Tariff Compliance, Mitigation Strategies Top Trade Lawyers' 2026 To-Do Lists

International Trade attorney Sophie Jin was quoted in Sourcing Journal on how shifting geopolitics and tariff-driven trade policy are expected to keep compliance and sourcing decisions in flux through 2026. Ms. Jin said companies should not assume a potential U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) will bring relief, because U.S. officials have already signaled they would move quickly to reimpose tariffs under other statutory authorities. She emphasized that this volatility increases the need for disciplined import compliance and advised importers to maintain precise records and conduct their own country-of-origin analyses rather than relying solely on supplier determinations. Ms. Jin also flagged practical mitigation steps, including diversifying supplier relationships across multiple countries to enable faster supply chain pivots and using tools such as the First Sale for Export Rule where appropriate.

"The risks around country-of-origin determinations are among the most common issues I see in practice. And the second major area would be HTS classification," she said, as well as potential undervaluation in declared import values.

READ: Tariff Compliance, Mitigation Strategies Top Trade Lawyers' 2026 To-Do Lists