Biography: Trade & Customs

Paul D Burns has over 25 years of experience advising clients on all aspects of international trade and commodity tax, including significant experience advising on various regulatory and standards requirements applicable to goods imported into Canada. For many years, he served as the practice group coordinator of the international commercial group of the Baker & McKenzie Toronto office.

As a trusted adviser to many multinational corporations, Paul has assisted clients on a multitude of trade matters, including valuation, tariff classification, rules of origin, marking, remissions and drawbacks; anti-dumping and subsidies; export and import controls; trade sanctions; blocking measures; the Controlled Goods Program; free trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax; and Provincial Sales Tax.

As a highly recognised practitioner in international trade, clients have valued Paul's assistance and advice with audits (both internal and by regulatory authorities), the development of customs strategies and compliance programmes, and appealing unfavourable determinations by governmental authorities, including appeals before the Anti-dumping Tribunal, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and Binational Panels established under the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, as well as NAFTA.

Paul lectures, both domestically and internationally, on matters in the international trade and commodity tax areas. He is the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters' (IE Canada) representative on the Border Commercial Consultative Committee AMPS Sub-Committee. Paul is listed in a number of peer-reviewed directories as an outstanding practitioner in international trade and tax law.

Paul is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (LLB, 1982). Paul is admitted to practice law in Ontario since 1984.