Overview
Multinational companies with global supply chains face an increasingly challenging regulatory landscape around the globe. Ngosong Fonkem advises corporate leaders as they make strategic decisions, particularly in the context of dueling U.S. and China laws and regulations resulting from geo-political competition, including custom laws, sanctions and antiforeign sanctions laws, export control regulations, and maritime shipping regulations. With extensive experience managing U.S. customs tariff and duty matters, he also provides support to companies for improving import and export compliance. This includes detailed assistance with import classification, duty mitigation, and interactions with Customs and Border Protection, Food and Drug Administration, and the United States Department of Agriculture, as well as guidance on export regulations such as OFAC, ITAR, and BIS/EAR.
Ngosong currently assists companies of all sizes with day-to-day compliance with U.S. trade laws and those of other nations, and related audits, investigations, and civil enforcement proceedings.
Ngosong frequently speaks on international trade-related business and legal issues and regularly makes presentations on these issues in the U.S. and abroad. He has authored numerous articles on trade-related topics in peer-reviewed law journals, business journals, and magazines and has co-authored a book on international trade and geopolitics titled, “Trade Crash: A Primer on Surviving and Thriving in Pandemics & Global Trade Disruption.”
Prior to his current practice, Ngosong was a law professor at the oldest private university in Malaysia and was an energy intelligence management consultant in Southeast Asia. As a law professor, he developed the ability to contextualize and understand policies driving the law, which assists him today in anticipating risks for his clients' businesses. He continues to teach courses on international trade and global business as an adjunct professor at St. Norbert College Schneider School of Business.
Ngosong's interest in becoming a lawyer stemmed from his love of travel and learning about new cultures, aiming to solve legal problems across multiple jurisdictions. He has an enthusiasm for embracing difficult challenges, which his clients appreciate when they are navigating unfamiliar legal territory. When not in the office, you can find Ngosong playing soccer or on a sailboat, a hobby sparked in his youth by reading stories of sailors, merchants, and explorers.
Experience
Customs Duty Reduction and Trade Cost Optimization
- Secured reductions in U.S. customs duties for equipment imported from Europe, Asia, and Latin America
- Represents U.S. importers and foreign manufacturers in antidumping and countervailing duty cases before the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission
Export Control and Economic Sanctions
- Counsel foreign clients on compliance with the U.S. and EU on global trade, import/export control, and sanctions laws applicable to their international transactions, including:
- Assisted South Africa’s state-owned oil company with U.S. sanctions compliance relating to investment tender on the refurbishment of a gas-to-liquids (GTL) oil refinery
- Guided a Russian uranium company and other Russian entities in releasing blocked funds from U.S. banks under OFAC regulations
- Guided a Russian engineering, procurement, and construction company on U.S. and UK sanctions concerning a suspension of supplier contract by its Finnish partner for the construction of an oil refinery in Siberia
- Guided a German medical technology company through the sale of medical devices to health care institution in the Islamic Republic of Iran
- Represented sanctioned individuals and entities in OFAC delisting petitions
- Provided U.S. export control guidance to numerous U.S. and foreign entities on the sale of variety of product ranging from semiconductor chips to ammunitions, research equipment, etc.
- Assisted numerous U.S. and foreign entities with export licensing application from BIS and DDTC for the sale of their products to overseas customers
- Advising multinational clients on sanctions, export controls, and AML compliance, including complex programs for aviation and shipping companies
General International Transactions
- Assisted global software companies in the drafting and negotiation of software licensing agreements with the Thailand state owned oil company and the largest private oil company in India
- Assisting global companies with inbound/outbound foreign direct investments and project implementation involving lenders, government officials, and international institutions
- Building and maintaining relationships with legislators, trade associations, and government officials to advise clients on corporate governance and regulatory changes
- Providing legal support on cross-border financing arrangements, including sanctions compliance
General Maritime Commercial Practice
- Provided shipowners with business and legal counsel applicable to the setting up of ship operations and related engagements with P&I Clubs, classification societies, vessel management companies, ship agents, and flag states
- Regularly provided legal and business counsel to NVOCC and freight forwarders, complying with Federal Maritime Commission regulations
- Provided legal and business counsel to NVOCC and freight forwarders regarding their compliance with international code for the maritime transport of dangerous goods (IMDG Code), and its United States equivalent under the Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations
- Advised battery and automobile manufacturing companies regarding compliance with international regulations applicable to the shipment of batteries and battery powered equipment
- Drafted and negotiated various types of transportation agreements including bills of lading, international sale of goods and the Incoterms that govern them, charter party agreements, and other shipping contracts, including providing advice on application of COGSA and The Harter Act applicable to cargo agreements
- In the area of international trade sanctions and export controls, he has represented shipowners, charterers, and brokers in critically sensitive matters before the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Department of State
Membership & Involvement
With an esteemed service record across various sectors, Ngosong has made noteworthy contributions to industry and community through his numerous appointments and leadership roles.
- Board Member: Wisconsin District Export Council; appointment by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, January 2024
- USTR’s Industry Sector Technical Advisory Committee on Small, Minority, and Women-led Business; appointment by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce & U.S. Trade Representative, 2022
- Diversity Chair: America Bar Association Custom Committee
- U.S. Representative: Turkish Businessman Industrialist Association (YATSIAD); appointment in 2019
- Steering Committee Member: The New North (Global)
- Board Member: East Town Association
- Executive Committee Member: Dairy Cares of Wisconsin; Kicking It With The Cows
- Past Chair: U.S. Trade Representative: Industry Trade Advisory Committee
- Past Chair: Wisconsin Bar Association, International Practice Section
- Past Board Member: Wisconsin Bar Association, Business Law Section
- Past Commissioner: Brown County Harbor Commission at the Port of Green Bay (2016-2018)
- Past Chair of Events: International Trade Club of Chicago
- Former Vice-Chair: Inter-Pacific Bar Association, International Section Committee
Honors
- Selected to The Best Lawyers in America® in Corporate Law: 2026
Resources & Insights
In the Media
Alerts
Speaking Engagements
Published Works
Blog Posts
Education on Demand
Join Amundsen Davis's International Trade Service Group Partner Ngosong Fonkem for a webcast to explore the potential economic landscape that may be shaped by the new administration and what manufacturers can do immediately to stay ahead of potential disruptions to their businesses.
Firm News
- 137 Amundsen Davis Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2026 in America
137 Amundsen Davis Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2026 in AmericaWe are proud to congratulate 137 of our attorneys on being recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2026 in America.
- Ngosong Fonkem Joins Amundsen Davis's Milwaukee Office
Ngosong Fonkem Joins Amundsen Davis's Milwaukee OfficeWe are happy to announce that Ngosong Fonkem has joined the Corporate & Securities Service Group as a partner in our Milwaukee office.
- Requesting Trump Tariff Refunds Through Protest Filings
Requesting Trump Tariff Refunds Through Protest FilingsAs we previously reported, on August 29, 2025, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the president to impose the recent flurry of IEEPA-related tariffs. Following that ruling, the Trump Administration sought review by the U.S. Supreme Court.
On November 5, 2025, the Supreme Court shall hear the administration’s appeal. As many court observers expect the Supreme Court to issue a decision shortly after the oral argument, the outcome of that decision could carry significant economic implications for ALL U.S. businesses that have imported products from ALL countries since these covered tariffs went into effect. This includes the potential for tariff refunds.
- Duty-Free Entry for Products Used in Agriculture and HorticultureDuty-Free Entry for Products Used in Agriculture and Horticulture
Through the special provisions of the Harmonized Tariff Code of United States (HTSUS), 9817.00.50 and 9817.00.60, U.S. law provides a duty-free mechanism that allows eligible machinery, tools, and equipment that are genuinely used for farming or horticulture to enter the U.S. without paying any customs duties.
Education
Tulane Law School, LL.M Maritime, 2012
West Virginia University College of Law, J.D., MBA, 2011
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, B.S, B.A., 2008
Admissions
- Washington, D.C.
- Wisconsin
Languages
- French