William Kimmitt

William Kimmitt serves as the 17th Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. In this role, Under Secretary Kimmitt leads the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration and serves as the principal adviser to Secretary Howard Lutnick on matters of trade, investment, commercial diplomacy, and global competitiveness.  

Mr. Kimmitt was previously a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where his practice focused on complex civil disputes in federal and state courts, trade and investment advisory matters, and government and internal investigations. He counseled clients on navigating geopolitical risks and trade-related developments—particularly concerning China and the work of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party—and conducted strategic assessments of global supply chains and investment exposure.

Prior to returning to private practice, Mr. Kimmitt served as Counselor to the United States Trade Representative (USTR), where he was a senior adviser on trade policy and legal matters. At USTR, he oversaw the implementation and entry-into-force of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, including extensive engagement with private industry on compliance and investment provisions under the new agreement. Mr. Kimmitt played a significant role in formulating U.S. trade strategy, engaging directly with foreign counterparts and coordinating across agencies on critical issues, and was a principal contributor to the agency’s review and coordination of transactions before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

A Virginia native, Mr. Kimmitt earned his B.A. from Duke University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. He and his wife, Heather, reside in Arlington, Virginia with their four children.