Practices
The firm’s practice is generally divided into the two broad areas of Import & Customs and Export Controls & Sanctions.
Within each of these areas, clients usually engage the firm in one of three capacities:
- To prepare the client for a specific transaction or scenario and to ensure compliance with all associated rules and regulations (such as an export license determination, a product classification, a valuation analysis or a binding ruling request);
- To respond, on behalf of the client, to a specific inquiry, seizure, penalty or other adverse ruling or decision by one of the U.S. government agencies tasked with regulating international trade (such as addressing a liquidated damages claim or filing a protest, petition or prior/voluntary self-disclosure);
- To address general compliance concerns (such as developing and implementing compliance training, ensuring proper recordkeeping procedures, conducting a compliance program audit, drafting compliance policies, manuals or procedures or reviewing the availability of various preferential programs such as FTAs, C-TPAT Trade Compliance, bonded warehouses, FTZs and the like).
The firm frequently works alongside clients’ general counsel and outside law firms, including firms in France and Italy, as U.S. trade counsel on their matters.