Julia Padierna-Peralta focuses her practice on customs law, free trade agreements, and import compliance. She advises domestic and international clients on all aspects of customs regulatory matters surrounding the importation of merchandise into the U.S., including tariff classification, valuation, country of origin marking and labeling requirements, origin preference criteria, importer self-assessment, customs prior disclosures, administrative protests, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) validation, trade preference programs, and free trade agreements (FTAs). She helps clients respond to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) notices of action and enforcement. Julia also advises clients facing CBP regulatory audit matters and U.S. trade remedy actions, including Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs. Her import compliance experience extends to a wide range of industries and products, including: steel and aluminum; drugs, food supplements and cosmetics; textiles and clothing; alcoholic beverages and spirits; furniture; and consumer electronics.  Julia draws on her over 20 years of combined government and private sector experience to also counsel companies regarding other countries’ international trade laws and import requirements.

With a strong focus on U.S.- Mexico trade, Julia regularly advises clients in connection with a broad spectrum of U.S.- Mexico customs matters, including issues arising under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and its predecessor the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Julia previously served as an attorney-advisor in the Office of International Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In this position, she authored binding rulings and decisions on customs valuation and regional value content, free trade agreements, and other trade preferential programs. Julia also participated in the alignment of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) rules of origin under various FTAs (including the NAFTA and free trade agreements with Australia, Singapore, Chile, and Morocco) with Harmonized System 2007 World Customs Organization-mandated amendments. Before her position at CBP, Julia served as an advisor and the first official liaison for the Mexican Senate on NAFTA at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C.