Leeds leaves Boeing, joins trade law firm
Bruce Leeds, well known within customs compliance circles for his tenure as co-chairman of a federal advisory panel on border management, has retired from the Boeing Co. and joined trade law firm Braumiller Schulz LLP, according to the company's November newsletter.
In his capacity as 'of counsel' he will assist the Dallas law firm from his office in Los Angeles, but is not a partner or associate.
Leeds was senior export/import advisor at Boeing where he was responsible for trade compliance for all foreign subcontracts, U.S. Customs policy, drawback (customs refunds) and export licensing. From 2004 to 2008 he served on the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee to the departments of Homeland Security and Treasury providing feedback along with 19 other industry representatives on border security and customs matters. He was COAC's primary liaison to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, during his second two-year term.
Leeds spent the first seven years of his career as an import specialist and manager in U.S. Customs at the Port of Los Angeles. After obtaining his law degree in California, he joined Hughes Aircraft Co. where he was responsible for managing a 20-person import-export compliance team. He later worked for Hughes Space and Communications Co., which was subsequently acquired by Boeing.
Leeds was Boeing's representative to the World Customs Organization's Private Sector Consultative Group and since 2004 has been an active member of CBP's Trade Support Network, which provides the agency input on requirements for trade-based information systems. He also served for 20 years on the board of the Foreign Trade Association of Southern California and is on the board of the American Association of Exporters and Importers. ' Eric Kulisch