In 1986, Lawrence Hanson served as Assistant Regional Counsel for the U.S. Customs Service, now U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  He provided legal advice to Port Directors and other Customs officials, Import Specialists, Inspectors, Special Agents, FP&F officers and other personnel.  Mr. Hanson was involved in the handling of civil and criminal investigations, audits, other administration actions and was cross-designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney representing Customs in U.S. Federal District Court. Finally, he conducted internal training programs for Customs personnel including the Customs Law Course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training in Glynco, Georgia.

Since 1989, he has assisted clients in the handling of penalty and liquidated damage claims, the detention, seizure and forfeiture of merchandise and other audits, civil and criminal investigations and similar actions taken by Customs and other governmental agencies that regulate imports and exports.  Mr. Hanson offers his experience in the development of international trade related compliance programs designed to prevent unwanted entanglements with the governmental agencies that regulate international trade.

Mr. Hanson is licensed to practice trade law in the States of Illinois and Texas.  He is admitted to practice in the Southern District of Texas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Court of International Trade in New York, the Fifth and Seventh Circuit Courts of Appeal as well as before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  Mr. Hanson currently holds leadership positions with a number of Customs and Trade related entities including Vice Chair ABA Customs Committee, Co-Chair Court of International Trade Bar Association Customs Committee, Co-Chair ABA International Ethics Committee, and U.S. Counsel to the International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA).