Wiley Rein’s Laura El-Sabaawi Profiled by Law360 as ‘International Trade MVP’

December 18, 2019

Washington, DC – Laura El-Sabaawi, partner in Wiley Rein’s International Trade Practice, was profiled by Law360 as a 2019 “MVP” in International Trade. Recognized as the only woman on this distinguished national list of five lawyers in her field, Ms. El-Sabaawi was selected, in part, for her role in successfully representing a group of over 30 wooden cabinet and bathroom vanity manufacturers in a countervailing and antidumping investigations case involving subsidized Chinese imports worth over $4 billion.

Ms. El-Sabaawi told Law360 that the cabinet manufacturer case was one of her biggest accomplishments this year. She played a lead role in securing affirmative preliminary determinations from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission (ITC), which levied countermeasure duties up to 262.18% against China, finding the country had subsidized its own cabinet makers at the expense of American furniture companies.

Ms. El-Sabaawi noted that for the cabinet manufacturer case, the outcome is particularly important because there are more than 30,000 U.S. jobs at stake. “It gives the case a different level of importance because so many U.S. jobs are dependent on the outcome.”

When asked about her proudest moment this year, she cited her role in leading a team of Wiley Rein attorneys who successfully litigated the third sunset review of an antidumping duty order on line pipe from Japan at the ITC.

Ms. El-Sabaawi said her advice for junior attorneys is to develop relationships with other lawyers at their respective firms and in their fields, because those are invaluable relationships and can help advance their careers. “Don't just hide behind your desk, but make an effort at actually getting to know the people around you,” Ms. El-Sabaawi said.