companies' efforts to mitigate the impact of US tariffs in an article by Reuters, 5/6/2025

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