BJ Shannon

… has over two decades of experience advising clients on Customs and import regulatory matters. She leverages her experience in both in-house and private practice to deliver legal solutions that are practical and business-focused.

BJ has deep experience with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requirements for valuation, classification, and country of origin. She regularly advises on free trade agreements and preference programs, and she represents clients in audits, disclosures, and commercial availability proceedings involving those agreements. She has achieved successful outcomes in Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) matters, has petitioned for release of goods subject to withhold release orders and findings, and counsels clients on proactive supply chain tracing and compliance programs.

Importers, customs brokers, and freight forwarders rely on BJ to prepare ruling requests, protests, and prior disclosures, and to resolve detentions, penalty cases, and liquidated damages claims. They also seek her strategic guidance in their day-to-day operations. In particular, BJ helps clients with duty deferral and mitigation strategies, especially as companies navigate an expanding web of trade remedy tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). BJ also represents clients in proceedings before the Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Commission (ITC), and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and in litigation before the U.S. Court of International Trade.

BJ counsels clients across a wide range of industries, including textiles and apparel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, machinery and equipment, agriculture, food and beverage, aerospace and defense, and technology. Many of these companies' imports are also regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). BJ has experience advising on the intersection of these agencies' regulations with CBP's requirements.

BJ understands that regulatory compliance is foundational to business success, and she takes time to understand each client's business model and products, and to ensure that her clients fully understand the legal frameworks governing their regulatory obligations. BJ is a frequent speaker at trade association events and has presented tailored trainings for legal and trade professionals.