Biography: Trade & Customs

Between 1986 and 1989, Mr Hanson served as assistant regional counsel for the US Customs Service, now US Customs and Border Protection. As in-house counsel for customs, Mr Hanson provided legal advice to customs personnel including port directors and other customs officials, import specialists, inspectors, special agents, and fines, penalties & forfeiture officers. Mr Hanson was involved in the handling of civil and criminal investigations, audits, and other administrative actions and was cross-designated as a special assistant US attorney representing customs in the US Federal District Court.

Mr Hanson assists clients in the handling of penalty and liquidated damage claims, the detention, seizure and forfeiture of merchandise and audits, civil and criminal investigations and similar actions taken by customs and other governmental agencies that regulate imports and exports. Mr Hanson also assists in export licensing, permit and registration requirements before various governmental agencies including BIS, OFAC, DDTC and others.

Mr Hanson conducts privileged internal compliance reviews for importers, exporters and other international trade participants. He also offers his experience and judgment toward the development of international trade related compliance programmes designed to prevent unwanted entanglements with the governmental agencies that regulate international trade. He has practised and conducted administrative hearings before various federal agencies that regulate international trade, including the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, Drug Enforcement Administration, US State Department, Treasury Department Office of Foreign Asset Control, Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Department, Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Trade Commission.