Erik D. Smithweiss

PARTNER

Erik Smithweiss is a partner resident in the Los Angeles office. Mr. Smithweiss represents clients on issues before US Customs and Border Protection, Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission and other agencies that regulate the international trade in goods. His practice involves import restrictions such as quotas, import permits and licensing, rules of origin, preferential trade agreements, marking and labeling, valuation, tariff classification, antidumping and countervailing duty compliance, trademark and copyright protection, Fish & Wildlife restrictions, and similar matters. Mr. Smithweiss also assists clients with matters pending before customs administrations in other countries and at the World Customs Organization in Brussels.

Mr. Smithweiss’ practice includes export controls and sanction programs administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, and the Office of Foreign Asset Controls. Mr. Smithweiss represents clients in all areas of customs import/export procedure and administration, such as audits, investigations, penalties, forfeiture proceedings, compliance programs, administrative rulings and litigation.

Mr. Smithweiss is one of several trial attorneys in the firm and appears regularly in matters before the US Court of International Trade, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and federal district courts.

Mr. Smithweiss is an instructor of the Customs broker licensing exam preparation course and several other classes conducted by the Foreign Trade Association in Southern California.

EXPERIENCE

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Foreign Trade Association of Southern California, Vice-president
American Association of Exporters and Importers
Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association
Women in International Trade
International Compliance Professionals Association

BAR ASSOCIATIONS
Los Angeles County Bar Association, International Law Section, Customs Law Committee
Customs and International Trade Bar Association
American Bar Association, International Law Section

COURT ADMISSIONS
US District Court, District of New Jersey (1992)
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1996)
US Court of International Trade (2008)
US Supreme Court
US Court of Federal Claims

STATE BAR MEMBERSHIP
New Jersey (1992)
New York (1995)
California (2008)

EDUCATION

Rutgers University Law School J.D. (1992)
Hamilton College B.A. (1987)
Queens College, University of London (1985-1986)