Patrick T. Childress
Partner
Overview
Patrick T. Childress is an international trade and disputes attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office.
Mr. Childress focuses on international trade policy and high-stakes international disputes. He advises corporations, governments and other stakeholders around the world on issues related to the evolving tariff landscape, trade-related enforcement actions, government investigations and treaty negotiations. He also represents corporate and sovereign clients in commercial and investment treaty arbitration proceedings.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Childress represented the United States in trade-related matters during both Trump Administrations and the Biden Administration as an attorney at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). During his time in government, Mr. Childress advised senior administration officials, led U.S. government delegations negotiating with foreign trading partners and worked with corporate stakeholders across an array of industries on trade-related issues. Mr. Childress handled a broad portfolio of trade law and policy issues, including foreign investment, digital trade, climate and environment, and trade in automotives. He also served as USTR's lead attorney for regional matters involving Canada, Mexico and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Mr. Childress also has deep experience in international arbitration. He has represented corporate clients and sovereign governments in investor-state and commercial arbitrations around the world. Six of these arbitrations involved claims in excess of $1 billion.
Mr. Childress’ commentary on international trade law and policy has been quoted in leading publications such as The Washington Post, Politico, ABC News and other outlets. He also has authored book chapters and journal articles, taught classes to foreign government officials at the International Law Institute, and spoken at Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, the American Society of International Law and other venues.
Before his time as a government official, Mr. Childress was an attorney at large global law firms in New York and Washington, D.C.
Representative Experience
- Briefed high-level Trump Administration and Biden Administration officials, members of Congress and executive branch agencies on an array of critical international trade matters
- Co-led 10 Section 301 investigations of various countries' digital services taxes, leading direct negotiations with foreign governments regarding these disputes
- Served as the lead lawyer for Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on policy issues related to Canada, Mexico and the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
- Represented the U.S. in trade disputes under the USMCA and before the World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Served as USTR's lead lawyer for climate-related issues, representing the agency as a member of the White House Climate and Trade Task Force and negotiating with the European Union (EU) regarding a novel trade agreement for low-carbon steel and aluminum
- Consulted with corporate stakeholders – including executives in the technology, automotives and industrial goods sectors – to strategize and advance trade policy priorities
- Represented a Canadian mining company in an investment treaty arbitration against the government of Venezuela that resulted in a favorable award of $1.2 billion
- Defended the government of Colombia against a billion-dollar investment treaty claim related to investments in the electricity sector
- Represented a French multinational in commercial and investment treaty arbitrations against Lithuania regarding utilities services in the capital city
- Defended the government of Peru against a $500 million claim under the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) related to a mining project
- Represented a Canadian pipeline company in a multibillion-dollar North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) claim
Credentials
- Harvard Law School, J.D.
- Virginia Tech, B.A., magna cum laude
- District of Columbia