Tariff Navigation Series: Understanding the New Section 301 Tariff Strategy

Description

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 has become the Trump Administration's primary tool for reshaping global trade, and the landscape is moving fast. Following the Supreme Court's February 2026 invalidation of IEEPA tariffs, USTR has launched an unprecedented wave of Section 301 investigations spanning 60 economies and 99.4% of all U.S. imports, with proposed additional duties of 10–12.5% currently working through the public comment process. In this timely briefing, we will break down what these developments mean for Colorado businesses, what the Section 301 process actually looks like in practice, and how importers can take practical steps now to assess exposure, navigate supply chain risk, and mitigate the impact on their bottom line.

This webinar is part of the Colorado Tariff Navigation Webinar Series, co-produced with the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade and the World Trade Center Denver.

Speaker:  Luke Engan, Partner, gunnercooke

Luke has in-depth knowledge of the international economic and legal landscape. His range of experience in global trade, antitrust, and complex project leadership encompasses private and public-sector roles. In international trade, Luke has deep expertise in tariffs, customs, export controls, and foreign trade zone programs. Luke devotes collaborative attention and a keen analytical eye to clients’ needs, including litigation risk mitigation, cross-functional legal operations management, regulatory compliance, and antitrust and international trade strategy.

His experience at the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Commerce has honed his judgment of the regulatory perspectives that affect business. Luke’s private practice at White & Case and Ropes & Gray developed his capabilities in managing risk in high-stakes litigation and counselling scenarios. He has been trusted with cross-functional team leadership, creation of novel processes under pressure, and efficient service delivery when results matter.

Luke brings careful judgment and passion for sound international economic policy to his matters so that business can thrive and evolve in a fast-changing world. He became a lawyer because of his natural tendency toward passionate advocacy for his clients. Luke is a native to change, whether assisting those who create or respond to disruptive technologies.