Christopher Kent

Practice Areas

Chris Kent is a founding partner of Cassidy Levy Kent (Canada) LLP and is consistently recognized as one of the pre-eminent international trade lawyers in Canada.

Chris has been involved in a significant number of the highest profile trade matters in Canada and the United States in industries including forestry (lumber and paper), energy, steel, mining, consumer products, agricultural products, and high technology. He provides advice and representation across the spectrum of trade litigation, trade regulation and trade policy matters, including antidumping/countervailing duties, safeguards, export/import controls, sanctions, controlled goods under Canada’s Defence Production Act, customs, WTO, NAFTA (now USMCA), AIT and other trade treaties, on behalf of clients ranging from corporations to trade associations to governments. Chris also regularly advises and represents clients on government procurement issues and disputes. He is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer on international trade issues and served as Co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s International Trade and Customs Committee.

In trade litigation matters, Chris has an extensive record of appearances before binational dispute resolution panels under the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal and Federal Court, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, the Canada Border Services Agency, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission, as well as several core legal working groups in WTO disputes.

In the field of competition law, Chris is the co-author of the Canadian Competition Law Handbook, published by Carswell in 1997, as he served as a sessional lecturer at Queen’s University between 1998 and 2002. He provides advice across the range of issues under Canada’s Competition Act and has represented clients in merger reviews and other matters involving the Competition Bureau and in judicial proceedings.

Professional Memberships

Law Society of Ontario;

District of Columbia Bar (registered Foreign Legal Consultant);

International Bar Association (Vice Chair, International Trade & Customs Committee)