As chair of Polsinelli’s International Trade and Customs practice, Michelle Schulz advises clients on a multitude of international trade and customs filings, audits, government investigations and public policy matters. Michelle is a nationally recognized leader in her field, serving as a senior trade advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative on the Industry Trade advisory for Aerospace. She routinely advocates for exporters and importers in federal investigations, fines and penalties, audits, disclosures, export licensing and other international trade-related matters. Michelle focuses on regulatory compliance and enforcement under U.S. law applicable to exports and imports.
Michelle regularly represents Fortune 500 manufacturers, distributors and defense contractors in a wide variety of industries such as aerospace, electronics, software and encryption, oil and gas, medical devices, and automotive. Her broad experience includes matters related to defense exports and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), dual-use exports and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), import duties and tariff reduction, Section 301 and 232 tariff exclusions, e-commerce, exports in services, anti-boycott, anti-bribery, Buy America, Customs clearance, foreign investments and the Committee on Foreign Trade Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), establishing and auditing Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs), free trade agreements, international contracts, sanctions and embargoes, and trade data reporting to the U.S. Census Bureau (Census).
As corporations expand globally through acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, and complex corporate transactions, Michelle focuses exclusively on regulatory compliance and enforcement to help keep business practices above board. For corporate, supply chain, and other aspects of international transactions, she partners with Polsinelli counsel focused on those areas to provide practical, end-to-end solutions.
Michelle also advises on compliance and enforcement matters under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). She is experienced in negotiations with enforcement officers and avidly works to limit risks and improve client compliance.
Michelle served on the President’s Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA) under the Obama administration, serving six full years in this appointed position. She worked closely with the US Department of Commerce to reform the export laws and regulations to relax requirements for US companies that export. She is also the Past Chair of the International Law Section for the State Bar of Texas (2017-18). Michelle is a frequent speaker in the international trade compliance community, presenting on international trade topics at professional conferences worldwide.