Washington, DC – The Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws (CSUSTL) has appointed Laurence (Larry) Lasoff, Member of Kelley Drye’s International Trade Practice Group, as Chairman of its Customs Committee. CSUSTL is an organization of companies, trade associations, labor unions, workers, and individuals committed to preserving and enhancing U.S. trade laws from all business sectors including manufacturing, technology, agriculture, mining and energy, and services.

“For more than 20 years, Larry has worked tirelessly to protect U.S. markets from unfair import competition in a wide variety of industries,” said David A. Hartquist, Executive Director of CSUSTL and fellow Member of Kelley Drye. “He will bring that same conviction to ensuring that U.S. trade laws are not weakened through a lack of enforcement efforts, particularly with respect to the collection of duties owed.”

“The administration of the trade laws not only requires aggressive investigative efforts by the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission in the prosecution of cases,” said Mr. Lasoff. “It also requires strong enforcement activities by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ensure that imports covered by antidumping and countervailing duty orders are properly identified, and that the appropriate amount of duties owed by importers are, in fact, collected. This will be the primary emphasis of the new Customs Committee.”

About Laurence J. Lasoff

Laurence (Larry) Lasoff has more than 20 years experience helping a broad spectrum of clients navigate the complex regulatory hurdles of international trade and customs. He has successfully represented coalitions of U.S. manufacturers attempting to protect U.S. markets from unfair import competition utilizing the antidumping and countervailing duty laws. He has also worked with officials of U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection to ensure that import duties arising out of antidumping and countervailing duty orders are properly collected. Mr. Lasoff has participated in the development of various training programs for U.S. Customs officials charged with administering and enforcing trade remedy programs, including the collection of duties. Mr. Lasoff has also represented numerous U.S. companies in Customs enforcement proceedings; U.S. firms seeking export licenses for complex international projects in the nuclear, space and aerospace sectors; and industry trade associations seeking to improve their members’ access to foreign markets.

Mr. Lasoff serves as an advisor on trade negotiations to the Department of Commerce and the Office of U.S. Trade Representative as a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Consumer Goods and the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Customs Matters and Trade Facilitation.

About Kelley Drye’s International Trade Practice Group

As one of the largest and most highly regarded practices in the country, International Trade Practice Group of Kelley Drye assists clients with a full range of importing and exporting activities. Its attorneys are experts in customs, export, and unfair trade laws; and help companies overcome barriers to entry in foreign markets. They have worked with every significant U.S. trade and customs statute, including antidumping, countervailing duty, export control, economic sanctions, and safeguard laws, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Customs Modernization Act, section 201 (escape clause), and section 301 (violations of U.S. trade rights).

About Kelley Drye

Kelley Drye’s Washington, DC office solves competitive problems for Fortune 500 companies, privately held corporations, government entities, and trade associations in the US and abroad. The firm has over 100 attorneys and professionals practicing in the following areas: Advertising and Marketing, Antitrust and Competition, Business Strategies and Transactions, Technology, Environmental, Government Relations and Public Policy, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Litigation, and Trade Associations.

Laurence Lasoff to Chair Trade Coalition’s Customs Committee