Matthew Apfel

Matthew Apfel specializes in immigration, intellectual property, public international law, international arbitration and investment disputes, international business transactions and civil suits against foreign sovereign states in domestic courts. His work has led him to live in Beijing, New York City, Washington, D.C and Phoenix.

Because of his studies, interest and knowledge, Apfel is also a specialist on China especially focused on related trade and legal issues. He is a member of the Washington based China Hands Group.

He is a member of the New York, District of Columbia and Arizona Bars and is admitted as an attorney-counselor before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Apfel has written numerous papers, articles and comments on various public and private international legal issues and has contributed to , an international trade law/customs law website and blog.

A native of Arizona, Matthew Apfel received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with a focus in Chinese politics from George Washington University (GWU) in 2005.  While at GWU, he attended Pembroke College, Cambridge University in the United Kingdom where he studied modern Chinese history.  He subsequently earned his Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University Law School (GW Law) in 2008. While at GW Law, Apfel was active at various levels in the International Law Society and Student Intellectual Property Association.

He has experience working at the US Senate, Canadian Embassy, Asia Society and the CATO Institute in Washington, DC.  In 2005, he clerked at the Office of the Legal Advisor at the US Department of State where he assisted in the formulation of private international legal treaties in banking and secured transactions at the Private International Law section. Apfel also currently serves as General Counsel to American World Clinics, a startup company which is building and operating medical clinics abroad.

He is fluent in Spanish and conversational in Mandarin Chinese.