Business and litigation
Contracts, valuation, mediation and disputes in the logistics industry.
- IEEPA refunds and CAPE
- Section 232
- Section 301 and China
- Antidumping and countervailing duties
- Seizures, penalties and forfeiture
- Customs compliance
- Export controls and sanctions
- FMC and maritime
- Forced labor and UFLPA
- Trade agreements and origin
- Intellectual property
- Business and litigation
- Trade policy
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Strait of Hormuz Closure- What You Need to Know
On February 28, 2026, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply following an Iranian attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz. The situation has rapidly evolved from diplomatic warnings to active kinetic conflict, severely…
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Reciprocal tariffs explained by tariff lawyers
On Wednesday, April 2, 2025 President Trump signed an executive order (the “EO”) that stands to be the most consequential of his presidency; the EO imposes “reciprocal tariffs” that touch and concern just about every good imported into…
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CHINA RETALIATES: Tariff lawyers expect additional tariffs on China in the near future
On February 4, 2025, China unveiled a program of new tariffs and import controls on the United States, in response to tariffs placed by the US on China which came into effect that day. On February 1, 2025 President Trump signed three…
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NEW CANADA TARIFFS EXPLAINED: WHAT TARIFF LAWYERS KNOW ABOUT THE FEBRUARY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDER
The situation regarding tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China continues to develop. On Saturday, February 1, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a tariff of 10% on Canadian origin energy resources, and 25% on all…
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NEW CHINA TARIFFS EXPLAINED: WHAT TARIFF LAWYERS KNOW ABOUT THE FEBRUARY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDER
The situation regarding tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China continues to develop. On Saturday, February 1, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a tariff of 25% on all Chinese origin goods. The essential elements are…
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NEW MEXICO TARIFFS EXPLAINED: WHAT TARIFF LAWYERS KNOW ABOUT THE FEBRUARY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDER
The situation regarding tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China continues to develop. On Saturday, February 1, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a tariff of 25% on all Mexican origin goods. The essential elements are…
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“Liability Kits” for Customs Brokers, Freight Forwarders and NVOCCs
It is essential for companies to have accessible Terms and Conditions (T&C) for the customer to ensure enforceability against any liability. In the shipping industry, you are responsible for making customers aware of Terms and…
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Finding Your Company’s Worth
Business Valuation is the process of determining the economic value of a business or company. Although this may seem pretty straightforward, accurately valuing each business takes a great amount of preparation and thought. Establishing…
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Understanding General Average
Import and export traffic in our globalized world generally runs quite smoothly, but occasionally, the very real risks associated with the natural elements at sea or simple human error impact transportation adversely. Severe weather…
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Drug Prototypes: Pharma And Customs Brokerage Pointers
We have seen terrible problems arise when pharmaceuticals for medical trials have been imported without sufficient coordination between the importer and its broker. The Product Development and Testing Act of 2000 (PDTA) was enacted as…
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Disclosing Terms & Conditions To Make Them Enforceable
It is common practice today for companies to post their Terms and Conditions (T&C) online, but the key to enforceability is ensuring that these terms are accessible by the customer. In the shipping industry, you are responsible for…
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Forwarder Liability for Ocean Freight Charges
Freight forwarders customarily make bookings with ocean carriers on behalf of their clients, and often they are listed as forwarding agents on the carriers’ bills of lading. Occasionally, forwarders are sued by carriers for unpaid…
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FMC Penalizes Seven OTIs and One Vessel Operator One Half Million Dollars
On Friday October 10, 2014 the Federal Maritime Commission announced “compromise agreements” totaling $503,000 in civil penalties from five NVOCCs, two unlicensed OTIs, and one vessel-operator. “Compromise agreements” do not admit…
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CAN A FORWARDER INSURE A SHIPMENT AFTER A KNOWN LOSS?
CAN A FORWARDER INSURE A SHIPMENT AFTER A KNOWN LOSS? This question was addressed last week in the case of I.T.N. CONSOLIDATORS, INC. versus NORTHERN MARINE UNDERWRITERS LTD. [i] A cargo loss was made known to the forwarder ITN which…
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Protecting Your U.S. Trademark Overseas
In addition to 84 other countries, the United States is a party to the two treaties comprising the Madrid System for international registration of trademarks. This system provides trademark owners a cost-effective, efficient way to…
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Service Contract Held Inapplicable In Favor Of Bill Of Lading: Entire Yacht Is A “Package” Under COGSA And Liability Limited To $500
Until the Rotterdam Rules take hold, we will continue to examine COGSA cases worthy of note. A case involving the dropping of a $4,000,000 yacht due to a collapsed crane is noteworthy in our book, especially when the ocean carrier…
Talk to a customs lawyer
A call or an email costs nothing and gives an attorney the facts of your matter. We will tell you the fee, or the fee options, before any work begins. Some matters are hourly, some flat fee, and currency seizures are contingency.