Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., announced today the addition of Russell Semmel as of counsel to the firm. Semmel will be part of ST&R’s Miami office but will work with clients across the country on customs and international trade law, regulation, and policy issues.
“The stakes have never been higher for companies to know and comply with federal trade requirements,” said Lenny Feldman, managing partner, operating committee, with ST&R. “Trade enforcement efforts are ramping up in an atmosphere of increased duty collection and regulatory complexity, and traders are filing more administrative claims and lawsuits against the government disputing interpretations of nuanced regulatory and legal requirements.
“At the same time, implementing and maintaining a strong compliance program has more benefits than ever for conscientious traders, from expediting cross-border shipments to enhancing company reputation to minimizing the consequences of missteps.
“ST&R has nearly a half-century of experience helping businesses in all these areas, and Russell’s experience as a practitioner and litigator will help the firm continue that pattern of success into the future.”
Mr. Semmel is an active litigator on trade-related subject matter before U.S. federal courts. He also represents clients in administrative proceedings such as audits, protests, petitions, post-summary corrections, seizures and forfeitures, prior disclosures, and penalty actions.
Further, Mr. Semmel counsels domestic and foreign clients on import and other trade matters, including tariff classification, value, and origin; entry and admissibility; quotas; marking; free trade agreements and trade preference programs; drawback, foreign-trade zones, bonding, and other duty deferral programs; antidumping and countervailing duty orders; special tariff measures; forced labor; intellectual property rights enforcement; and economic sanctions. He also helps companies develop import compliance programs and reviews supply chains, conducts internal audits, and performs due diligence for corporate transactions.
Prior to joining ST&R Mr. Semmel handled trade and customs issues and litigation for more than a decade for several well-respected firms. He holds a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University and a B.A. in political science from the University of Florida. He is a member of the bar in New York and the District of Columbia and has been admitted to practice before the Court of International Trade, the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.