
Overview
Augustine is an associate in Dorsey’s Seattle office who assists clients with U.S. export control matters under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the various sanctions programs administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He has also worked extensively on government enforcement actions, U.S. customs compliance matters, and commercial litigation matters.
Applying his experience with U.S. government enforcement matters and civil litigation, Augustine helps a variety of clients confront the challenges brought by U.S. sanctions and export controls, international trade regulation, and commercial litigation. With his Chinese-language skills, Augustine has extensive experience with helping Chinese clients to navigate the complexities of the U.S. legal system, including responding to customs seizures and participating in civil actions in federal court. He successfully obtained relief for U.S. importers affected by recent tariff actions. He is committed to effectively serving the client’s needs wherever they arise.
Before relocating to Dorsey’s Seattle office, Augustine was at the firm’s New York office. He previously worked on customs enforcement matters for the Office of Chief Counsel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a federal agency in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Augustine served successively as a judicial clerk to two federal district judges in the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico, and he has worked in the chambers of a federal judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Education & Admissions
New York University School of Law (J.D., 2008)
Cambridge University (M. Phil, 2005), Gates-Cambridge Scholarship
Harvard University (A.B., 2003), magna cum laude; Thomas T. Hoopes Prize
Admissions
- New York
- District of Columbia
- Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Languages
- Mandarin Chinese
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, Honorable Gustavo A. Gelpí, 2010-2010
- U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, Honorable José Antonio Fusté, 2008-2010
Experience
Representative Experience
- Advise U.S.-based and international clients on compliance with U.S. sanctions programs and export controls to mitigate operational risks, apply for authorization for transactions when necessary, and prepare voluntary self-disclosures to address violations
- Help clients in the trade community navigate recent changes to U.S. import tariffs under Section 201 (solar products), Section 232 (steel and aluminum articles), and Section 301 (goods originating from China and European Union), and prepare successful requests for exclusion of products from the Section 301 tariffs
- Counsel clients on potential risks of U.S. Government review of foreign investments in U.S. enterprises and properties
- Represent U.S. importers to address customs enforcement matters brought by the federal government, including customs raids, seizure of merchandise and penalty notices relating to alleged intellectual property rights violations, firearms import violations, and other noncompliance with customs requirements
- Advise importers on customs compliance and eligibility for tariff preferences
- Successfully applied for separate rate for Chinese exporter in antidumping administrative review
- Participate in the litigation defense team for a major U.S. banking institution in complex litigation involving Chinese customers, which entails analysis of voluminous Chinese-language material, international discovery challenges, and deposition of Chinese-language witnesses for use in U.S. courts
- Represent a nationwide auctioneer of heavy equipment in commercial disputes arising from auctions and other transactions in both federal and state court, including presenting arguments on motions practice and participating in bench trials
- Participated in the litigation team for the co-owner of an industrial property in a real estate partition action, including advising the client on litigation options and participating in settlement negotiations
- Participated in litigation defense team for major Chinese financial institution in federal district court litigation in New York under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which involved a complex set of facts, voluminous Chinese-language documentation and testimony, and frequent motions practice
- Participated in the litigation defense team for the principal of an issuer in a securities enforcement action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Participated in internal investigation of Chinese company listed on an U.S. exchange
News & Resources
Articles
News & Press Mentions
Select Presentations
- Presenter, “Overview of EAR, ITAR, and OFAC Compliance,” Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition Annual Conference, Sept. 2020
- Presenter, “U.S.‐China Trade Tensions and Impact on Chinese‐American Engineers,” Chinese Institute of Engineers (Seattle Chapter) Annual Conference, Sept. 15, 2019
- Presenter, “Navigating Uncertainty Amidst Trade Tensions: Mitigation Strategies and Customs Import Compliance,” Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition 2019 ITAR & EAR Compliance Conference, Sept. 12, 2019
- Panelist, “Section 301 Tariffs on Chinese Goods and Potential Relief,” Washington Council on International Trade, Sept. 3, 2019
- Panelist, “Trump, Asia, and America as an Asian Power,” Willamette University, June 11, 2017 (Asian Studies on the Pacific Coast 2017 Conference)
- Moderator, “Trade Disputes Involving the United States and China,” Brooklyn Law School, Jan. 21, 2015
Industries & Practices
International Arbitration & Litigation
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceGovernment Enforcement & Corporate Investigations
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceBanking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceForeign Banks and Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceEnergy & Natural Resources
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Asia-Pacific
- Banking & Financial Institutions
- China
- Commercial Litigation
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Foreign Banks and Financial Institutions
- Government Enforcement & Corporate Investigations
- Intellectual Property
- International Arbitration & Litigation
- International Trade
- National Security Law
- Technology
