Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Law

Dickinson Wright advises clients on all aspects of corporate and commercial mandates, with a particularly strong portfolio of acquisition matters. Clients benefit from the firm’s presence in Ontario, with offices in Toronto and Windsor, as well as offices throughout the U.S. — Chambers Canada

Cross-border work is core to how we operate. It isn’t simply a concept we apply—it’s how our teams are built and how we practice.

Our lawyers regularly advise on complex cross-border transactions and collaborate across offices and practice groups, including immigration, trade and customs, and regulatory compliance. This integrated approach helps clients anticipate complexity, manage risk, and move efficiently across jurisdictions.

We focus on industries where cross-border issues are especially dynamic, including artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, life sciences, cannabis, and international trade.

With teams fluent in English and French, we support clients in Canada’s bilingual environment. Our lawyers include former government officials, regulators, and in-house counsel, and are recognized by leading directories such as Chambers, Best Lawyers^®, and Lexpert.

Our Services

With offices across key North American trade corridors—from Ontario to a broad network of U.S. offices, including Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Washington, D.C., Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, California, and Washington—we provide integrated cross-border legal services, including:

• Automotive
• Banking & Finance
• Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency
• Cannabis, Marijuana & Hemp
• Commercial Real Estate, Financing & Leasing
• Consumer Products, including health products, cosmetics, medical devices, and more
• Contests & Loyalty Programs
• Corporate Structuring & Litigation
• Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & CASL Compliance
• Direct Selling
• Entertainment, Sports & Media
• Environmental
• Food & Agribusiness
• Franchising
• Gaming
• Immigration
• Intellectual Property, including prosecution, portfolio management, and cross-border litigation
• Labor & Employment
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• National Security & Defense
• Private Equity
• Securities
• Taxation, including U.S. and Canadian federal, state, provincial, local, international, controversy, and transactional planning
• Trade & Customs Compliance, including import and export controls, audits, USMCA, sanctions, and anti-money laundering
• Wetlands & Water Law

Tariffs, Trade & Regulatory Developments

Cross-border businesses operate in an environment where tariffs, trade policy, and regulatory requirements can change quickly. Staying ahead requires more than monitoring developments—it demands practical strategies that keep supply chains moving and businesses compliant.

Dickinson Wright’s international trade and finance lawyers advise clients throughout the United States and Canada on evolving trade regulations, customs requirements, and cross-border operations. We help businesses anticipate change, manage risk, and respond efficiently as new developments arise.

Our experience includes:

• Duty deferral and tariff engineering strategies
• USMCA compliance and preferential duty treatment
• Supply chain planning and sourcing strategies
• Bilateral and multilateral trade frameworks
• Internal investigations and compliance programs
• Regulatory counseling for public and private companies, trade associations, and multinational organizations

Trade & Customs

Companies importing, exporting, or manufacturing throughout North America face an increasingly complex customs and trade environment. We advise clients on customs compliance, enforcement matters, supply chain planning, and international trade regulations affecting operations on both sides of the border.

Our services include:

• USMCA compliance and rules of origin
• Customs classification and valuation
• CBP and CBSA audits and investigations
• Section 232 and Section 301 tariff matters
• Anti-dumping and countervailing duty proceedings
• Export controls and economic sanctions
• Customs planning and supply chain strategy

Cross-Border Tax

Cross-border investments, acquisitions, and business operations require thoughtful planning under both U.S. and Canadian tax laws. Our tax lawyers help businesses and individuals structure transactions efficiently while navigating the Canada–United States Tax Convention and related tax regimes.

We advise on:

• Treaty analysis and tax planning
• Cross-border mergers and acquisitions
• Transfer pricing
• Withholding tax planning
• FBAR, FATCA, and PFIC compliance
• Estate and succession planning
• CRA and IRS audits and voluntary disclosures