International trade lawyer Mary Mikhaeel will leave Miller & Chevalier, where she has worked as a senior associate since January 2023, according to a notice at the Court of International Trade. The firm said Mikaheel will leave the firm effective Sept. 23. Mikhaeel told Trade Law Daily she will be joining Covington's business and human rights practice group. She has been at Miller & Chevalier since 2020, when she joined as an associate, moving from Fox Rothschild.

Michaela Chen, a former senior trade adviser with the EU’s delegation in the U.S., is joining the National Foreign Trade Council’s board of directors, she announced on LinkedIn. Chen currently works as the senior director for international affairs at medical device firm BD.

Sean Stein, former U.S. consul general in Shanghai and chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, will replace retiring U.S.-China Business Council President Craig Allen, the council announced Sept. 10. Stein, who also is a senior adviser with Covington, will take over as president in November. He brings “the policy and business expertise, experience, and gravitas needed to lead the council forward at a time of great complexity in the US-China relationship,” said Raj Subramaniam, USCBC board chair and FedEx CEO.

CBP’s Miguel Garza formally began his new role as area port director for CBP Charlotte at the end of August, CBP said in a Sept. 5 news release. The area port includes Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, as well as Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Raleigh airports and the Wilmington and Morehead City seaports. Garza was previously assistant director of field operations (border security) for CBP’s New Orleans field office.

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center has named Ivan Arvelo its new director, it said in a news release. Arvelo previously served as special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations New York and special agent in charge for HSI San Juan.

The U.S. Council for International Business named Tatianna Sample manager of its ATA Carnet program, USCIB said in a news release Aug. 29. “In her new role, Sample will manage US and Foreign ATA Carnet Claims and will also continue to handle replacement carnet requests,” the trade group said.

Sandler Travis hired two trade lawyers and an import compliance specialist to expand its trade service offerings, the law firm announced Aug. 23. Lawyer William Marshall will focus on import and supply chain issues while Narges Kahvazadeh will provide legal counsel on export controls and sanctions. Regina Walton, a licensed customs broker, joined the firm as an auditor with a focus on import compliance matters.

Shawn Harwood, a former DHS official who worked on the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, has joined Squire Patton as an international trade investigations specialist, he announced this week on LinkedIn. Harwood left DHS in 2023 and most recently worked as an adviser on forced labor remediation and supply chain due diligence with consulting firm LRQA.

Nigel Cory, former associate director of trade policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, has joined Crowell & Moring as a director, the firm announced. Cory will aid attorneys in the firm's international trade practices and other areas, the firm said.

USDA this month announced its roster of 55 industry officials who will serve across seven agricultural trade advisory committees (ATAC) until 2028. The groups help advise both USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on trade policy or provide technical advice and guidance “from the perspective of their specific product sectors,” the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a press release. The groups include the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee as well as committees focusing on animals and animal products; fruits and vegetables; grains and seeds; processed foods; sweeteners and sweetener products; and tobacco, cotton, peanuts and hemp.