Event Calendar

Thursday, February 20, 2025

CITBA Winter Fest

Start Date: 2/20/2025 5:00 PM EST
End Date: 2/20/2025 8:00 PM EST

Venue Name: ArentFox Schiff LLP

Location:
1717 K. Street NW
Washington, DC  United States  20006

The Winterfest event is CITBA’s annual event kicking off a new year! And there is a lot going on in trade. Please join CITBA members and invited guests for a lively panel discussion that includes an interactive Q&A. This year’s panel will explore the path ahead for the Rapid Response Mechanism, the intersection with labor rights and the enforcement bans on goods produced with forced labor as North America prepares for the 2026 review of the USMCA Agreement. All of which is against the backdrop of a new Mexican Administration, a new U.S. Administration, and an election year for Canada, not to mention enhanced tariffs and fraught relations between the three neighbor countries.
Immediately following the panel, CITBA will present its annual Barbara S. Williams Award to the 2024 winner, Irving Williamson. This lifetime achievement award honors the memory of Ms. Barbara S. Williams, a former board member of CITBA and former Attorney in Charge of the International Trade Field Office of the U.S. Department of Justice. During her tenure, Ms. Williams served the United States with great distinction, integrity, and honor, defending the interests of the government while heeding the legitimate concerns of its citizens seeking redress. She was admired for her dedication, worth ethic, generosity, and candor. All recipients of this award have demonstrated similar characteristics and have been leaders in their own right in the Trade Bar. This year’s winner also exemplifies those traits, and it is CITBA’s pleasure to honor Irv.
This panel and awards presentation will be immediately followed by a reception. This event is in-person only.
Registration fees: 
  • Nonmembers: $60
  • Private Sector Members: $50
  • Government attorneys and Retired Members: $45
  • Students: $25

Panelists:
Dean Pinkert – Dean Pinkert is an international trade and human rights consultant. After a lengthy period of government service and private practice focusing on international trade law and policy—including ten years as a Commissioner at the US International Trade Commission—he joined Corporate Accountability Lab in 2021 as Special Advisor. His bio is available at https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/our-team
Carol Pier – Carol Pier is a lawyer with over 25 years of public and non-profit experience in international worker rights and trade. She is presently Managing Director for International Labor at American Institutes for Research (AIR). Her full bio is available at https://www.air.org/experts/person/carol-pier
Josh Kagan – Josh Kagan is Special Counsel at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP. He advises clients on trade and labor laws, including the USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism. His full bio is available at https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/joshua-kagan
Jared Wessel – Partner in the International Trade and Investment Group at Hogan Lovells. His full bio is available at https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/jared-r-wessel

Moderator:
Sophia Lin – Partner, Picard Kentz & Rowe LLP. Sophia represents clients in trade litigation and related regulatory matters. Her full bio is available at https://pkrllp.com/our-team/sophia-lin

2024 Barbara S. Williams Award:
Irving Williamson has over 50 years of experience in the international affairs and trade policy fields. From 2007 until his retirement in 2019, he was a commissioner on the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC). He previously worked as deputy general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). He holds a B.A. in history from Brown University, an M.A. in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.


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