Robert Gosselink
Managing Partner
Contact:

Robert G. Gosselink is the founding partner of Trade Pacific PLLC and is the managing partner of the firm’s operations. Robert formed Trade Pacific in June 2004 with the goal of providing focused, personal, and technically superb legal and consulting services to companies involved in U.S. unfair trade actions. His concept then, as it is now, starts with the understanding that a boutique practice focused on representing foreign exporters and U.S. importers can provide better service for clients while accumulating a depth of expertise in the specific area of unfair trade actions brought by U.S. industries.

Robert concentrates in resolving cross-border trade problems and his practice has emphasized antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) counselling and litigation. Over the course of his career, Robert has defended the interests of companies in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Ukraine, Russia, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates in AD/CVD actions involving imports of frozen shrimp, frozen fish, steel products, fertilizer, automotive parts, and dozens of other consumer, chemical, industrial, and agricultural goods. Robert has been involved in more than 100 original investigations and reviews under the U.S. trade laws and the trade laws of third countries. His clients include multinational corporations, trade associations, and sovereign governments facing issues raised by the complex rules that govern international commerce. Robert has handled disputes in virtually every aspect of the import trade laws of the United States and numerous other jurisdictions worldwide.

Robert has extensive experience litigating issues arising from U.S. government trade remedy determinations before the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In these courts, he has successfully challenged numerous determinations by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission and has won numerous cases that have resulted in widely cited court precedent.

Robert also has extensive experience in the areas of international trade and trade policy and in U.S. domestic market and industry analysis.  His experience in customs law includes valuation issues, customs audit, classifications issues, country-of-origin matters, marking requirements, Sections 232 and 301 actions, and general customs advice.

Robert speaks Mandarin Chinese proficiently and his foreign language skills have given him a unique advantage working over the years on behalf of Chinese-speaking clients throughout Asia.

As a counter to his international career, Robert is a keen supporter of local issues in Washington, D.C. He is engaged in pro bono adoption matters, and is involved in organizations that develop mentoring relationships for youth in DC’s child welfare system and that close the opportunity gap for middle school students.


Prior to Joining Trade Pacific

Prior to establishing Trade Pacific, Robert worked for more than ten years in the international trade group of White & Case LLP.

Robert is a graduate of Oberlin College, received his M.A.L.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and holds a J.D. from Boston College School of Law.

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
State of Maryland
State of New York

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of International Trade

Education

J.D., Boston College (1994)

M.A.L.D., Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (1994)

Fulbright Scholar, Stanford University

Inter-University Program, National Taiwan University (1987)

B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Oberlin College (1986)

Professional Activities & Affiliations

D.C. Bar Association

Languages

Mandarin Chinese

Robert has achieved a number of significant victories on behalf of his clients in major trade remedies litigation cases, including:

  • represented the world’s largest producer of solar cells and modules to obtain the lowest AD and CVD rates of any company in China.
  • represented numerous Chinese and Thai producers of warmwater shrimp – including the world’s largest processor of seafood – in achieving zero, de minimis, and very low AD and CVD rates in investigations and reviews before the DOC and defending such decisions in subsequent court appeals.
  • represented the largest Vietnamese producer of steel pipe an AD/CVD case that resulted in a zero and low AD and CVD rates in an investigation before the DOC and a negative injury decision at the ITC.
  • represented the Chinese bicycle industry in defeating allegations of dumping at the DOC.
  • represented the Taiwanese SRAM industry in defeating allegations of injurious dumping at the ITC.
  • represented the Thai shrimp industry in a number of litigation matters before the Court of International Trade and the U.S. Federal Court of Appeals that resulted in direct amendments to the U.S. AD law.
  • represented the Chinese automotive industry before the DOC in achieving years of zero and low AD margins, ultimately resulting in revocation of the AD order against brake rotors at the ITC.

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
State of Maryland
State of New York

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of International Trade

Education

J.D., Boston College (1994)

M.A.L.D., Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (1994)

Fulbright Scholar, Stanford University

Inter-University Program, National Taiwan University (1987)

B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Oberlin College (1986)

Professional Activities & Affiliations

D.C. Bar Association

Languages

Mandarin Chinese

“Ethnic Conflict and Minority Rights in Assam, India,” 14 B.C. Third World L.J. 83 (1994)

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
State of Maryland
State of New York

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of International Trade

Education

J.D., Boston College (1994)

M.A.L.D., Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (1994)

Fulbright Scholar, Stanford University

Inter-University Program, National Taiwan University (1987)

B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Oberlin College (1986)

Professional Activities & Affiliations

D.C. Bar Association

Languages

Mandarin Chinese

Trade Year in Review Panel, 2018 International Trade Update, Georgetown Univ. Law Center

“U.S. Restraints on International Trade,” National Fisheries Institute Seafood Trade Policy (2018)

“Discretion in U.S. AD/CVD Proceedings:  A Means or an End,” Korean Iron and Steel Association (2016)

“Administrative Litigation and Unfair Trade Practices,” Thai Frozen Food Association Three Day Symposium (2012)

Moderator, Panel on Procedural and Remedial Issues Surfacing in CIT Litigation, 16th Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of International Trade (2010)

“Successful Advocacy in AD/CVD Proceedings,” 2010 International Trade Update, Georgetown Univ. Law Center

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
State of Maryland
State of New York

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of International Trade

Education

J.D., Boston College (1994)

M.A.L.D., Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (1994)

Fulbright Scholar, Stanford University

Inter-University Program, National Taiwan University (1987)

B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Oberlin College (1986)

Professional Activities & Affiliations

D.C. Bar Association

Languages

Mandarin Chinese