Export Law

If you have export questions, contact us online today.

Exporting can be a profitable business if you understand the myriad laws and regulations enforced today. Laws that were enacted following World War II and 9/11 create challenges for exporters. Commerce and State Department Regulations dictate how U.S. businesses operate overseas. Technologies are complex with components constructed in multiple countries. Because products are more and more sophisticated and could increase the capabilities of unfriendly nations, the rules governing exports are detailed and contain many pitfalls for the uninitiated.

For example, a B-26 bomber can be exported as long as the bomb bay doors are not operational. If they can operate, the aircraft becomes an implement of war and subject to munitions control laws. Cellphones must contain specific frequencies or they could be considered to have military applications.

At Stein Shostak Shostak Pollack & O’Hara, LLP, we do not expect exporters who retain our firm to navigate the legal and bureaucratic complexities to export products around the world alone. They need legal counsel that has hands-on experience and comprehensive knowledge of export restrictions enforced by agencies such as U.S. Customs, the Commerce and State Departments, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

What may seem like a small detail to a manufacturer can become a major issue that delays the exportation of a product, which can result in seizures, penalties, the loss of time and money, and even the forfeiture of goods.