Robert Novick’s practice focuses on assisting companies and associations to develop and implement market access, government relations, legislative and litigation strategies to secure and preserve export, investment or commercial opportunities throughout the world. He represents clients doing business globally in international investment, trade policy, negotiation, regulatory, government affairs, legislative and dispute resolution matters. Mr. Novick served as the firm’s co-managing partner from 2012–2023.

Mr. Novick joined WilmerHale after serving as Counselor and then General Counsel in the Office of the US Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President, from 1997 to 2001. As General Counsel, Mr. Novick was responsible for establishing and implementing the Administration's litigation priorities, strategy and settlement positions in WTO and NAFTA dispute resolution, as well as under bilateral agreements, and had responsibility for the Administration's legal positions with respect to all trade matters.

He also led negotiations on various legal and policy issues. He was a principal negotiator of the US-China WTO market-opening agreement and oversaw US participation in the multilateral negotiations on China's accession to the WTO. He served as USTR's representative to the 19-person Congressionally-established Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce.

Before entering public service, Mr. Novick was a partner in a Washington, DC firm, where his practice concentrated on trade policy and trade litigation matters, including matters related to the various import relief laws, customs and international arbitration.

Practice

Mr. Novick's practice at WilmerHale focuses on assisting companies and associations to develop and implement market access, government relations, legislative and litigation strategies to secure and preserve export, investment or commercial opportunities throughout the world.

Recent issues have focused on negotiations of the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, the relationship between global climate change initiatives and international trade rules and internet censorship.

Recent representations are in the aerospace, agriculture, hi-tech, consumer goods, energy, pharmaceutical and services sectors, including for clients like Amgen, The Boeing Company, Cisco Systems, ExxonMobil, Google, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), the Personal Care Products Council and PhRMA. His dispute resolution practice, particularly before the WTO, complements strategies to remove trade and regulatory impediments. Recent dispute resolution matters include representing Boeing in connection with the WTO dispute settlements cases concerning aircraft subsidies and ITI in connection with the EU's failure to abide by its Information Technology Agreement commitments.