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
- President Obama Signs Customs Reauthorization Act - (Posted On Tuesday, March 15, 2016)
- California Steps Back from Strict “Made in USA” Label Requirements - (Posted On Tuesday, September 08, 2015)
- A CEE (Centers of Excellence and Expertise) Change Is Coming - (Posted On Tuesday, November 11, 2014)
- Customs Finalizes Policy on Post-Importation Claims for Certain Free Trade Agreements - (Posted On Thursday, August 14, 2014)
- Customs Aggressively Moving to Discontinue Post-Importation Claims for Certain Free Trade Agreements - (Posted On Friday, July 18, 2014)
- U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Expands Reconciliation Opportunities - (Posted On Saturday, May 18, 2013)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Announces the Expansion of its Centers of Excellence and Expertise - (Posted On Tuesday, April 23, 2013)
- Agree to Disagree: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Customs Origin and Drug Labeling Requirements - (Posted On Thursday, March 07, 2013)
- A Rose By Any Other Name … May Carry A Higher Duty Rate - (Posted On Wednesday, June 27, 2012)