Goebel goes to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner has lost one of his closest advisors with the departure of Brian Goebel, who returned to private practice with former employer Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
Bonner was a partner at the international law firm when he was appointed by President Bush as Customs Commissioner in 2001, and he brought Goebel with him to be counselor and senior policy advisor. Goebel left Customs in May, the firm said.
Goebel played a key role in developing the 24-hour rule, Trade Act regulations on pre-filing manifests, Bio-Terrorism Act rules, the Container Security Initiative, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, the Free and Secure Trade program and coordinating security programs with the European Union and Canada. He also was instrumental in developing a “special bill” process to help non-vessel-operating common carriers who opted to electronically pre-file manifests get their cargo cleared from the docks.
Goebel will work out of the law firm’s Washington, D.C. office, where he will be involved in litigation and lobbying efforts, the firm said.
