About Michael G
Michael G Hodes earned his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1973. He entered the legal profession during a period of change in trade regulation and customs law. That classroom training set the stage for a career that has moved between government service and private practice.
Soon after law school, Hodes joined the U.S. Customs Service and in 1977 served as Assistant Regional Counsel. He spent those early years inside the federal bureaucracy, handling legal work for a regulatory agency. The post gave him direct exposure to the federal side of trade and customs enforcement and to the practical workings of administrative law.
In 1980 he left the agency for private practice as an associate at a customs law office. That move marked the start of a long stretch in the private sector. By 1985 he opened his own office under the name Law Offices of Michael G. Hodes. He maintained a solo practice for two years before forming a partnership.
Hodes became a partner in 1987 with the firm Hodes & Pilon. The partnership evolved over time, and in 1998 he continued as a partner when the firm operated as Hodes Keating & Pilon. Those years in partnership broadened his exposure to client counseling, litigation strategy and transactional work tied to cross-border trade and import/export matters.
In 2019 he moved into an of counsel role at Rock Tradel Law, LLC. The transition reflected a different rhythm of practice. As of counsel he has taken on advisory projects, research and case work while maintaining ties to the specialized community of customs and trade practitioners.
Across more than four decades in law, Hodes has worked in both federal government and private practice settings. He has alternated between hands-on government enforcement work and client-centered private representation. That combination has informed his approach to regulatory matters, administrative appeals and issues that arise at the intersection of commerce and customs law.
He is based in offices associated with firms that emphasize trade and customs work and has continued to advise clients on related matters. He currently serves of counsel at Rock Tradel Law, LLC, and his practice centers on customs and international trade law.
