New Tariffs and Energy Supply Chains: Managing Impacts, Legal Insights, Practical Approaches
Course Details
- smart_display Format
On-Demand
- signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level
Intermediate
- work Practice Area
Energy
- event Date
Thursday, April 10, 2025
- schedule Time
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
- timer Program Length
90 minutes
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
This CLE course will guide counsel on the impacts of recently imposed and proposed tariffs on the energy sector and the strategies attorneys and energy producers can use to navigate the resultant challenges. The panel will discuss steps to mitigate financial and legal risks associated with tariffs, as well as supply chain issues and contractual adjustments.
Mr. Collidge is an associate focusing on construction and government contracts matters. He counsels and represents owners, construction managers, general contractors, and subcontractors in all phases of the construction process and on a wide range of projects including water treatment facilities, mass transit systems, and other commercial and government construction projects. Mr. Collidge represents clients both in state and federal court litigation, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. He also provides counsel on project management issues. Mr. Collidge is a contributor to the firm’s construction blog, constructlaw.com, and is a contact point for the Construction Group Covid-19 Response Team.
Ms. Carl-Yoder is the co-chair of the firm's international practice. She draws on her nearly 20 years of service at the U.S. State Department, working in both Washington, D.C. and embassies across the world, to build strategic partnerships for companies expanding domestically and overseas. Her sophisticated understanding of foreign policy and deep relationships with sovereign governments, third-party institutions and global media organizations is used to solve problems that require a multidisciplinary approach. Ms. Carl-Yoder successfully shepherds companies into new markets, develops bilateral partnerships and manages senior relationships with dignitaries for multinational clients. She led the international government relations efforts of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) company, engaging with high-ranking business and government officials around the world on commercial projects, including with stakeholders in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America. In addition to her government outreach, Ms. Carl-Yoder forged lasting relationships with industry trade associations, think tanks, advocacy groups, chambers of commerce and media organizations.
President Trump recently signed executive orders imposing tariffs on almost all imports from Canada, China, and Mexico. While the tariffs on Canada and Mexico were paused for 30 days, pending those countries' adoption of measures to strengthen border security, the tariffs on China became effective Feb. 4, 2025.
According to one estimate, the U.S. imports around 40 percent of its crude oil, with nearly 70 percent of crude oil imports coming from Canada and Mexico. The U.S. power industry has become increasingly reliant on imports for critical minerals and for transmission and distribution equipment such as transformers. The storage industry relies on batteries imported from China. Additional tariffs have the potential to disrupt the energy sector's supply chains and could lead to to increased costs and operational challenges for domestic producers and suppliers.
Companies and their counsel should be proactive to minimize their commercial and legal risks and maintain smooth operations, manage costs, and fulfill contractual obligations. This includes reassessing supply chains, exploring alternative sourcing strategies, and understanding the legal implications of tariffs on existing agreements.
Listen as our authoritative panel examines the legal framework supporting the tariffs and the potential for challenges to the tariffs, along with the impacts of the tariffs on the U.S. energy sector. The panel will also address potential strategies for businesses in the energy sector to explore.
- Introduction
- Overview of the recent tariff changes and their significance to the energy sector
- U.S. energy sector and its supply chain
- Legal framework
- International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)
- Significance of using IEEPA rather than Section 301 as the basis for the tariff orders
- Impact on the energy sector
- Analysis of how tariffs affect energy producers and the supply chain
- Affected products and materials
- International reactions and trade relations
- Strategies for businesses
- Supply chain mapping: identifying vulnerabilities and risks
- Federal advocacy and lobbying: seeking exemptions and exclusions
- Contractual adjustments: updating contracts to manage tariff risks
- Reducing global supply chain risks: creating domestic manufacturing capability
- Utilizing trade law features: exploring foreign trade zones and duty drawbacks
The panel will address these and other key issues:
- How recent tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico may impact the U.S. energy sector
- The potential for legal challenges to the tariffs
- Strategies for minimizing financial and legal risks
- Navigating contractual challenges
- Practical business strategies for managing disruptions
