Scott Falk, who served as Chief Counsel for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for a decade, has taken on a new role as Senior Advisor for Child Protection and Policy at Child Impact International.
Falk brings more than 30 years of federal legal and leadership experience to the nonprofit, including 10 years as CBP’s top legal advisor from 2013 to 2023. In that role, he served as principal legal counsel to the CBP Commissioner and led an organization of more than 400 attorneys and staff across 31 offices nationwide, managing an annual budget exceeding $60 million.
During his tenure, Falk was closely involved in the development and implementation of major border security and trade initiatives. His work included legal oversight tied to border infrastructure projects, immigration enforcement programs such as Operation Streamline and the Migrant Protection Protocols, and the implementation of pandemic-era Title 42 authorities. He also played a role in strengthening enforcement of forced labor laws and trade remedies, and supported CBP’s multi-billion-dollar procurement efforts.
Falk’s experience extends to the formation of CBP itself. As Deputy Chief Counsel beginning in 2002, he helped guide the transition of the U.S. Customs Service from the Department of the Treasury into the newly created Department of Homeland Security, contributing to the integration of border security, immigration inspection, and trade enforcement functions under one agency.
Earlier in his career, Falk held a range of legal and leadership roles within the U.S. Customs Service, including positions in Miami and Indianapolis where he provided litigation support, advised on enforcement operations, and managed legal practices tied to collections, labor, and procurement. He also supported agency operations in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, including efforts to reestablish facilities and assist impacted personnel.
In his new role at Child Impact International, Falk will advise on child protection policy in the United States, as well as legal affairs, partnerships, and strategic initiatives. The organization operates globally to combat child exploitation, trafficking, and poverty through education and support programs in more than 20 countries.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)
