Matthew Yeo

Matthew Yeo is a partner in Steptoe’s Washington office, where he advises sovereign and non-sovereign clients in matters arising under the agreements of the World Trade Organization. He is among the small number of lawyers in private practice who appear on behalf of Member governments in WTO dispute settlement proceedings.

Mr. Yeo has litigated a wide range of issues relating to the interpretation and application of the WTO agreements. He successfully litigated the two most recent disputes arising under the GATS, China – Electronic Payment Services and Argentina – Financial Services, both of which concerned trade in financial services.  Other issues that Mr. Yeo has litigated include the treatment of state-trading enterprises under Article XVII of the GATT (Canada – Wheat Exports and Grain Imports), the standard of review applicable to national trade remedy determinations (United States – Softwood Lumber VI), and the treatment of “double remedies” arising from the concurrent application of anti-dumping and countervailing duties (United States – Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties on Certain Products from China).  Mr. Yeo has been involved in all stages of WTO dispute settlement, including consultations, appearances before dispute settlement panels, and appearances before the WTO Appellate Body.

In addition to his dispute settlement work, Mr. Yeo counsels clients on trade policy and market access issues.  He has advised governments in connection with bilateral trade negotiations and the implementation of existing trade commitments.  Mr. Yeo is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School.