Alexandra B. Hess is a partner in Cassidy Levy Kent’s Washington, D.C. office. Her practice focuses on customs, international trade matters, and the representation of clients before U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Prior to joining Cassidy Levy Kent, Mrs. Hess served as a Branch Chief in the Entry Process and Duty Refunds Branch at U.S. Customs Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in the Office of Trade, Regulations and Rulings, Commercial and Trade Facilitation Division. In that position, she issued rulings and advice to the trade, the agency writ large, partner government agencies, and international trading partners concerning matters such as the entry process, duty drawback, de minimis, reconciliation, bonding, antidumping and countervailing duties, temporary importation under bond, foreign trade zones, right to make entry, broker compliance and management, and quota. This experience gave Mrs. Hess intricate insight into the import regulatory compliance strategies necessary to successfully navigate customs matters.
Prior to her service with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mrs. Hess’ practice comprised a wide range of international trade matters, such as customs, trade remedies, and international arbitration. Mrs. Hess also served as a clerk to then Chief Judge Jane A. Restani of the U.S. Court of International Trade. As a clerk, she assisted with customs, antidumping duty, and countervailing duty cases as well as worked on matters before the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Second, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, where Judge Restani sat by designation.
Mrs. Hess received her J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., where she served on the American University Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. While in law school, she worked as a Clerk for the U.S. Department of State, Office of the Legal Advisor, International Claims and Investment Disputes (L/CID) division. She also interned at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Government Service
- Branch Chief, Entry Process & Duty Refunds Branch, Commercial and Trade Facilitation Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2024-2025)
- Attorney-Advisor, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2016-2022)
- Clerk to the Hon. Jane A. Restani, U.S. Court of International Trade (2009-2010)
Professional Affiliations
- Co-Chair, Customs Committee, Customs and International Trade Bar Association
Education
- JD, American University, Washington College of Law, magna cum laude
- MA, American University, School of International Service
- BA, Middlebury College, cum laude
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Bar Memberships
- District of Columbia
- Virginia