Aretha Franklin narrated one of the best-rated commercials of all time for KFC and to modify Aretha’s slogan: “We do trade law right”. From 38 years of experience as a trade lawyer, I know how to: save you and your company money, keep you out of trade-related trouble, and if you are in such trouble, how to get you out of it. I am also a Licensed U.S. Customs Broker (License # 23532), a Certified Customs Specialist, a Certified Export Specialist and a Certified Drawback Specialist. An author of three books and through more than 50 extensive webinars and 20 trade-related courses, I provide information on trade laws and compliance, apply practical experience, and develop and implement protective compliance strategies to prevent trade-related problems that are both expensive and time-consuming to resolve. Currently presenting on behalf of E2Open’s Global Trade Academy and GRC Educators, the courses I teach can be tailored to a business and its import-export programs or are open through these sponsors to anyone that is interested.
My background is a bit atypical from the average lawyer and I am not a “typical” corporate lawyer as chronologically, I have a varied background and try to avoid being boring:
- grew up and worked on my father’s and mother’s vegetable farm in New Jersey — yes, this lawyer can power a tractor, drive a truck, hook up irrigation systems, hoe strawberries, plant and harvest asparagus, sort potatoes and cut and load pumpkins;
- learned about the containerized cargo shipping industry by working as an economist with the US Maritime Administration for one year;
- qualified as an international economist with top security and intelligence clearances who briefed and advised the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff for several years prior to law school on international economic and related intelligence issues;
- was accepted into the U.S. Foreign Service;
- graduated from a supposed “Top Ten” law school;
- became a partner in two major US corporate law firms where I specialized for 18 years in export-import, international commercial and related U.S. regulatory issues;
- transitioned to becoming a sole practitioner of trade and regulatory law, which has been my professional status for the past twenty years;
- by virtue of having won their internationally televised tournament, became World Champion of The History Channel, won $ 263,000 and became the all-time money winner of a cable television game show;
- ran 14 international marathons, 45 half-marathons, race my bicycle and still bench press 250+ pounds.
Teaching Trade Worldwide …
In conjunction with E2Open’s Global Trade Academy and and GRC Educators, I teach and have repeatedly presented courses domestically and internationally in Export Licensing (BIS and ITARs); HTS Tariff Classification; Buy American mandates; US Import Requirements; Letters of Credit; NAFTA and other free trade agreements; Air/Ocean Cargo Transportation issues; Customs Audits; TSCA-related import, export and reporting requirements; C-TPAT, ISA, FAST and other imported cargo security programs; and the national customs broker license exam preparation course, among many others. The thousands of trade professionals who have attended my classes have shared with me their practical experiences with Customs port officials, BIS and DDTC licensing and enforcement officers, freight forwarders, courier companies, ocean and air carriers, and other logistics specialists in the field of world trade. In addition to most American cities, we have taught trade in these locations:
- Bangalore, India
- Riga, Latvia
- Friedrichshaven, Germany
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Singapore
- Toronto
- Zurich
- Santiago, Chile
- Lima, Peru
- London
Trading Trade Knowledge and Skills …
This ongoing exchange regarding import-export issues and problems has provided, and continues to supply me with a combination of legal and practical knowledge that few trade lawyers can realistically claim. With this firm, you won’t get the “stacking” characteristic of too many corporate law firms, where a novice attorney does the research, the young partner reviews the research, the senior partner reviews the review, all resulting in multiple billed hours at astronomical hourly rates.
My practice is active, dynamic, practical and evolving as it reflects the changing pattern of, and regulatory requirements affecting worldwide trade. The trade world doesn’t stand still and neither can I as I search for innovative, low-cost, efficient and effective solutions to your trade issues and problems. I represent a variety of importers, exporters, domestic and foreign manufacturers, multinational corporations, foreign subsidiaries and individuals many of whom are interested in investing in, or exporting to the United States. These include major and minor corporate clients, trade organizations and individuals. No client is too small or too big from my perspective, all are and will be treated equally and confidentiality will be preserved as none will appear on a “client list” on this or any other website and they will not be identified absent a public submission on their behalf. While I emphasize preventive compliance actions that can be taken by clients to avoid trade-related problems, I am also pleased to provide legal services to those facing penalties, detentions or other enforcement actions.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime, night or day, weekday or weekend, holiday day or evening.
Thank you!
