Sergio assists clients with international trade matters.
Sergio’s real-world interest in international commerce commenced during a law school internship with the Economic Affairs Division of the Mexican Consulate in Chicago. During this time, he researched various issues related to NAFTA (now USMCA). This experience established Sergio’s understanding of the various economic and social benefits international trade has to offer.
After law school, Sergio served 14 years with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) as a lead investigator in the implementation of U.S. trade remedy law proceedings, i.e. antidumping (AD)/countervailing duty (CVD). This experience included proceedings involving market and non-market economy countries and spanned products from steel, paper, agricultural supplies, and machinery. In performing his duties, both in the United States and around the world, he worked with and verified private parties’ international business practices as well as foreign governments’ trade subsidy programs. In all, Sergio’s tenure with the ITA provided him with a well-grounded appreciation of what U.S. government regulators require to demonstrate compliance with the law, whether the interested party is a U.S. domestic entity or a foreign one.
At Husch Blackwell, Sergio continues to guide clients through trade controversies involving U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP). His experience includes responding to CBP-issued withholding orders resulting from allegations of forced labor allegations, e.g. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and violations of the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA). As a member of the firm’s International Trade & Supply Chain team, Sergio is fully equipped to aid clients in a wide variety of their trade matters.