Stephen Kho Quoted in Law360 on Future of UK Trade Policy After Brexit

Stephen Kho, an international trade partner at Akin Gump, was quoted in the Law360 article “Brexit Opens Door For Overhauled UK Trade Policy,” which looks at how the United Kingdom is likely to negotiate trade agreements once it leaves the European Union.

Because the U.K. will remain a member of the World Trade Organization, the article reports that much of the attention has been focused on its strategy on bilateral trade agreements. Kho, a former U.S. trade official, said London will have to take a close look at the global trading landscape to figure out the best path forward. “On a bilateral level,” he said, “they would probably be looking at who their main trading partners are and what sort of holes may be in place because of their exit and try to make sure that they fill those holes first.”

Before negotiating any new trade deals, however, the U.K. may need to bolster its trade staff. Kho said that in order to do so, it will likely look within its own ranks first before looking to private-sector law firms and consultants for knowledgeable negotiators. He added, that building a competent bench is “not a light lift by any stretch of the imagination.”