In Brief: A Digest of Customs Trade Projects

Client Success

Cancellation of a million-dollar penalty imposed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) alleging negligent tariff classification of certain parts of electrical machines.
Assisted a worldwide consumer electronics company in all phases of a Focused Assessment audit stretching from initial questionnaire through to the final report and follow up reviews.
Advised large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on significant transfer pricing and customs valuation related issues.
Assistance to apparel importers concerning a variety of tariff classification issues.
Conducted NAFTA audits and reviews for major chemical, equipment and automotive parts importers.
Negotiated significant reductions in CBP administrative fraud penalty.
Obtained favorable ruling from CBP with substantial duty savings for a global specialty chemical company’s further production of U.S. goods abroad and return to the U.S., resulting in a partial duty reduction.
Obtained expedited release of large quantity of footwear seized by CBP alleging counterfeit trademarked components and achieved significant mitigation of penalties to nominal amounts.
Numerous prior disclosures and associated voluntary tenders to CBP regarding tariff classification, valuation, country of origin and preferential duty programs.
Obtained favorable rulings from CBP affecting the applicability of antidumping duty orders to imported merchandise.
Established value reconciliation programs for clients following up on disclosures submitted to CBP.
Achieved cancellation of million-dollar penalty imposed by U.S. Customs over client's alleged negligent tariff classification of certain parts of electrical machines based on error by customs, while advocating a corrected classification with a zero rate of duty;
World-wide investigation on compliance with U.S. export controls and economic sanctions for global supplier of equipment for oil and gas exploration;
Defeated all claims of the Canadian National Railway seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars from 10 defendants for shipping expenses based upon claims asserted under the Interstate Commerce Act;
Successfully petitioned the DOC in an investigation into the importing of wire hangers from China by long-time client Whitmor for a ruling that our client’s hangers were outside the scope of the antidumping order and not subject to antidumping duties. DOC agreed and issued a scope ruling that will allow Whitmor’s hangers to enter the U.S. without antidumping duties. Further, based on this ruling, CBP closed its investigation;
Negotiated significant reduction in administrative fraud penalty imposed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Obtained release of thousands of pairs of shoes seized by U.S. Customs due to counterfeit trademarked components with expedited release and significant mitigation down to nominal penalties;
Numerous voluntary disclosures to Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) regarding ITAR compliance issues, including unlicensed exports of goods and technical data;
Achieved revocation of anti-dumping order at International Trade Administration.