MATÍAS GALLEGOS

ASSOCIATE

Matías Gallegos started at Givens & Johnston as a Law Clerk in 2020. Originally from Santiago de Chile, Matías is fluent in Spanish, allowing him to better serve Spanish speaking clientele. Matías is also a certified mediator in the State of Texas. His practice focuses on U.S. customs laws (e.g., anti-dumping and countervailing duties issues, prior disclosures, tariff classification and valuation of merchandise), export controls, federal aviation law, and assisting in the development of import, export, and antibribery and anticorruption (ABAC) compliance programs. Matías handles enforcement actions including petitions, penalties, seizures, and forfeitures on behalf of his clients, and represents clients in front of administrative agencies, including but not limited to Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Matías earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he was heavily involved in the International Law and National Security Society, serving as the Director of National Security. Additionally, he was on the editorial board for CURRENTS: Journal of International Economic Law. Matías represented South Texas twice in the Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Competition. To stay connected to Aggie community, he served as the Vice President of the Aggie Law Students Association.

Matías received several honors and awards while in law school. He received CALI Awards (the highest grade in the class) in International Corporate Compliance; International Law; and Wills, Trusts and Estates. Matías was a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Recipient and received two prestigious awards at South Texas: The Marina and Bernardino Agosto Sr. Award for Outstanding Hispanic Student and the Professor Richard J. Graving Award for Leadership in International Law.

In his spare time, Matías is fond of exploring new cultures through food and is an avid home chef.

Bar & Court Association

  • Texas
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of International Trade
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (pending)

Education

  • South Texas College of Law Houston, J.D., 2021
  • Texas A&M., B.A. in Political Science, Minor in Spanish, 2016

Professional & Civic Association

  • State Bar of Texas
  • Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
  • Houston Bar Association – International Law Section