Eugene L. Stewart

Eugene L. Stewart (February 9, 1920 – August 5, 1998) was an American lawyer and founder of the law firm Stewart and Stewart, an international law firm based in Washington D.C. He was known for his work in international trade law. He was the recipient of numerous awards including the John Carroll Award, an award given to Georgetown University Alumni whose achievements exemplify the ideals and traditions of the university. and was also a former law professor at Georgetown University.

Early life and education

Stewart was born in Kansas City in 1920. His father died when Stewart was 14. Stewart then graduated from high school at 16, taking a job with General Motors. He enlisted in the Army-Air Force during World War II where he rose through the ranks, eventually earning the rank of Major. The firm was the predecessor of what would become Stewart and Stewart. The firm was named Lincoln and Stewart between 1967 and 1971 with Donald O. Lincoln a partner in the firm. From 1975 to 1978 the firm bore the name Stewart and Ikenson with partner Frederick L. Ikenson. The firm's name was later changed to Stewart and Stewart with Eugene's son Terence Stewart joining the firm. Terence acquired the firm from his father in 1986, which Eugene having an active role in the firm up to his death in 1998. During the 1970s, Stewart was involved in countervailing duty cases on flat glass which affected the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 and the availability of judicial review for cases brought under the Act. Stewart was involved in numerous cases involving domestic steel producers in both the 1970s and 1980s. The result of these cases led to changes in U.S. countervailing duty law practices. Throughout his career, he was quoted in numerous books and also gave government testimony on international trade matters. In 1965 he was approached as a member of the Georgetown Alumni Association and asked if the association would become involved by sponsoring a low income housing project. Senator John Sparkman, chairman of the subcommittee, who presided over the hearing, described it as such: “oday we start hearings on legislation proposing different measures, different proposals on housing and urban affairs for 1968... The legislative proposals we have before us encompass the whole range of housing and urban development programs.” Over $7 billion of imports were subject to the complaints.

When oil export prices to the United States were sharply increased in 1979, the U.S. automobile industry faced a surge of automobile imports from Japan and other countries. Stewart filed a petition in 1980 for the United Auto Workers, arguing that the U.S. auto industry was being substantially injured by foreign auto imports and sought import relief under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974. The problems facing the auto industry and its workers were ultimately addressed by a voluntary export restraining agreement with Japan in which the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry agreed to limit the export of automobiles to the United States for a three-year period. Thereafter, Japan voluntarily continued export limits on autos to the U.S. until 1994.

Steel industry cases

Stewart represented domestic steel producers in a series of trade remedy cases that redefined U.S. countervailing duty law practice and that resulted in voluntary export restraint agreements. In 1982, Stewart filed anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions for a major U.S. producer. These petitions were part of a large number of trade remedy cases brought by three groups of domestic steel producers at the same time. The petitions resulted in 93 preliminary countervailing duty and antidumping investigations involving 9 steel product lines from 9 countries. The petitions were delivered in 494 boxes, contained an estimated 3 million pages and concerned imported carbon steel products with an estimated value of more than $1 billion. The petitions were later withdrawn in 1982 after the United States and the European Community reached an agreement limiting steel imports for three years. The agreement was later expanded in product coverage and extended through September 1989, and subsequently extended through March 1992.

In 1984, Stewart filed a petition on behalf of a U.S. steel producer in conjunction with the United Steelworkers of America who were represented by another law firm. The petition sought temporary import relief from imports of carbon and certain alloy steel products. The petition led to President Reagan negotiating voluntary restraint agreements with the EC and 16 other countries whose exports had increased significantly in recent years, including Japan, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Australia, Finland, and South Africa. The agreements which initially limited imports through September 1989 were extended by President Bush for an additional 2½ years through March 1992.

Awards and recognition

Stewart was given the John Carroll Medal in 1967 from the Georgetown Alumni Association for his work with the Sursum Corda Cooperative.