Checkpoints and Checkbooks: The Legal Implications of Tariffs on International Trade
A collaboration between the International & Comparative Law Review (ICLR) and the Business Law Review (BLR)
The Symposium will take place on Friday, March 6, 2026, at Lakeside Village Auditorium.
Symposium Program PDF
The official Symposium Program PDF will be posted here once available. (Link forthcoming.)
Click below to Register:
CLE Credits
Information regarding Florida Bar CLE credit approval will be posted here once finalized.
As tensions rise around the globe, international trade faces pressures that many businesses have never seen before. Modern tariffs are reshaping how companies buy, sell, and operate worldwide, from luxury brands and cutting-edge tech firms to manufacturing plants and agriculture. The 2026 International & Comparative Law Review (ICLR) and Business Law Review (BLR) Symposium will examine the legal outcomes of these disruptions across industries and borders.
Panels will examine the intersection of international trade, administrative, and customs law, offering insight into how companies navigate shifting tariff policies and customs enforcement challenges. Experts from government, private practice, and in-house legal departments will discuss the impact on day-to-day business operations, litigation strategy, and treaty obligations, while considering the broader policy implications for global economic stability and national security.
The day will begin with opening remarks from the symposium editors of both law reviews. The first panel will provide an introduction to how tariffs are set and the interplay between administrative law and tariff authority. Panel 2 will examine how tariffs affect importers and carriers across industries. Panel 3 will focus on customs enforcement at ports of entry, including entry declarations, tariff collection, and compliance challenges. The event will conclude with closing remarks by Professor Jonathan Zwibel.
Tentative Order of Events
12:00 – 12:15 PM
Check-In
12:15 – 12:30 PM
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Panel 1 (12:30 – 1:30 PM)
Legal Landscapes of Tariffs and International Commerce
This panel is our foundation and introduction to tariffs through the voices of academics who specialize in the field. We will explore the legal frameworks that govern international commerce at the intersection of trade and the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. Panelists will analyze the interplay between World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, bilateral and multilateral treaties and commitments, recent court rulings, executive orders and proclamations, and the increasingly frequent use of unilateral tariffs.
Moderator: Charlton Copeland
Panelists: Kathleen Claussen, Justin Miller, Michael House
Moderator bio, panelist bios, and headshots will be posted here once available.
1:30 – 1:45 PM
Break
Panel 2 (1:45 – 2:45 PM)
How Diverse Industries and Carriers Navigate the Global Market
This panel will bring together commodities importers and carriers to explore the commercial, legal, and consumer-facing consequences of the recent tariffs. Speakers will discuss how tariffs alter sourcing and manufacturing decisions, create compliance and enforcement challenges in-house, and shift marketing and pricing strategies across different industries. The discussion will underscore how tariffs ripple across the economy, shaping the decisions of carriers, commercial importers, and ultimately consumers.
Moderator: Andrew B. Dawson
Panelists: Oscar Feldenkreis, Ariel Diaz, Andrew Buckley
Moderator bio, panelist bios, and headshots will be posted here once available.
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Break
Panel 3 (3:15 – 4:15 PM)
Customs Law: Tariffs at the Ports of Entry
This panel will examine how tariff policies affect day-to-day Customs operations, the legal frameworks governing trade enforcement, and the practical challenges faced by customs brokers and importers navigating rapidly changing trade rules. Panelists will discuss compliance requirements, processing delays, classification disputes, valuation and origin disputes, and how changes in tariffs have transformed the landscape for customs professionals and industry practitioners working at the intersection of law and logistics.
Moderator: Jonathan Zwibel
Panelists: Lenny Feldman, Raymond Irizarry, Karen Kuhn
Moderator bio, panelist bios, and headshots will be posted here once available.
4:15 – 4:30 PM
Closing Remarks
General Flyer
The official 2026 Symposium flyer will be posted here once available. (Image forthcoming.)
