Domestic Preferences – CBP Says (Again) More Than Software Download Needed to Effect a Substantial Transformation under the Trade Agreements Act
Client Alert | 1 min read | 03.16.15
In a final determination published today, Customs and Border Protection ruled that the last "substantial transformation" (and, hence, the country of origin) of a laptop occurred in a country not "designated" under the Trade Agreements Act when the "base unit" was assembled from principal components (e.g., the CPU and BIOS chip) which were also manufactured in that "non-designated country." Subsequent "download" (which CBP distinguishes from "programming") in a country "designated" under the TAA of critical software necessary for the laptop to function as a computer (e.g.,the BIOS and the Operating System, both of "designated country" origin) were insufficient to substantially transform the laptop and shift the country of origin to the "designated country" and permit sale under GSA Schedule and contracts subject to the TAA.
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Client Alert | 4 min read | 11.18.25
DOJ Announces Major Enforcement Actions Targeting North Korean Remote IT Worker Schemes
On November 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a sweeping series of enforcement actions, including four guilty pleas and more than $15 million in civil forfeitures against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) for remote information technology (IT) worker schemes. These actions underscore the federal government’s escalating focus on the exposure of U.S. companies to North Korean IT worker infiltration, following a series of U.S. Government action against the DPRK.
Client Alert | 6 min read | 11.18.25
Client Alert | 2 min read | 11.14.25
Client Alert | 6 min read | 11.14.25
Microplastics Update: Regulatory and Litigation Developments in 2025
