24th Annual Dominick L. DiCarlo U.S. Court of International Trade Lecture

Join the UIC School of Law online for the 24th Annual Dominick L. DiCarlo U.S. Court of International Trade Lecture.

This year’s theme is trade compliance in 2026, which will provide a timely look at key compliance questions for importers facing new, changing and overlapping tariff. Panelists will discuss customs valuation and transfer pricing, the growing use of the False Claims Act for enforcement and an update on litigation challenging the use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to impose tariffs.

Our invited featured speaker is Lisa Wang, judge of the the U.S Court of International Trade.

Register.

Agenda:

9 a.m. — Introduction by School of Law Dean Nicky Boothe

9:15 a.m. — Professor Paul Lewis

9:20 a.m. — An Introduction of Customs and Trade Law (45 minutes of Continuing Legal Education credit): Judge Leo M. Gordon will set the table for the day’s program with an overview of the laws to be addressed by the panels including customs classification, valuation, rate of duty and the process for challenging Customs and Border Protection’s assessment of duties on imported goods.

10:05 a.m. — Panel 1: Enforcement Beyond Federal Customs Law 1592 (75 minutes of Continuing Legal Education credit):
Speakers: Charles Mulaney, principal, Goldberg Kohn; Steve Tosini, Law Offices of Stephen Tosini; Annie Railton, partner, Goodwin Procter LLP.

Importers are facing an increase in the government’s use of the False Claims Act and the Enforce and Protect Act to enforce tariffs. This panel will focus on the current types of tariff evasion targeted by the government and whistleblowers, such as undervaluation, misclassification, false country of origin and transshipment. They will discuss how False Claims Act damages and reverse false-claim theories may be affected by the Supreme Court’s pending case on President Trump’s 2025 International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs. Finally, they will discuss the Department of Justice’s creation of the Trade Fraud Task Force and recent high-profile settlements, which will illustrate what importers will face when these actions arise.

11:20 a.m. — Break

11:30 a.m. — Panel 2: Customs Valuation (75 minutes of Continuing Legal Education credit)
Speakers: Tammie Krauskopf; Damon Pike, principal and technical practice leader, BDO: Elif Eroglu, senior attorney, U.S. Customs; Steve Wrappe, national technical leader-transfer pricing

Using real-world examples, this panel will explain the current legal issues in customs-value law, which are coming under increased focus due to the higher rates of duty currently applicable. The panelists will review current best practices in related-party transfer pricing and pitfalls for the unwary.

12:45 p.m. — Break

1:35 p.m. — A Conversation with Judge Lisa W. Wang, U.S. Court of International Trade

2:20 p.m. — Panel 3: Hot Topics and Breaking News (60 minutes of Continuing Legal Education credit)
Moderator: Erik Autor, Barlow & Co.; Nancy Noonan, partner, ArentFox Schiff LLP; John Brew, partner, Crowell & Moring LLP

This has been a remarkably busy year for customs and trade practitioners in government, in house and in the private bar. The one certainty has been a continuing degree of uncertainty and rapid change. This panel will end our day by providing a wrap-up of current issues, concerns and developments including the status of litigation challenging International Emergency Economic Powers Act and 301 tariffs.

3:20 p.m. — Concluding comments