International Trade

Expert Analysis

• What 2 Recent OFAC Cases Say About Compliance Priorities

  

  Findings of violation issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control earlier this month to U.S. companies DNI Express Shipping and Southern Cross Aviation are illustrative of the continued focus, by OFAC and other agencies, on completeness and accuracy in both responsive and voluntary disclosures, say attorneys at Akin Gump.

• Crisis Messaging To Protect Law Firm Brand And Bottom Line

  

  When crises occur, such as data security incidents or gender bias suits, a well-prepared law firm has a thoroughly tested communications plan at the ready, which ensures the firm is the most proactive news source, prevents the crisis from escalating and notifies stakeholders about mitigation efforts, says Zach Olsen at Infinite Global.

• The Escalating Sanctions Against Venezuela, Russia And Iran

  

  The past few weeks saw a flurry of activity demonstrating that imposition and enforcement of economic sanctions against Venezuela, Russia and Iran — and by extension China — continues to be a key driver for the Trump administration in confronting foreign policy challenges, say attorneys at Kirkland.

• Perspectives

  What You Should Know About Courtroom Closures

  

  At attorney Greg Craig’s trial in D.C. federal court this week, the courtroom was cleared so prospective jurors could answer sensitive questions. Even seasoned litigators were left wondering about the nature of this subtle, yet significant, issue involving Sixth Amendment public trial rights, says Luke Cass at Quarles & Brady.

• Next US Move Against Iran Could Block Humanitarian Aid

  

  If the U.S. government uses its anti-money laundering authority under the USA Patriot Act to further isolate Iran, the consequences are likely to extend far beyond the purported aim of ensuring the exclusion of Iranian banks from the international financial system, says Jeremy Paner at Ferrari & Associates.

• Series

  Why I Became A Lawyer: A Seaweed Scientist's Odyssey

  

  In the early 1980s, I was working on my Ph.D. in marine biology and ecology. As part of an international team of scientists studying oil spill impacts on marine ecosystems, I saw a niche opportunity to combine science and law, says Andrew Davis of Shipman & Goodwin.

• Mistakes Vs. Falsehoods In Trade Controls Submissions

  

  Federal regulators have dramatically increased the number of economic sanctions enforcement actions this year — with many investigations focusing on whether companies have made false statements in submissions. There are seven key steps that companies can take to keep trade submissions accurate and reduce criminal liability, say attorneys at Covington.

• Key Takeaways For Investors From India's New Budget

  

  The 2019-2020 Indian budget, announced in early July, demonstrates clear political desire to attract foreign investors by relaxing investment restrictions in the aviation, media, insurance and retail sectors, say attorneys at Cleary.

• Opinion

  Clients Benefit From Law Firm Expense Growth

  

  Although there continue to be corporate clients who are seduced by the idea that cheapest is always best when it comes to outside counsel, there are many negative implications on service delivery that result from myopically focusing only on cost reduction at the expense of quality and innovation, says Keith Maziarek at Katten Muchin.

• Federal Courts Shed Light On Extraterritorial Reach Of DTSA

  

  Recently, federal courts in California and Texas applied Section 1837(2) of the Defend Trade Secrets Act to civil claims for foreign misappropriation, demonstrating that foreign actors should now be cognizant that courts are willing to apply the Economic Espionage Act’s extraterritorial reach to civil DTSA claims, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

• How New Executive Order Strengthens Venezuela Sanctions

  

  Tuesday’s executive order extending economic sanctions against Venezuela by prohibiting transactions with the Venezuelan government will be, in its practical application, very similar to the complete embargoes the U.S. maintains against entire countries such as Cuba, Iran, Syria and North Korea, says Grant Leach and Cortney Morgan of Husch Blackwell.

• Opinion

  Changing Ethics Rules Is Key To Law Firm Innovation

  

  As demonstrated by the California bar proposal to allow nonlawyers to invest in law firms, we can change the legal ethics rules in a way that protects clients while permitting firms to innovate and serve clients better, say Todd Richheimer of ​​​​​​​Lawfty and Peter Joy of Washington University Law School.

• Series

  Judging A Book: Castillo Reviews 'Raising The Bar'

  

  A timely new book, “Raising the Bar: Diversifying Big Law," is one of the first honest assessments of the challenging battleground for people of color at large law firms, and I hope that firm management committee members read it, says U.S. District Judge Rubén Castillo of the Northern District of Illinois.

• Perspectives

  2nd Circ.'s Approach To Bail Is Backward

  

  The Second Circuit's decision in United States v. Boustani correctly identifies the dangers of a "two-tiered" bail system, but the proper solution is to make bail more accessible to everyone, not to fewer people, says Alexander Klein of Barket Epstein.

• A Road Map For A Cryptocurrency Crackdown: Part 2

  

  As cryptocurrency usage proliferates, proper regulation should include enforcing money transmitter registration for crypto financial intermediaries, prosecuting crypto intermediaries that violate federal trade requirements, and compelling them to identify those who fail to pay crypto-related capital gains taxes, says cybersecurity consultant John Reed Stark.