Trade & Customs Paralegal — IEEPA Tariff Refund Recovery

Location: Remote (Washington, D.C.-based firm)

Type: Contract / Freelance (20–30 hrs/week, with potential to grow to full-time)

Compensation: Competitive with bonus structures

Start Date: Immediate

About the Opportunity

A D.C.-based law firm is building a dedicated practice focused on recovering IEEPA tariff refunds on behalf of small and mid-sized U.S. importers. Following the recent federal court rulings invalidating IEEPA-based tariffs, hundreds of thousands of businesses are now eligible for duty refunds — and most lack the resources or expertise to navigate the recovery process on their own.

We are hiring a skilled paralegal with customs and trade compliance experience to serve as the operational backbone of this practice. This is a ground-floor opportunity with a firm that is lean, fast-moving, and mission-driven: helping small businesses get their money back.

What You'll Do

• Entry Data Analysis & Compilation: Review CBP Form 7501 entry summaries, ACE portal records, and importer transaction data to identify and calculate IEEPA-specific duty exposure across HTS Chapter 99 classifications.
• CAPE Portal Submissions: Prepare, format, and upload CSV claim files to CBP's Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system; monitor claim status and follow up on processing issues.
• CBP Protest Preparation: Draft and compile CBP protests (19 CFR Part 174) for denied or partially denied refund claims, under attorney supervision.
• CIT Filing Support: Assist with preparation of templated summons and complaint filings for the U.S. Court of International Trade on finally liquidated entries.
• Client Intake & Case Screening: Conduct initial review of prospective client import data to assess claim viability, duty exposure, and filing eligibility.
• Document & Case File Management: Maintain organized digital case files, track filing deadlines (including 180-day protest windows and liquidation dates), and ensure all documentation is audit-ready.
• ACE & ACH Enrollment Assistance: Guide clients through ACE portal account setup and ACH enrollment for electronic refund receipt.

What We're Looking For

Required:

• 3 years of paralegal or trade compliance experience involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) procedures, entry processing, or duty recovery
• Working knowledge of HTS classifications, CBP Form 7501, and the ACE trade portal
• Experience preparing or reviewing CBP protests or post-entry filings
• Strong attention to detail with large data sets (entry summaries, tariff schedules, CSV formatting)
• Ability to work independently under attorney supervision in a remote environment
• Familiarity with federal court filing procedures (CIT experience is a strong plus)

Strongly Preferred:

• Direct experience with IEEPA tariff entries, Section 301/232 duty recovery, or similar trade remedy refund work
• Licensed Customs Broker (LCB) credential or prior customs brokerage experience
• Familiarity with the CAPE portal or CBP's refund processing workflows
• Experience at a customs/trade law firm, freight forwarder, or customs brokerage
• Paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program

Why This Role

• High-impact work: You're directly helping small business owners recover significant money owed to them — many of whom have no other advocate.
• Lean, autonomous environment: Minimal bureaucracy. You'll have real ownership of the workflow and direct collaboration with the supervising attorney.
• Ground floor: This is an early-stage practice with room to grow into a senior or lead paralegal role as volume scales.
• Flexible and remote: Work from anywhere, with schedule flexibility built around deadlines, not desk hours.