Customs, International Cargo & Regulatory Compliance

For over 30 years, the attorneys in our Customs, International Cargo & Regulatory Compliance practice have been providing practical, creative solutions to cross-border and regulatory issues for importers, exporters, trade associations, freight forwarders, Customs brokers and other service providers large and small.

With an emphasis on consumer products, we advise on all trade matters, whether originating inside or outside the United States. We regularly interact with U.S. government officials, at agency headquarters and locally, throughout the U.S. In addition, our attorneys have testified before Congress on pending and proposed legislative and administrative matters and appear in court on trade matters.

We assist clients in establishing procedures to ensure compliance with the constantly changing regulations of the government agencies charged with ensuring the health, safety, and economic welfare of us all. These include the Consumer Product Safety Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, Food and Drug Administration and the Fish and Wildlife Service. We also strive to give clients a competitive advantage by helping them to qualify for tariff and tax reductions in import and export markets, to develop a market access strategy and through other legal means.

Representative Matters

• Visa and duty exemptions for sample wearing apparel shipments
• Waiver of country of origin marking requirements for eyewear based on economic hardship
• Issuance of export licenses for agricultural equipment under the limited exceptions to the Iraqi embargo
• Release of wearing apparel based on country of origin verification
• Participation in Customs Security Programs
• Avoidance of dumping duties based on favorable 'scope' determination

Capabilities

Our Customs, International Cargo & Regulatory Compliance attorneys assist clients with the following:

• Develop individualized import and export compliance programs.
• Provide internal Customs compliance auditing and related training.
• Counsel importers with regard to classification, valuation, country of origin marking, copyright, trademark, patent and other issues.
• Prepare import product listings detailing the proper classification, country of origin marking and NAFTA eligibility of imported products.
• Represent clients throughout Customs compliance audits, investigations and penalty, seizure and forfeiture proceedings.
• Provide trade updates, advising of news and hot issues relating to import and export controls and regulations.
• Counsel exporters with regard to Department of Commerce (BIS), Department of State (ODTC) and Department of the Treasury (OFAC), export controls, licensing and other export issues, including the application of the Commerce Control List, the United States Munitions List, U.S. sanctions law, anti-bribery requirements and anti-boycott requirements.
• Counsel on the application of NAFTA and other free and preferential trade agreements to their products and services.
• Serve as trade association counsel for international trade and Customs matters.
• Represent clients before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the International Trade Commission, the International Trade Administration, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
• Represent respondents in anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations.
• Represent importers in Section 201 'escape clause' investigations and Section 301 retaliation cases.