Russell H. Carpenter Jr.

Russell Carpenter has a diversified litigation, federal advisory, and international practice now focused on the US antiboycott laws, insurance coverage litigation, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. He advises numerous leading American and multinational firms on compliance with the antiboycott laws, litigates corporate claims for insurance coverage of major environmental and toxic liabilities, and advises makers and sellers of consumer products on their reporting and recall obligations under federal statutes.

Mr. Carpenter also has extensive past experience with Russian and other East-West joint ventures, oil and gas litigation and federal regulation of mineral rights, and railroad land grants.

Representative Matters

• Prosecution of a $150 million insurance coverage claim against 46 insurers for a major railroad’s environmental liabilities at 33 separate sites.
• Advice to a top 10 US company on ensuring ongoing compliance with US antiboycott laws in connection with a proposed restructuring of its Middle Eastern operations.
• Assisting a major manufacturer in reporting a defective product to the CPSC and negotiating and implementing a product recall.

Honors and Rankings

• Washingtonian Best Lawyers (2004)
• The International Human Rights Law Group Pro Bono Service Award (1989)

Pro Bono

• Ongoing advice and assistance on a range of contractual and litigation matters as counsel to the International Law Institute (1997-present)
• Participation in conferences with Russian academic, legal, and business leaders regarding the development of Russian legal and economic institutions as Vice-President and General Counsel to the Russian American Institute for Law and Economics (2000-2004)
• Legal research and advice to a human rights organization regarding human rights law applicable in Nigeria (2005)

Memberships and Affiliations

•  Global Rights, Board of Directors
•  American Friends of New College, Oxford, Trustee and President
•  Moses Brown School, Providence, RI, Board of Overseers and Strategic Planning Committee

Publications and Speeches

• "The Lloyd’s Broker: Whose Agent for Notice," ABA Lloyd’s and Equitas Conference (2002)
• "Corporate Directive and Procedures for Compliance with United States Antiboycott Legislation," Company Policy Statements (Business Laws, Inc.) (2002), Co-Author
• "Soviet Joint Enterprizes with Capitalist Firms and Other Joint Ventures Between East and West: The Western Point of View," 222 Recueil des Cours 365-421 (Hague Academy of International Law) (1990)