Treasury Secretary: Bureau of Industry and Security’s 50% Rule Suspended for One Year By John H. Kester and Oliver M. Krischik Effective November 10, the U.S. will be suspending for one year the so-called “50% Rule” or “Affiliates Rule” that had extended applicability of Entity and Military End-User List restrictions, according to the White House. […]
Drug Enforcement Agency Focused on Fentanyl Precursor Imports By John H. Kester Importers working to ensure compliance with swiftly changing tariffs enforced by Customs and Border Protection would be prudent also to keep another arm of government in mind: the Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”). Just as the Trump Administration has pointed to fentanyl as justification […]
U.S. Sanctions President of Colombia and Other Individuals On October 24, 2025 the U.S. Department of Treasury announced that, through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), it is imposing individual sanctions against the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, as well as his wife, son, and “a close associate.” As a result of the sanctions, […]
By John H. Kester The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) on Monday announced an interim final rule (“IFR”) stating that any entity that is at least 50 percent owned by one or more entities on the Entity List or the Military End-User List (“MEU List”), directly or indirectly, individually or […]
By GKG Law GKG Law last month was the only law firm member of the Department of Commerce sponsored U.S. Business Delegation to the Middle Corridor, a week-long trade mission to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia that brought together U.S. trade and logistics companies with their regional counterparts and high-ranking government officials. The mission was organized […]
This week, the D.C. Circuit struck down the section of the Federal Maritime Commission (“FMC”) Final Rule on Detention and Demurrage Billing Practices (the “Final Rule”) that limited the parties to whom detention and demurrage invoices could be issued. On September 23, 2025, the D.C. Circuit issued its opinion in World Shipping Council v. FMC, which […]
Recent Amendments to Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting (BOIR) Regulations (as of March 21, 2025) Late Friday evening, March 21, 2025, FinCEN implemented significant amendments to the Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting (BOIR) regulations under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), limiting the scope of the beneficial ownership information (BOI) filing requirements to foreign entities only and […]
Earlier this week the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Smith, et al. v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, et al., Case No. 6:24-cv-00336 (E.D. Tex.), stayed its preliminary injunction enjoining the reporting rules contained in the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). Accordingly, and absent any changes between now and the […]
GKG Law’s litigation team recently prevailed on behalf of an international logistics company in a complaint filed in New Jersey claiming misappropriation of trade secrets in violation of federal and New Jersey law, breaches of contract and various business torts by a former employee of the logistics company while he was still employed. On January […]
Trump Administration Telegraphs Sweeping Trade Policy Changes Affecting Shippers NVOs By John H. Kester The President signed 26 Executive Orders (“E.O.s”) on Monday relating, inter alia, to immigration, gang violence, and foreign aid. In addition, however, the Administration issued an America First Trade Policy memorandum, referencing numerous potential trade policy changes. Those potential changes would […]