Russ helps global companies navigate international environmental regulatory regimes and develop product compliance and market-access strategies.
He served for over ten years as an international lawyer at the United States Department of State, representing the U.S. Government in designing, negotiating, or implementing most of the major multilateral environmental and oceans agreements. His experience and representative matters include:
Chemicals, Substances in Articles, and Product-Related Environmental Compliance
- Advising chemicals, pesticides, toy, and electronics companies on compliance with chemicals-related market access regulations, including Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH); Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS); and other national-level chemical and article import notification schemes as well as working extensively on multijurisdictional projects involving complex market access and compliance challenges for chemical products overseas.
- Advising companies and trade associations on regulatory requirements relating to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) for trade in hazardous chemicals, and the Basel Convention on trade in hazardous waste and conducting advocacy in these unique forums.
- Representing companies on compliance and advocacy relating to regulatory requirements applicable to products containing or made with ozone-depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol and U.S. Clean Air Act.
- Counseling and representing electronics importers on the U.S. excise tax on goods manufactured with ozone-depleting substances.
- Advising on supply chain risk management relating to conflict minerals, raw materials, ethical sourcing, and human rights due diligence.
- Counseling consumer product and manufacturing companies on the implementation of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s conflict minerals rule and related supply chain management issues.
- Advising global clients on risk management relating to corporate due diligence, supply chain, and human rights, including United Nations Guiding Principles and disclosure requirements regarding forced labor in complex supply chains.
