The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has awarded a contract to an international network of law firms to advise on critical trade negotiations as the UK continues to strengthen the country’s post-Brexit trading landscape. MinterEllison (AU) and MinterEllisonRuddWatts (NZ) are key members of this network which is led by a consortium of UK law firm TLT Solicitors, US firm McDermott Will & Emery and Canada’s Borden Ladner Gervais.

The group was appointed following a competitive tender process to provide legal advice and support to negotiate the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and two bilateral free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico. The successful bid was based on the group's collective strength of expertise in international trade negotiations, international jurisdictions and government advisory work.

The international network of firms advising DIT also includes:

• Abrahams, Davidson & Co – Brunei Darussalam
• Carey Abogados – Chile
• Mori Hamada & Matsumoto – Japan
• Allen & Gledhill – Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam
• SAI Law & Economics – Mexico; and
• Rebza, Alcazar & De Las Casas – Peru.

This contract win follows MinterEllison and MinterEllisonRuddWatts' August 2020 appointment to advise on the UK-ANZ Free Trade Agreement negotiations and the lead consortium’s appointment to the UK Government’s trade law panel in February 2021.

Jeremy Blackshaw, Managing Partner, International for MinterEllison said of the win:

"We're delighted to be appointed to advise on accession to one of the world's largest value trade agreements."

"This appointment, in partnership with MinterEllisonRuddWatts, highlights our unique strength as the only independent Australian law firm to bring together deep Trans-Tasman expertise and capability in this space."

David Morfesi, Director for International Trade at MinterEllison added, "MinterEllison and the broader consortium combines international trade experience spanning four decades, multilateral, plurilateral and bilateral fora, dispute resolution, domestic implementation and compliance, and promotion and advice for the private sector in utilising the various benefits these types agreements make available. We are looking forward to delivering gold-standard advice to DIT in collaboration with an outstanding group of partners."