Spencer S. Griffith is a partner in the international trade practice and previously served as partner-in-charge of the firm’s office in Beijing, China.

Practice & Background

Mr. Griffith focuses on international trade and general litigation matters, including WTO issues, countervailing duty cases, antidumping cases, trade policy, arbitrations and antitrust counseling and litigation. He has handled a variety of complex trade cases before the U. S. Department of Commerce, the International Trade Commission, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Court of International Trade.

Mr. Griffith has advised numerous clients in Canada, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and other countries over the years. He practices both in China and in Washington, D.C. He has represented the government of British Columbia in the long-standing lumber dispute. He has represented clients in numerous other industries including, steel, semiconductors and cement.

Prior to joining Akin Gump in 1990, Mr. Griffith was associated with another Washington law firm. He also served as a staff attorney in the Hong Kong attorney general’s chambers as a Luce scholar, where he advised on governmental policy issues and assisted with criminal proceedings.

Mr. Griffith served as an international trade advisor in then-Senator Albert Gore’s 1988 presidential campaign. He has authored articles in the Annual Survey of American Law and The China Business Review.

Mr. Griffith was a member of Order of the Coif at the New York University School of Law.
Representative Matters

Mr. Griffith’s representative matters include:

representing the Government of British Columbia in countervailing duty litigation under U.S. law and international arbitration under the Softwood Lumber Agreement concerning trade in softwood lumber
representing Samsung in antidumping case involving imports of DRAMS from Korea.

Awards & Accolades

Listed in Who’s Who Legal for Trade & Customs (2013-2014) – recognized as Most Highly Regarded Individuals for Trade and Customs in Washington, D.C.
American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell’s “2013 Top Rated Lawyer in International Law & International Trade”
The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers (2009, 2011)
Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers (2009 - 2011, 2013-2014)
Best Lawyers in America (2006, 2009 and 2012-2015) for international trade and finance law
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2006 - 2009)
Chambers Global: World’s Leading Lawyers for Business in Asia-Pacific Region (2010)
Chambers Asia: Asia’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2010).