Tariff and Trade Resource Center
Essential Updates. Business and Legal Insights. Global Tariff and Trade News.
At Butzel, we monitor, interpret, and respond to fast-moving developments impacting manufacturers and suppliers worldwide to provide you with the critical updates you need on tariff and trade matters.
In today's complex global economy, tariff and trade law isn’t just a legal concern, it’s a strategic priority. For manufacturers, suppliers, and stakeholders in industries including automotive, aerospace and defense (A&D), and others, regulatory decisions on tariffs, trade agreements, and customs compliance can directly impact costs, sourcing strategies, and market access.
Navigating complex global trade regulations—such as Section 301 and 232 tariffs used by the US to address unfair trade practices and national security concerns, respectively, with China and other countries—requires deep legal capabilities. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) grants the President authority to regulate commerce during national emergencies and is often invoked to implement sanctions or trade restrictions involving China and other countries for which Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) exist. Duties implemented under IEEPA are incremental duties imposed in addition to any prior or existing tariffs, including tariffs on goods from China under Section 301.
Knowledge of rising risks of trade agreement violations, including United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) regulations, and others, along with an understanding of the increasingly complex landscape of tariff stacking, uncertainty around tariff exclusions and renewals, aggressive customs enforcement, and Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification disputes, is also paramount. Understanding World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and decisions are equally vital, as they influence cross-border pricing, compliance, intellectual property, and product classification. Compliance with origin rules under FTAs, and scrutiny under the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and its national security reviews underscores the need for a strong grasp of trade and tariff law. Butzel has the knowledge and experience to help your business manage risk, be compliant, and maintain a competitive edge in global markets.
Legal tactics often involve optimizing tooling and sourcing, managing contracts under fluctuating terms, and making strategic use of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs), bonded warehouses, and other tariff mitigation tools. Whether you’re reconfiguring supply chains in response to tariff shifts, considering nearshoring to minimize exposure, or seeking to leverage preferential trade terms, understanding the legal terrain is essential.
Our Trade and Tariff Team delivers practical, agile legal solutions. As a large firm with a presence across Michigan and beyond, we harness our more than 170 years of experience in the world’s most complex industries. We serve as trusted advisors and partners to manufacturers and businesses of all sizes, Tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers, and governments and trade associations around the globe.
The Butzel Team will provide updates and news on key legal and business issues impacting tariffs and trade matters. To receive these timely industry updates, please sign up for our Client Alerts and select "Alert_International."
BUTZEL TEAM
- Jennifer M. Smith-Veluz
- Mitchell Zajac
- Catherine M. Karol
- Cynthia J. Haffey
- Sheldon H. Klein
- Daniel R.W. Rustmann
- James C. Bruno
- Jennifer A. Dukarski
- David J. DeVine
- Andrew S. AbdulNour
MOST RECENT UPDATES
WEBINARS
- Butzel Webinar Recording: Tariffs Uncovered Part III: “Liberation Day,” Automobile Imports and Protecting National Security
- Butzel Webinar Recording: Tariffs Uncovered: The Next Phase Managing the Impacts to Steel, Aluminum and Reciprocal Tariffs
- Butzel Webinar Recording: Tariffs Uncovered: What Every Automotive Supplier Must Know
CLIENT ALERTS
- UPDATE: Court of Appeals Places Hold on Court of International Trade’s Decision Regarding “Liberation Day” and Other IEEPA-Based Tariffs
- Court of International Trade Block “Liberation Day” and Other IEEPA-Based Tariffs … For Now
- United States to Build Up Critical Mineral Industry
- Is “First Sale” Valuation a Practical Method to Lower Your Import Duties?
- Latest Executive Orders Provide Some Tariff Relief to Automakers, Auto Parts Importers and Others
- USMCA Lives…Or at Least has Some Life Left for Suppliers of Automotive Parts
- April 15, 2025 Tariffs Update
- Customs Guidance Helps Clarify Full Scope of Exceptions to IEEPA Reciprocal Tariffs
- What Does the President’s March 26, 2025 Executive Order Instituting Tariffs on Automobiles and Automobile Parts Mean for Suppliers
- Federal Court Holds That FCA’s Standard Quantity Term Does Not Create a Requirements Contract
- President Trump Tariffs: USMCA Goods Receive Tariff Reprieve Until at Least April 2
- List of Steel and Aluminum Products Subject to Section 232 Tariff Changes to be Released in Federal Register Tuesday, February 18
- President Trump Imposes Additional Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum
- What You Need to Know About President Trump’s New Tariffs
- Who’s Going to Pay the Cost of the New Tariffs and What Legal Options Should You be Considering?
- The Return of Donald J. Trump: Trade and Tariff Implications
NEWS
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Butzel Adds Elite International Trade Law Attorney to its Growing Washington, D.C. Office
- Butzel Attorney Mitchell Zajac Interviewed on Automotive Tariffs and Trade
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Butzel Attorney Mitchell Zajac Featured During 2025 EV Small Business Suppliers Forum
- Butzel Hosts April 3 Webinar – Tariffs Uncovered Part III: ‘Liberation Day,’ Automobile Imports and Protecting National Security
- Butzel Hosts March 14 webinar – Tariffs Uncovered: The Next Phase Managing the Impacts to Steel, Aluminum and Reciprocal Tariffs
- Tariffs Uncovered: What Every Automotive Supplier Must Know is the Focus of a Free Webinar Presented by Butzel on March 4, 2025
PUBLICATIONS
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Jennifer M. Smith-Veluz, Trading with the NME: The Legacy of Judge Restani’s GPX Decisions
- Catherine Karol is quoted in the following Detroit Free Press article titled, “Trump: All imported autos face 25% tariff beginning April 2”
- China Automotive OEMs: Growing Protectionism Sentiment in U.S. Government
USEFUL LINKS
Useful links:
- Whitehouse.gov
- Cbp.gov
- Ustr.gov
- Congress.gov (IEEPA)
