Insights on International Trade & Investment

International Trade & Investment Special Legal Consultant, Ucheora Onwuamaegbu, and Partner and AI & Emerging Technologies Industry Group Co-Leader, Michael Scarpati, Ph.D., will participate in Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier in International Arbitration during Washington Arbitration Week on October 30 in Washington, DC. Uche will moderate the discussion, which will bring together legal, academic, and industry leaders to examine how advances in quantum computing may transform international arbitration and the broader legal landscape.

On October 28, 2026, members of ArentFox Schiff’s International Trade & Investments and False Claims Act Investigations & Litigation practices, including Jackson D. Toof, Nadia Patel, Mario Torrico, and Rebekkah Stoeckler, will lead a webinar examining the US Department of Justice’s and Department of Homeland Security’s expanding enforcement efforts targeting customs and trade fraud under the False Claims Act through their joint Trade Fraud Task Force (TFTF) and the newly established Global Trade and Commerce Enforcement Section (GTCES).

Welcome to the October 2026 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

International Trade & Investment Counsel, Matt Nolan, will speak at the Steel Networking Summit 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye, on October 26, 2026. Matt will participate in the session, “Transatlantic Steel Outlook: Navigating Trade, Policies and the Growth Process.”

Partner and Customs Practice Leader, Angela M. Santos, will moderate the panel “Navigating the New Trade and Tariff Landscape: Legal Strategies for U.S. Importers, Exporters and Global Trade Partners in an Era of Unprecedented Trade Disruption” at the NYSBA International Section 2026 Global Conference on October 21 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued guidance to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on how to assess “U.S. content” in certain products of Canada and Mexico.

On October 19, 2026, International Trade & Investment Partner Megan Barnhill will speak on a CLE webinar titled Reciprocal Trade, Real Impact: Navigating the Evolving US–EU Trade Landscape.

In this episode of Five Questions, Five Answers, Birgit Matthiesen, David R. Hamill, Antonio J. Rivera, and James Kim discuss how businesses can navigate today’s evolving trade and tariff landscape. They explore the importance of avoiding reactive decisions, managing risk, and working with trusted advisors to address trade challenges with confidence.

International Trade Partner James Kim was quoted in a recent newsletter discussing a legal challenge to US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) method of calculating tariffs on steel imports.

Partner and Customs Practice Leader, Angela Santos, will speak on the “Trade and Compliance: A Panel Discussion” panel at the Gemini Members Meeting on September 30 from 2:15–3:00 p.m.

International Trade & Investment Partner, James Kim, and Director, North American Manufacturing, Birgit Matthiesen, will speak at the Canadian Transportation Equipment Association (CTEA) Annual Conference as part of the conference’s Trade & Tariffs Session on September 29, 2026.

On June 3, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14411, “Strengthening Customs Enforcement,” which directed a sweeping overhaul of the importer of record (IOR) framework, restricted foreign IORs, raised penalty floors, imposed new disclosure and certification requirements, and directed the government to strengthen customs enforcement.

Partner and Customs Practice Leader Angela Santos will speak on the panel, “Policy, Trade, Tariffs, Credits: From Solar 1 to 232 and Everything in Between,” at Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 on September 22, 2026, in Austin, Texas. The session will take place from 5:40 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and will close out the first day of the conference.

Welcome to the September 2026 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

International Trade & Investment Counsel, Sylvia Costelloe, will speak at the Society for International Affairs (SIA) 2026 AI Regulations Workshop on September 16.

As Section 338 emerges as a newly active trade enforcement tool, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) is seeking public comment on how it should fulfill its monitoring and advisory responsibilities under Section 338(g).

The unique practice of Partner and International Group Co-Chair David Tafuri was profiled in the September/October 2026 issue of the DC Bar Association’s Washington Lawyer magazine:

In this episode of Five Questions, Five Answers, Birgit Matthiesen, David R. Hamill, James Kim, and Antonio J. Rivera explore the complexities of tariffs, including stacking, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) implications, and enterprise risk management amidst global trade tensions.

On July 13, the US Department of Defense/War (DoD) announced the immediate suspension of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase 2 requirements, which previously were scheduled to go into effect November 10. Contractors were subsequently invited to comment on the future of the CMMC.

Welcome to the August 2026 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 125 attorneys have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2027, with two attorneys highlighted as “Lawyers of the Year” and 36 attorneys listed as “Ones to Watch.”

International Trade Partner James Kim was quoted on the sharp increase of tariff refund lawsuits filed by importers in the US Court of International Trade.

Tariffs and supply-chain pressures remain a constant operational reality for fashion brands and retailers.

At the midpoint of 2026, the agriculture industry is navigating a complex and ever-changing legal landscape shaped by the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), trade and capital-market uncertainty, regulatory reform, and other policy issues.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is increasingly using the False Claims Act (FCA) to pursue customs fraud, tariff evasion, and duty underpayments, resulting in significant settlements and expanded enforcement activity.