Mario Torrico: Sheppard Mullin

Overview

Mario Torrico is an associate in the Government Contracts, Investigations, and International Trade Practice Group in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.

Areas of Practice

Mario focuses his practice on compliance counseling, investigations, and cross-border transactional work concerning international trade matters including customs, trade remedies, export controls, economic sanctions and embargoes, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and other areas of international trade law.

Prior to entering the private sector, he served as an International Attorney-Advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA). While there, Mario advised the ITA on WTO agreements, foreign bribery (e.g., FCPA, OECD Antibribery Convention, UN Convention against Corruption, the UK Bribery Act, and more), preference programs (e.g., GSPs, AGOA, CBI), and other areas of international trade law.

Mario served as a judicial law clerk for the Connecticut Superior Court where he conducted legal research on civil matters (e.g., Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, sovereign and statutory immunity, governmental immunity, and gender and pregnancy discrimination). As a law clerk with the U.S. Trade Representative, Office of the General Counsel, Mario prepared memoranda of law on articles 11 and 19 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and supported the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC) with research and analysis. Mario also served as a law clerk for the Federal Trade Commission, Office of International Affairs, assisting attorneys in prosecution of cases involving fraud by international corporate defendants.

Experience

Customs

Advised a recycling and compounding company on the origin of its goods under the USMCA.
Represented several companies in the Court of International Trade challenging the legal validity of the Section 301 List 3 and 4 tariffs.
Advised a radar technology company on Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification as well as on Section 301 duties and products exclusion requests.
Prepared and obtained Section 301 exclusion extensions on behalf of multiple clients.
Advised a Belgian chemicals company on a CBP request for information involving products imported under the General System of Preferences program.
Prepared and obtained a Section 301 exclusion request on behalf of a major U.S. city concerning a sculpture made by a world-renowned artist.
Prepared and submitted on behalf of a major manufacturer and servicer of power sources and other equipment in the energy market a section 301 exclusion request for lithium-ion batteries.
Researched and drafted memoranda of law for senior Department of Commerce policy officials and political appointees on international trade matters, including Section 232 and customs classifications.
Attended the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Committee meeting as member of the U.S. delegation.
Advised the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service on issues concerning international commercial disputes involving U.S. exporters and foreign governments/companies, export promotion assistance, and commercial diplomacy requests.

Trade Remedies

Successfully opposed the imposition of tariffs or quotas on a global crane manufacturing company in connection with a Section 232 investigation on the imports of mobile cranes.
On behalf of a Japanese nuclear utility, successfully obtained Commerce Department approval for a reexport transaction of uranium material in connection with the Suspension Agreement on Uranium from the Russian Federation.
Represented a Canadian province in AD/CVD proceedings concerning certain softwood lumber products from Canada.
Assisted a Chinese manufacturer of solar energy equipment products in preparing and filing a separate rate application in connection with a DOC anti-dumping order.

Export Technology Transfer Controls

Performed trade related due diligence regarding export controls issues for a U.S.-based location and data technology companies in connection with a merger.
Advised a major U.S. energy company on local export laws and data localization laws concerning cloud computing in various foreign countries.
Assisted a company that provides technology systems and services to investment firms on the EAR classification of its software products; annual self-classification reporting requirements; and deemed export rules.
Advised a leading consumer electronics company on the EAR classification of its software and applications.

FCPA and Anti-Corruption

Prepared FCPA training materials for employees of a U.S.-based beverage company with operations in areas prone to corruption.
Attended OECD Working Group on Bribery meetings, which is charged with monitoring implementation and enforcement of the OECD-Antibribery Convention, as member of the U.S. delegation.
Performed FCPA due diligence of a multinational company, including by screening third parties and identifying “red flags.”