Join us for our next installment of the Around the Bureaus series, where Steve Gardner, Chief Counsel for the Commercial Law Development Program of the Department of Commerce, will talk about the history and growth of CLDP as well as their mission to improve the legal environment for business worldwide.

CLDP began implementing programs in Eastern Europe in 1992 shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union. What began with assistance and training on basic accounting and international trade practices with just a few countries has grown to sharing expertise each year with more than 60 developing and transitioning countries on sustainable procurement, methane abatement, commercial arbitration, intellectual property rights, public-private partnerships for infrastructure, growing 5G networks, and so many more topics.

Mr. Gardner will share his experiences and insights into how his office utilizes expertise from the Office of the General Counsel, ITA, NIST, NTIA, USPTO, and other Commerce bureaus along with numerous U.S. government agencies, international organizations, host-country governments and the private sector to deliver meaningful and lasting results.

About Around the Bureaus: This series showcases the diverse work of Department of Commerce employees, breaks down silos, and encourages cross-bureau collaboration. If you would like to participate in a future presentation, please reach out to the library for more information.

About Mr. Gardner: Steve Gardner is Chief Counsel for the Commercial Law Development Program. Mr. Gardner came to CLDP as an Attorney-Advisor in 1997 and has served as Chief Counsel since 2006. He works with a terrific team of attorneys, international program specialists and operations personnel who now cover the globe to advance Biden Administration priorities. Mr. Gardner sets the professional tone for CLDP’s staff, emphasizing the importance of diplomacy and developing international goodwill through CLDP’s technical assistance. To read more about Mr. Gardner, please see his full biography.