Of Counsel
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Don M. Obert brings more than two decades of focused practice in customs law, international trade, and export controls to AMC Defense Law. His practice spans the full range of federal regulatory compliance issues that arise when goods, technology, and services cross international borders. He advises clients before U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and other federal agencies that regulate international commerce.
As Of Counsel at AMC Defense Law, Don applies that regulatory depth to clients facing customs enforcement actions, export control investigations, and related federal compliance matters. His experience on both the advisory and enforcement side of international trade law gives him a clear-eyed view of how government agencies build and pursue these cases.
International trade enforcement has grown significantly more aggressive in recent years. Customs fraud, export control violations, and sanctions breaches now carry substantial civil and criminal exposure, and the agencies enforcing these laws have expanded their investigative reach. Don Obert's practice is built around this intersection. He understands the technical frameworks that govern how goods and technology move across borders, and he knows how federal agencies approach violations when they find them.
His work spans both preventive counseling and active defense. On the advisory side, he helps clients structure transactions, review compliance programs, and navigate the licensing and classification questions that arise in regulated trade. On the enforcement side, he represents clients when CBP, BIS, or OFAC initiates an investigation or proceeding. At AMC Defense Law, that expertise extends to clients where international trade exposure has escalated into federal criminal risk.
Don M. Obert is admitted to practice in New York, Washington D.C., and multiple federal courts, with particular depth in courts that handle international trade and commercial matters.
Note: Don Obert's federal court admissions include the U.S. Court of International Trade and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the two federal courts with primary jurisdiction over customs and international trade disputes.
Since 2019, Don Obert has served as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University School of Law, where he teaches in the areas of international trade and fashion law. That teaching role reflects both the depth of his expertise and his standing in the New York legal community as a recognized authority on the legal frameworks governing international commerce.
Thomson Reuters has recognized him as a Super Lawyer in New York Metro International Law for four consecutive years, from 2021 through 2024. That recognition reflects a consistent track record across the customs and trade regulatory field.
International Trade & Customs Law
Customs fraud, export control violations, and sanctions breaches are federal matters with serious consequences. If your business is under investigation by CBP, BIS, OFAC, or another federal agency with jurisdiction over international trade, early engagement with counsel who understands the regulatory framework makes a measurable difference in how a case develops.