John M. Foote

JOHN FOOTE focuses his practice on U.S. international trade law and policy. He counsels companies facing complex tariff and trade compliance challenges associated with importing goods into the United States. John helps businesses navigate high-stakes enforcement actions, design practical compliance solutions, and resolve disputes with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

John has guided many clients through trade enforcement proceedings before CBP including civil penalty proceedings, customs audits, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) detentions, forced labor trade enforcement, and Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) investigations. He has also represented companies in litigation before the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Drawing on years of experience leading a customs practice, John counsels clients on tariff compliance and mitigation, and forced labor supply chain compliance. He advises on tariff classification, valuation, country of origin determinations, preferential trade arrangements, tariff exclusions, duty drawback, supply chain due diligence, and other strategies to reduce trade costs and minimize trade disruption.

Earlier in his career, John clerked for the Honorable Gregory W. Carman at the U.S. Court of International Trade. 

• Assisted numerous clients on rectifying extensive non-compliant trade activity by voluntary self-disclosure to CBP.
• Guided leading consumer goods companies in building supply chain compliance frameworks to ensure imported products were free of ties to Xinjiang or forced Uyghur labor.
• Represented U.S. importer in a tariff classification dispute before the Court of International Trade, achieving a voluntary reversal by CBP and securing a multimillion dollar refund.
• Represented multiple clients before CBP in trade investigations associated with the payment of Section 232 tariffs.
• Obtained a full revocation Withhold Release Order issued by CBP, clearing a company from forced labor allegations under Section 307 of the Tariff Act. 
• Partnered with a social media company to design and implement a global public consultations process that shaped the creation of its Oversight Board for content moderation.
• Helped importers design and implement “first sale” duty savings programs and assess eligibility for benefits available under preferential trade arrangements.

The above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• Customs and International Trade Bar Association