美国科文顿•柏灵律师事务所近日吸引前美国贸易官员Timothy Stratford （夏尊恩）加盟成为北京代表处合伙人。此前，Stratford曾在美国贸易代表办公室任职，作为美国助理贸易代表负责制定和实施美国对中国大陆、台湾、香港、澳门和蒙古的贸易政策。

他同时也是该所国际贸易、知识产权和政府事务业务部的一员，主要负责为在华经商的国际客户提供顾问咨询，并协助寻求拓展全球业务的中国公司。

在入职美国贸易代表办公室之前，夏尊恩曾在中国从事专业工作长达 25 年以上，期间曾任通用汽车公司中国运营部的总法律顾问，作为在华高管团队成员，监督公司在该地区的法律和贸易政策工作。 夏尊恩还曾担任美国驻北京大使馆商务处的公使衔参赞，以及在华美国商会主席。

US firm Covington & Burling has secured Timothy Stratford’s services after he stepped down as assistant US trade representitive for China affairs. Stratford has joined the firm as a partner and is based in the Beijing office, which opened in mid-2008. He is a member of the firm’s international trade, IP and government affairs practice groups and focuses on advising international clients doing business in China, as well as on assisting Chinese companies seeking to expand their businesses globally.

Stratford is so far the most senior former US trade official to join the US business community in China. The country is not foreign to him, as he has lived and worked professionally in China for more than 25 years. During his tenure as United States Trade Representative (USTR), Stratford worked closely with senior government officials in the US and China in developing and implementing US-China trade policy and addressing problems encountered by companies engaged in bilateral trade and investment. Prior to this, Stratford served as general counsel for General Motors’ China operations. He also served previously as Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy in Beijing, and as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Stratford joins a team of former trade officials at Covington, including former deputy treasury secretary Stu Eizenstat, former deputy US trade representative John Veroneau, and former Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Al Larson.