Michelle Schulz advises corporate clients on complex international trade and Customs compliance and enforcement matters. Her practice includes export and import disclosures, investigations, audits, penalties, encryption controls, and other complex areas of international trade law. Michelle has over 20 years of in-depth experience in international regulatory compliance and enforcement.
Career Highlights
Under the Obama Administration, Michelle served two terms on the President’s Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA), where she had the privilege of advising the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative on exports and Export Control Reform. In addition, Michelle served ten years as a senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative on the Industry Trade advisory for Aerospace (ITAC-1).
As outside trade counsel for major corporations worldwide, Michelle works in a variety of industries such as oil and gas, aerospace, electronics, health care, food and beverage, and automotive. She regularly represents Fortune 500 manufactures, distributors, and defense contractors. She frequently leads corporate counsel, buyers, and sellers through the due diligence process for international trade in mergers and acquisitions.
Michelle is well-versed in defense exports under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as well as dual-use exports under Export Administration Regulations (EAR). She is highly experienced in the U.S. Customs Regulations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR), and Committee on Foreign Trade Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) regulations. She routinely navigates compliance issues in sanctions, embargoes, Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs), free trade agreements, country of origin, valuation, and trade data reporting to the U.S. Census Bureau (Census).
Michelle’s practice is solution focused. She has a reliable history of negotiating with enforcement with a solid understanding of the government requirements and expectations. Proactively, she collaborates well with corporate teams to design and implement effective trade compliance programs and mitigate risk exposure.
Leadership
- Chair of the International Law Section of the Texas State Bar from 2018-2019.
- Recognized in Texas as a Rising Star for International Law, Super Lawyer Magazine, 2010-2011.
- A leader in her field, Michelle frequently presents on international trade topics at professional conferences worldwide.
- Chairs Award, International Law Section, Texas State Bar, 2017 & 2018
- Advisor, President’s Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA), and past chair of PECSEA Data Transmission and Security Subcommittee.
- Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Aerospace (ITAC-1), Advisory Committee to U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative, past chair Export Expansion Subcommittee.
- D/FW French-American Chamber of Commerce, past member of the Board of Directors
- Dallas Regional Chamber Trade Development Committee, past Vice Chair
- Dallas/Fort Worth Organization of Women in International Trade, past Vice President of Legal
- Youth 180, past Member, Board of Directors
- Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women, Mentor to Entrepreneurs from Afghanistan and Rwanda
A Few Examples of Presentations
“Cuba Sanctions: Navigating the Recent Changes” Speaker, Austin International Business Law (IBL) Roundtable/IBLCT Meeting, May 2016
“Anti-Boycott and OFAC Compliance: So Far…Yet So Close” Speaker, International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA), March 2017
“The Core Elements of an Export Management and Compliance Program: How to Design Effective Policies and Procedures for Your Global Business” Speaker, American Conference Institute (ACI), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) Boot Camp, May 2017
“Knowing Your Legal Position: And Planning Strategically with CTPAT” NCBFAA G-TEC 2018 Global Trade Educational Conference, Speaker, July 2018
“Creating a Functional Export Compliance Manual” Speaker, International Compliance Professionals Association, March 27, 2019
“What a Transactional Lawyer Needs to Know about U.S. Economic and Trade Sanctions” Speaker, Special Institute on International Mining and Oil & Gas Law, Development, and Investment April 2019
“Exporting to the Cloud: Lowering Your Company’s Online Risk” Speaker, Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern Methodist University, October 2021
“Heading Out” Export Compliance Panel, Florida Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association, Summit of the Americas, February 2022
“Russia Sanctions,” International Compliance Professionals Association Virtual Seminar, February 2022
Credentials
Michelle received her B.A. in French and German with honors from Tulane University, Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. She earned her M.A. in German from Vanderbilt University, where she worked as a teaching assistant and German librarian. Michelle received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law.
Proficient in German and French, Michelle has studied abroad extensively. She spent one year at the University of Paris IV-Sorbonne. Her international education also includes language studies at the Lessing-Kolleg (Marburg, Germany) and international law at the renowned University of Leiden (The Netherlands). She participated in the Fulbright Educational Program in Vienna, Austria, where she worked and studied for one year.
Michelle is a native Texan with a global perspective. In her spare time, she enjoys laughing with her children, traveling, and dancing with friends Jane-Fonda-style at the local Jazzercise Center.
Michelle is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas and The U.S. Court of International Trade.
