Practice encompasses the spectrum of international trade and other international regulatory issues affecting multinational businesses and investors.
Counsel to foreign governments and multinational corporations in international negotiations and litigation, including disputes before the WTO and other international bodies.
Resident partner in Akin’s Geneva office.

Alan has been based in Geneva, Switzerland since 2001, from where he provides government and private sector clients with a global perspective on international trade and regulatory issues. This includes providing strategic advice on geopolitical issues, advising foreign exporters and investors on U.S. trade regulations, helping clients adapt to new European trade regulations, assisting clients in securing access for their products and services across a wide range of jurisdictions, and engaging with UN bodies and other international institutions.

Alan has extensive experience in trade and regulatory matters at the domestic, bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. He has helped clients successfully:

Develop and implement strategies to confront geopolitical challenges.
Analyze regulatory changes in various jurisdictions and assess their legality under international obligations.
Leverage FTAs to gain market access, reduce costs and mitigate supply chain risks.
Design and implement strategies for engagement with foreign governments and multilateral institutions.
Negotiate trade and other international agreements.
Litigate trade and other treaty-based disputes.

In addition, as resident partner in Akin’s Geneva office, Alan works closely with Swiss-based clients. Drawing on the multidisciplinary capabilities of attorneys and advisors across Akin’s offices around the globe, Alan collaborates with colleagues to offer full support to clients based in Switzerland and neighboring regions.

Representative Work

Assisted a Fortune 500 consumer products manufacturer in implementing strategies to maximize the advantages of free trade agreements to lower the tariff burden on its global exports and inputs.
Advised government and private sector clients on compliance with the European carbon border adjustment mechanism and its consistency with multilateral and FTA disciplines.
Leveraged an Akin expert team to assist a Swiss multinational with issues connected with the U.S. sanctions regime.
Advised client on consistency of draft digital markets regulation with international rules.
Designed and implemented a training program to train multi-agency governmental teams responsible for trade negotiations.
Advised a sovereign government throughout its trade negotiations with over 10 countries stretching across four continents.
Successfully represented a sovereign government in a highly contentious WTO dispute involving sensitive issues of national security.
Developed and implemented advocacy and legal strategies to successfully remove trade barriers affecting client’s exports to key markets.

"Alan Yanovich 's former experience working within the WTO gives him a "deep understanding of the rules and the policy context of how they operate."

Chambers Europe, 2020

Languages
Spanish

Education
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1996
B.A., Georgetown University, 1993

Bar Admissions
Florida

Recognitions

The Legal 500 EMEA, WTO, Switzerland, 2015-2024.
Chambers Europe and Chambers Global, International Trade/WTO, Switzerland, 2016-2024.
Best Lawyers Switzerland, Geneva Lawyer of the Year for Trade Law, 2020.
Best Lawyers Switzerland, Trade Law.

Affiliations and Public Service

Counselor, Appellate Body Secretariat, WTO.
Legal advisor, General Secretariat of the Andean Community.
Commercial secretary, Colombian Government Trade Bureau.

Speeches and Publications

“Which Clubs Do You Belong to? Opportunities and Challenges for Businesses in a World That Is Getting Clubbier”, Akin Trade Law blog, August 2024.
“Will the WTO Survive a Change of Administration?”, Akin Trade Law blog, July 2024.
“EU Negotiations Reach a Provisional Deal on Carbon Removal Certification Framework”, Akin Speaking Sustainability blog, February 2024.
“WTO Dispute Settlement–What to Expect in 2024”, Akin Alert, January 2024.
“Switzerland Eliminates All Tariffs on All Industrial Goods”, Akin Alert, January 2024.
“Following EU, UK to Establish a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism”, Akin Alert, December 2023.
“US Seeks Comments on WIPO Genetic Resources Treaty”, Akin Alert, October 2023.
“Geneva Insights - November 2023”, Akin Newsletter, September 2023.
“USITC to Investigate Emissions from Steel and Aluminum Production”, Akin Speaking Sustainability blog, June 2023.
“The EU IP Harmonization Package to Include EU-wide Compulsory License”, Akin Alert, May 2023.
“UK Opens Consultation on Policy Responses to Carbon Leakage”, Akin Alert, April 2023.
“USITC Sets Out Process of Its Investigation into TRIPS Waiver Expansion”, Akin Alert, February 2023.
“Putting a Stop to the Subsidy War”, Akin Trade Law blog, February 2023.
“EU Reaches Provisional Agreement on Carbon Import Charge”, Akin Alert, January 2023.
“WTO MC13 Should Take Inspiration from UAE Success”, Akin Trade Law blog, January 2023.
“WTO Issues First Award Under MPIA and Tackles Standard of Review in Anti-Dumping Disputes”, Akin Trade Law blog, January 2023.
“OECD Launches Public Consultation on Updates to Its Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises”, Akin Alert, January 2023.
“USTR Announces Support for Extending TRIPS Waiver Expansion Discussions and Launches USITC Investigation”, Akin Alert, December 2022,
“EU Parliament Votes on Climate Agenda”, Akin Speaking Sustainability blog, June 2022.
“US and Multilateral Russia-related Trade Policy and Import Restrictions”, Akin Alert, March 2022.
“General Considerations for Appeal”, Akin Alert, June 2020.
“Brazil Initiates Process to Join the WTO Government Procurement Agreement”, Akin Alert, May 2020.
“Investment Facilitation – A WTO Negotiation That Can Yield Positive Returns for Investors”, Akin Alert, May 2020.
“Members Agreement Ensures That WTO Dispute Settlement Continues to Operate Smoothly”, Akin Alert, April 2020.
“EU and Mexico Announce the Finalization of an Updated Free Trade Agreement”, Akin Alert, April 2020.
A. Yanovich, “General Considerations for Appeal”, in M.T. Molina (ed.), Practical Aspects of WTO Litigation (Kluwer Law, 2020).
R. Teh and A. Yanovich, “Integrating Economic Analysis into WTO Dispute Settlement Practice: A View from the Trenches”, in T. Carpenter, M. Jansen, and J. Pauwelyn (eds), The Use of Economics in International Trade and Investment Disputes (Cambridge University Press, 2017).
2 - Integrating Economic Analysis into WTO Dispute Settlement Practice: A View from the Trenches
A. Yanovich, “Outside looking in, after many years on the inside looking out”, G. Marceau (ed.), A History of Law and Lawyers in the GATT/WTO (Cambridge University Press, 2015), 342-349.
M. Janow, V. Donaldson and A. Yanovich (eds), The WTO: Governance, Dispute Settlement and Developing Countries (Juris Publishing, 2008).
Y. Taniguchi, A. Yanovich and J. Bohanes (eds), The WTO in the Twenty-fist Century: Dispute Settlement, Negotiations, and Regionalism in Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2007).
L.O. Baptista, U. Celli Jr and A. Yanovich (eds), 10 Anos de OMC: Uma análise do Sistema de Solução de Controvérsias e Perspectivas (Aduaneiras, 2007).
G. Sacerdoti, A. Yanovich and J. Bohanes (eds), The WTO at Ten – The Contribution of the Dispute Settlement System (Cambridge University Press, 2006).
C. Chase, A. Yanovich, J-A Crawford, and P. Ugaz, “Mapping of dispute settlement mechanisms in regional trade agreements – innovative or variations on a theme”, in R. Acharya (ed.), Regional Trade Agreements and the Multilateral Trade System, (Cambridge University Press, 2016).
A. Yanovich, "WTO Rules and the Energy Sector" in Y. Selivanova (ed.), Regulation of Energy in International Trade Law: WTO, NAFTA and Energy Charter (Wolters Kluwer, 2011), 1-47.
A. Yanovich and W. Zdouc, "Procedural and Evidentiary Issues" in D. Bethlehem, D. McRae, R. Neufeld and I. Van Damme (eds), The Oxford Handbook of International Trade Law (Oxford University Press, 2009), 344-377.
A. Yanovich, "The Evolving WTO Dispute Settlement System" in Y. Taniguchi, A. Yanovich and J. Bohanes (eds), The WTO in the Twenty-fist Century: Dispute Settlement, Negotiations, and Regionalism in Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2007), 248-257.
A. Yanovich and T. Voon, "Completing the Analysis in WTO Appeals: the Practice and its Limitations" (2006) 9 Journal of International Economic Law 933-950.
T. Voon and A. Yanovich, "The Facts Aside: The Limitation of World Trade Organization Appeals to Issues of Law" (2006) 40 Journal of World Trade 239-257.
A. Yanovich, "Convergência Legal e Cultural na Solução de Controvérsias da OMC" in L.O. Baptista, U. Celli Jr and A. Yanovich (eds), 10 Anos de OMC: Uma análise do Sistema de Solução de Controvérsias e Perspectivas (Aduaneiras, 2007), 129-147.
V. Donaldson and A. Yanovich, "The Appellate Body's Working Procedures for Appellate Review" in G. Sacerdoti, A. Yanovich and J. Bohanes (eds), The WTO at Ten – The Contribution of the Dispute Settlement System (Cambridge University Press, 2006), 386-413.
A. Yanovich and T. Voon, 'What is the measure at issue?' in A. Mitchell (ed), Challenges and prospects for the WTO (Cameron May, 2005), 115-163.
A. Yanovich, "Dispute Resolution in the Andean Community" (1998) 27 International Law News.