James Sawyer counsels clients on critical import compliance issues and duty-savings opportunities, balancing business realities with effective internal control processes to meet importers’ legal obligations. He advises in all areas of U.S. import law and regulation, including tariff classification, valuation, origin determination and marking, free trade agreements and duty preference programs, and enforcement. James is a co-leader of Faegre Drinker's Chicago team.
Import Compliance Counsel
James frequently counsels clients on strategic sourcing and import compliance issues and has obtained beneficial administrative rulings and favorable protest determinations saving clients millions of dollars in duties. He partners with importers of all sizes and in all industries to develop comprehensive import compliance programs, collaborating with them to establish internal processes that build the essential bridges of communication across impacted functional areas.
James works with clients to identify and evaluate opportunities under all available duty preference programs and accompanying compliance obligations, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and all other bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements. He routinely assists clients in evaluating and implementing duty savings opportunities under the Generalized System of Preferences; African Growth and Opportunity Act; Agreement on Trade in Pharmaceutical Products; and the variety of Chapter 98 and 99 duty savings programs, including U.S. Goods Returned, Products Returned from Repair and Alteration, Prototype Provision, Nairobi Protocol and other available duty saving strategies.
He closely collaborates with clients to manage import valuation compliance, working with internal finance, accounting, legal and trade compliance teams to support proper valuation of imported goods and post-importation reporting requirements under the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Reconciliation Prototype program. Working with in-house clients and sourcing teams, James helps clients incorporate trade compliance protections within supply and distribution agreements, and assists with structuring supply chain relationships to mitigate duty liability.
More Legal and Business Bylines From James L. Sawyer
- USTR Announces Fourth List of Chinese Imports for Section 301 Tariffs - (Posted On Tuesday, May 14, 2019)
- U.S. to Terminate India and Turkey’s GSP Eligibility - (Posted On Wednesday, March 06, 2019)
- USTR Provides Further Insight on List 3 Exclusion Process and Glimpses into the Potential Trade Deal with China - (Posted On Friday, March 01, 2019)
- Trump Administration Provides Further Relief for List 3 Tariffs as Trade Agenda Pushes Forward - (Posted On Monday, February 25, 2019)
- Congress Speaks to Require a Product Exclusion Process for List 3 - (Posted On Friday, February 15, 2019)
- CBP Issues Guidance on How to Obtain Sections 301 and 201 Refunds - (Posted On Tuesday, February 12, 2019)
- Trump Administration Formally Initiates Bilateral Trade Negotiations with Japan, Seeks Stakeholder Input on Negotiating Objectives by November 26 - (Posted On Friday, October 26, 2018)
- CBP Finds NAFTA Marking Rules Inapplicable for Determining Origin of Goods Subject to Section 301 Duties - (Posted On Wednesday, October 10, 2018)
- The United States and Mexico Agree in Principle to a New Trade Agreement - (Posted On Wednesday, August 29, 2018)
- USTR Announces Second Tranche of Products That Are Subject to Additional Duties - (Posted On Wednesday, August 08, 2018)