Michaela Johnson

Michaela has advised on all facets of international trade law, including tariffs, trade negotiations, domestic regulatory compliance, trade remedies, and state-to-state dispute resolution. Michaela has represented governments in trade negotiations, international organisations, dumping and subsidy investigations, and international disputes.

Before practicing in the UK, Michaela was a Legal Adviser to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) in its Trade Law Unit.  She was counsel for New Zealand in various international trade disputes and advised on a range of issues including trade remedies, tariff rate quotas, agriculture, subsidies, and investment. Before MFAT, Michaela was an investigator for New Zealand’s trade remedies authority at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and also worked in dispute resolution for a private law firm.

Jurisdiction: New Zealand

• Counsel for New Zealand in its successful first free trade agreement dispute, and the first dispute under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in Canada – Dairy TRQs, for which the legal team won the Government Legal Network’s Outstanding Network Contribution Award.
• Advising the UK Government on the negotiation of free trade agreements with several trading partners, including with India, Canada, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
• Conducting anti-dumping and subsidy investigations on behalf of the New Zealand government into various steel products and foodstuffs from China, South Korea, Malaysia, Spain and South Africa.
• Leading New Zealand’s third party participation in two World Trade Organization disputes (DS598 and DS602) between Australia and China concerning anti-dumping duties on barley and wine.