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CONTACT US

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Mr. Victor A. Gonzalez is an attorney at law who limits his practice exclusively to import and export law issues. He is admitted to practice law before all Texas state courts, the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas, and the United States Court of International Trade. Although he represents clients located throughout the world, his office is located in Laredo, Texas.

 

Mr. Gonzalez counsels importers, exporters, domestic and foreign manufacturers, bonded carriers, warehouse proprietors, duty-free stores, customs brokers and freight forwarders on matters related to the importation and exportation of merchandise, including admissibility, classification, valuation,  duty preference programs and supply chain security.

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In addition, he creates compliance programs, standard operating procedures manuals and provides the necessary training for import and export professionals. Mr. Gonzalez also handles complex penalty and liquidated damages defense and recovery of money, property and conveyances detained or seized by U.S. Customs & Border Protection.

A native of Laredo, Texas, Mr. Gonzalez graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management from Texas A&M International University in 2000, a Masters of Business Administration in International Business from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2003, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2007.

 

During his graduate studies, Mr. Gonzalez also completed an advanced management trilateral exchange program at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico City, Mexico, and then at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada in 2002. Mr. Gonzalez received his Customs Broker license in 2004.

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BIO

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION ISSUES

  • IMPORT COMPLIANCE

    • Determining import admissibility and requirements

    • Harmonized tariff classification, customs valuation, and country of origin

    • Free Trade Agreements – eligibility and verification audits (NAFTA, etc.).

    • Binding rulings to provide certainty for future importations.

    • Customized importer's procedures manual and training.

    • Response to Customs request for information (CBP Form 28) and notice of action (CBP Form 29)

    • Filing protests to challenge a customs decision.

    • Importer Self-Assessment application and continuing self-audits.

    • Preparation and filing of prior disclosures to correct errors in prior importations. 

    • Customs Audits (Compliance Audits, Focused Assessment Audits, Quick Response Audits)

    • Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues – recording trademarks and copyrights with CBP. 

    • Defense for penalties and seizures.

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  • SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY 

    • CTPAT Program (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) – Procedures manual, application process, and reporting security related incidents as per CTPAT requirements.

    • Appealing CTPAT suspensions and denials after implementing improvements.

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  • EXPORT COMPLIANCE

    • Determining commodity jurisdiction for export licenses.
      Responsibilities of USPPI, FPPI and authorized agents.

    • Issues regarding the filing of EEI (Electronic Export Information) in the AES (Automated Export System).

    • Defense for AES penalties and seizures.

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  • BONDED MERCHANDISE

    • Foreign Trade Zones, Bonded Carriers, and Bonded Warehouses, including Duty Free Stores –Application process to establish, procedures manuals and training, and defense of liquidated damage claims.

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  • CUSTOMS BROKER

    • Challenge unclear test questions on custom broker exam 

    • Corporate license application (including company formation, bylaws, etc.)

    • New customs broker operations setup (best practices)

    • Change of license or permit qualifier

    • Defense of customs broker penalties, suspensions and revocations

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  • FINES & PENALTIES (many types, these are most common)

    • WPM Violation  -  Pallets or other wood packing material not properly treated or marked.

    • Foreign Trade Regulation Violation

    • Failure to Manifest or Manifest Discrepancy

    • False Statement by negligence, gross negligence or fraud.

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  • SEIZURES & FORFEITURES (many types, these are most common)​

    • Passenger Failure to Declare 

    • Failure to report Currency or Monetary Instruments

    • Trademark, Copyright, and Patent Violations 

    • Property or Conveyance used to facilitate introduction contrary to law (Usually drugs concealed without the knowledge or consent of the property owner).

PRACTICE AREAS

Victor Gonzalez, ATTORNEy

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 PRACTICING U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION LAW

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