UPCOMING EVENTS

Webinar: Doing Business In The USA

Understand Your Options, Determine Your Structure, Expand Your Sales

Monday, February 8, 2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm PT
Online from any computer or mobile device
FREE

Brought to you by the American Chamber of Commerce - Pacific Chapter, the DBUSA webinar is an informative online conference dedicated to helping Canadian business owners enter the American marketplace. Gain access to our panel of carefully selected Immigration & Cross-Border Lawyers, Tax Specialists, Customs Brokers and Logistics Professionals coming together from Cascadia Cross-Border Law, MNP, Law Offices of Gene Moses, Pacific Customs Brokers Inc., and PCB Freight Management. Whether opening a store front with a US address or partnering with a distribution center for your eCommerce activity, our seasoned panel will present options that will help you determine your export strategy and understand your responsibilities with local and federal government agencies such as the US Customs and Border Protection, Secretary of State and US Citizen and Immigration Services.

Topics Include

Subjects are presented by experts in their field. The content focuses on current trends seen in the USA/CDN cross-border market and based on the experiences of each speaker/company. Small to medium sized businesses in the export development planning stage who attend this event will walk away with the knowledge of all available resources and determine/understand:

Optimal structure for US presence
Cost-effective distribution channels
Responsibility for federal and state tax
What is considered "working" in the US
US consumer purchasing behavior
Canadian export requirements and US import compliance

Agenda

Attend the whole session or only the topics that interest you.

10:00 - 10:05 am
Introduction
Maria Rajanayagam, Chair, AMCHAM Canada - Pacific Chapter

10:05 - 10:25 am
How to Access Immigration in the US
Heather Fathali, Attorney at Law, Cascadia Cross-Border Law

10:25 - 10:45 am
How to Form Legal Entities: Structure, Formation and Compliance
Gene Moses, Founder and Principal, The Law Offices of Gene Moses P.S.

10:45 -11:05 am
How to Expand to the US the Smart Way
Sid Rao, Partner, US Tax Services, MNP LLP

11:05 - 11:25 am
How to Import Your Goods into the US
Breanna Leininger, US Operations Manager, Pacific Customs Brokers

11:25 - 11:45 am
How To Optimize Logistics Efforts
Alex Haukaas, Operations Manager, PCB Freight Management

11:45 -12:00 pm
Q&A

Meet the Panel

**Heather Fathali**
*Attorney at Law,* *Cascadia Cross-Border Law*
Heather Fathali has practiced as a US immigration attorney with Cascadia Cross-Border Law in Bellingham, WA since 2014. Heather’s practice focuses primarily on employment-based US immigration, with a significant portion of her client base consisting of professionals, entrepreneurs, and persons of talent; as well as US citizenship and expatriation matters. She also dedicates a special area of her practice to the Jay Treaty and the unique rules pertaining to American Indians Born in Canada. Heather received her Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law, graduating summa cum laude. During law school, Heather served as judicial extern to Justice Charles W. Johnson at the Washington State Supreme Court; and also completed externships with the Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic’s Immigration Clinic, representing detained asylum applicants; and Catholic Community Services Family Immigration, providing immigration assistance to low-income community members. Additionally, Heather served as Research and Technical Editor for the Seattle University Law Review, and was a member of the Women’s Law Caucus. Heather is a native of Bellingham, WA. She served on the Board of Directors of the Whatcom Literacy Council from 2014-2019, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing literacy and English language skills for adults in Whatcom County. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Cultural Anthropology from Western Washington University, and continues to be interested in the study of diverse cultures.

**Gene Moses**
*Founder and Principal,* *The Law Offices of Gene Moses P.S.*
Gene R. Moses is the founder and principal of the Law Office of Gene R. Moses P.S. located in Bellingham, Washington. Mr. Moses specializes in the formation and compliance of cross border business entities. The Law Office of Gene R. Moses P.S. has represented business entities throughout the world for 44 years.

**Sidhartha (Sid) Rao, JD, LL.M.**
*Partner, US Tax Services,* *MNP LLP*
As a partner with MNP’s International Tax Services group, Sid specializes in helping high-net-worth individuals and Canadian businesses with US activities navigate the complexities of cross-border tax so they can concentrate on the things that make them successful. He draws on his legal background and exposure to accounting to deliver cross-border tax solutions tailored to clients’ unique situations. Sid’s services include evaluating exposure to US state and local taxes, US individual and business compliance, structuring investment into the US, and consulting US persons on expatriation. His experience includes working with Canadian retailers and wholesalers expanding to the US as well as Canadians investing in US real estate.

**Breanna Leininger, CCS, LCB**
*US Operations Manager, PCB Customs Brokers*
With almost two decades in the industry, Breanna has been at the forefront of customs clearances and compliance concerns for a full spectrum of commodities at all ports of entry and all modes of transportation. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government, is a Licensed Customs Broker as well as Certified Customs Specialist. As an NCBFAA Government Affairs Conference Emerging Leaders and Mentors nominee, Breanna has a deep passion for politics, global affairs, and how communication shapes policy and international business relationships. She feels very fortunate to work in an industry that allows her to take part in how policy impacts the global economy and domestic businesses of all shapes and sizes.

**Alexandra Haukaas**
*Operations Manager, PCB Freight Management*
Alex Haukaas is a logistics professional who has been in the freight forwarding, NVOCC, and brokerage industries for over seventeen years. Alex has worked in all transportation modes, including air, ocean, truck, rail, and project cargo, with a strong background in project management and business development. Her successful management style is a hands-on approach in identifying her team's strengths, which results in a positive and cohesive work environment. Alex currently holds the Canadian International Freight Forwarding Association (CIFFA) and Forum For International Trade Training (FITT) designations.

About The Organizations

Cascadia Cross-Border Law is a US immigration law firm known for providing exceptional representation, personalized attention, and responsive service to its clients. As reflected in its industry ratings, the firm's commitment to excellence has earned it a reputation as an effective, efficient, and ethical provider of immigration-related legal services. The firm has assisted clients from all over the globe access business opportunities in every area of the US for over three decades.

The Law Office of Gene R. Moses P.S. works with an international network of Canadian Chartered Professional Accountants, US Certified Public Accountants, immigration lawyers and customs brokers. Based in Bellingham, Washington Gene is a business lawyer and Law Society of British Columbia Foreign Legal Consultant who provides cross-border legal advice to Canadian and international corporations doing business in the USA including the formation of US Subsidiaries and other Legal Entities, and a broad range of Business Legal Services.

MNP LLC is a leading national accounting, tax and business consulting, with over 80 offices across Canada. Through partner-led engagements, we provide a collaborative, cost-effective approach to doing business and personalized strategies to help organizations succeed across the country and around the world. We proudly serve clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

PCB Customs Brokers is your trusted customs expert specializing in international trade with roots dating back to 1954. The company was founded on one simple principle: serve the client well. Today, thousands of importers employ us to import their goods into Canada and the US with our services growing to include freight management, trade advisory and a comprehensive learning center. If you have complex trade problems, you can trust us to provide the solution.

PCB Freight Management has built a reputation for getting the job done over the years. Drawing on the competence of an experienced team of logistics experts, a world-wide network of freight agents and in-house licensed customs brokers, our clients get a comprehensive range of global logistics services. We do more than just shipping your cargo, we manage your freight! As a key company within the PCB Group of Companies, PCB Freight Management has become a major North American link to many trans-ocean shippers and freight forwarders. A single point of contact for international freight movements providing freight and logistic solutions to freight forwarders and shippers.

Browse our listing of past events or visit us on Instagram to see photographs.