DON M. OBERT, ESQ.
Member
T: +1 646 546 5111 (U.S.)
T: +44 20 8144 0911 (Europe)
E: obert@obertlaw.com
S: donmobertesq
Don concentrates his practice in the areas of Customs, international trade, export control, and federal regulatory compliance. Don represents and counsels numerous American, foreign and multinational importers, exporters, manufacturers, customs brokers and freight forwarders involved in the movement of goods and delivery of services throughout the world. His practice also includes various trademark matters, including contested proceedings and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board practice. Don is also an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law.
Prior Experience
Don has extensive experience in conducting both product and transaction reviews, obtaining binding ruling letters, contesting increased duty assessments, responding to government audits and investigations and defending clients involved in liquidated damages, penalty, seizure and forfeiture proceedings brought by U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
He also advises clients with respect to applicable regulatory requirements enforced by other federal agencies (i.e., Food & Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, etc.), representing importers in related enforcement actions taken by said agencies.
Don further advises and represents domestic industries and importers with respect to the effects of various trade remedies (i.e., antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings) on their products.
In addition, he assists the export community with regard to export controls, sanctions, embargoes and anti-terrorism restrictions, reviewing proposed transactions to insure compliance with applicable law and regulations, obtaining necessary export licenses and addressing enforcement issues brought by the Bureau of Industry & Security, Department of Defense and Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Don is also an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, teaching a class on fashion and international trade.
Articles
- Article - 'U.S. Customs Treatment of Gray Market Imports - In Black and White', (Practising Law Institute Seminar, May 2, 2012)
- Article - 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' The Benefits of Securing a U.S. Customs Binding Ruling (CLL Customs Alert, June 2010)
- Article - 'What You Are Letting Your Competitors Know About Your Business Practices—and What You Can Learn About Theirs' (CLL Customs Alert, April 2010)
Speeches
- Panelist - Going Viral: Fashion and the Coronavirus. Fordham University's Fashion Law Institute (Fordham University, March, 2020)
- Panelist - Border Wars: Fashion, Global Trade, and The New Isolationism. Fordham University's 7th Annual Fashion Law Institute Symposium, Fashion Revolutions! (Fordham University, March, 2017)
- Guest Lecturer - Importing Fashion. Fordham University's Fashion Law Institute Symposium (Fordham University, June, 2014 and 2015)
- Guest Lecturer - Gray Market Importations for International and Intellectual Property, New York University, School of Continuing & Professional Studies (Spring 2014 and 2015).
- Panelist - Jewel Tones: From Conflict Minerals to Multi-Destination Orders, Compliance is Key. Fordham University's 4th Annual Fashion Law Institute Symposium, The Spectrum of Style. (Fordham University, April, 2014)
- Speech - Extraterritorial Application of the Lanham Act and Foreign Trademark Laws; Gray Market Goods, What Are They and How Do You Stop Them at the Border? Advanced Trademark Law Annual Review 2012 - CLE Program, Practising Law Institute (May 2, 2012)
- Speech - Bringing Imported Food Products to Market, at CLL Restaurant, Food & Hospitality Industry Seminar entitled Eating, Sleeping & Tweeting (November 16, 2010)
Affiliations
- Fordham University School of Law, Adjunct Professor
- Fashion Law Institute, Faculty
- Selected to Thomson Reuters New York Metro “Super Lawyers” in International Law (2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024). Customs and International Trade Bar Association, Former Member
- Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Former Member
- New York State Bar Association, Former Member (served as member of Customs and International Trade Committee
Education
- Brooklyn Law School (JD, 1998)
- Adelphi University (BS, 1992, Biology)
Bar Admissions
- New York
- Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit