• (850)-893-0670
  • sliang@customscourt.com
  • Tallahassee, FL

An Introduction to Business Succession Planning

Many of our clients are smaller, family-owned enterprises which have succession concerns.  It is always important to be thinking ahead, whether it’s your overall strategic vision, marketing and sales, human resources, or any other facet of your business.  The common thread for success in each of these disciplines is having a well-developed plan, including one for exit.   Here I focus […]

FTZ Subzones: Not a Remote Possibility Anymore

It is no secret that there are many benefits to taking advantage of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs).  Regardless of the size of an importer or exporter, using FTZs can significantly reduce costs from customs duties and taxes, and as a result increase  a company’s  global market competitiveness.  By definition, a foreign-trade zone is a geographical area (located within 60 miles […]

New BIS Export Enforcement Guidelines

As we start off this new year there are some important new changes to be aware of; this includes the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) proposed changes to export enforcement guidelines. This bureau is the agency responsible for enforcing the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which handles all export enforcement cases. These proposed changes will impact how the BIS categorizes […]

Dealing With Patent Trolls

Freight forwarders, Customs brokers, and carriers always provide shipment tracking to their customers. There are a variety of ways to do this; they may use their own software to track shipments, or they may track shipments by linking to another carriers’ website. There is nothing magical about this, yet this type of technology may be covered by patents or copyright. […]

Transitioning to the ACE Portal

There is continual automation in the world of forwarding.  One change this week is the integration of the Automated Export System (AESDirect) into the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal.  Until recently, AESDirect has been the sole government electronic system used to input SED information on export shipments. Inputting this information accurately is of the utmost importance, as it is used […]

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 part of the Tariff Suspension and Trade Act of 2000 (Act).  Its purpose is to promote product development and testing in the United States, by […]

Subpoenas: What You Need to Know

A surprising number of our clients have received subpoenas in civil suits or from Federal agencies lately, and there tends to be a bit of confusion about what exactly the implied responsibilities are regarding subpoenas. As such, it seemed only appropriate to author a blog on the topic this week. To start, let’s review what a subpoena is. Officially, a […]

Confidential Export Information

It is always important to ensure that you are completing international shipping documentation accurately.  One of the documents required for each single commodity  exported having a value exceeding $2,500 is a Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED).  SEDs essentially allow the Census Bureau to keep track of what is being exported from the United States.  Back when I started, in the Bronze […]

FDA Food Labeling Requirements

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the entity responsible for monitoring and assuring that all foods sold within the United States are “safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.”  Because we get so many inquiries on the subject, I thought a blog on it would be appropriate. There are various guidelines governing the way to properly label food products, and it […]

Fiduciary Responsibilities of Ocean Freight Forwarders Compared to NVOCCs

It is crucial to understand the type of relationship you have with someone, i.e. the duties and/or responsibilities owed to a party based on their interaction. Today we are taking a look at the fiduciary relationship, questions regarding which arise during Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) audits.  A fiduciary relationship is defined as, “a legal duty to act solely in another […]