GDLSK Adds Senior Customs and Border Protection Attorney Valerie Sorensen-Clark as Partner

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP, a premier customs and international trade law firm, announced today that Valerie Sorensen-Clark has joined the firm as a partner in New York. Sorensen-Clark comes to GDLSK from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where she held senior roles for nearly a decade and acted as one of the agency’s primary advocates in some of the most consequential tariff disputes in recent years.

Sorensen-Clark most recently served in CBP’s Office of Chief Counsel, International Trade Litigation, leading its representation before the U.S. Court of International Trade and shaping the government’s positions on momentous import-related issues. Her experience includes a central role in the current litigation determining the process through which the government will refund more than $150 billion in “Liberation Day” tariffs invalidated by the Supreme Court in February 2026. She also served as the lead CBP attorney in ongoing litigation (HMTX Industries et al. v. United States) challenging tariffs issued under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, one of the most closely watched trade cases in the country.

“Valerie is an immensely talented and widely respected attorney who brings a unique level of insight into the government’s perspective on tariff disputes,” said Harold Grunfeld, co-founding partner of GDLSK. “Her presence immediately strengthens our ability to guide clients through high-impact customs and international trade matters, and we anticipate that her experience at CBP will be invaluable in that mission.”

At GDLSK, Sorensen-Clark will advise on litigation and regulatory strategy, tariff classification, valuation, and related issues at a time when companies are confronting heightened scrutiny and financial exposure tied to tariffs and import compliance.

“Businesses are dealing with unprecedented uncertainty and opportunity in the tariff landscape,” said Sorensen-Clark. “I look forward to helping them navigate these challenges with the benefit of my experience inside the government, and I’m excited to be doing so at a law firm that has been the leader on customs and trade issues for decades.”

Sorensen-Clark’s addition reflects GDLSK’s continued investment in top-tier talent to address the most significant developments in customs and international trade. Earlier this year, the firm promoted Kristina Barry to partner, reflecting its commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.

Earlier in her career, Sorensen-Clark spent four years as a clerk to Chief Judge Timothy C. Stanceu of the U.S. Court of International Trade and was a professor of international trade law at universities in Beijing and Shanghai. She earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania.

About Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP

GDLSK is one of the nation’s largest law firms devoted exclusively to international trade and customs matters. The firm represents a wide variety of clients, ranging from privately held companies to Fortune 100 corporations engaged in the manufacture and distribution of textiles, consumer electronics, foodstuffs, computer and telecommunications equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive products, steel, wearing apparel, agricultural products, and a host of other consumer and industrial products. The firm’s clients include domestic and foreign manufacturers, importers, exporters, trading companies, customs brokers, trade associations, and foreign trade associations. GDLSK lawyers have substantial experience practicing before the government agencies responsible for the administration and enforcement of international trade and customs laws. Learn more at www.gdlsk.com.