CHRISTOPHER LOCK advises clients on their most complex regulatory challenges arising out of international trade, including sanctions and export controls, foreign investment screening, trade remedies and tariffs, supply chain regulations, WTO law, and trade-related aspects of UK sustainability regulations.
Chris has particular experience in helping clients understand the fast-evolving nature of UK sanctions and export control measures, including representing companies before the relevant UK authorities in relation to licensing, voluntary disclosures, government investigations, and penalty settlements. He has experience liaising on behalf of clients with HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation; HM Revenue and Customs; the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; the Cabinet Office; and the Department for Business and Trade’s Export Control Joint Unit and Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation. Chris’ advisory work focuses on appropriate, risk-based compliance across a wide range of sectors, including advanced manufacturing, defense, finance, life sciences, insurance, private equity, technology, and transportation. He regularly gives talks and training in this area, including working with the pilot program at NATO’s Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), an accelerator for dual-use innovation capacity across NATO member states.
In addition to providing direct trade regulatory support to clients, Chris is also experienced in providing supplementary counseling to clients working through transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, contract review, and capital investment. He has been involved in a multitude of matters assisting businesses to expand cross borders both through investment and establishment.
Chris advises clients on UK trade remedies investigations and representations to the UK’s Trade Remedies Authority and is actively involved in some of the first standalone investigations since the UK’s exit from the EU.
Chris counsels clients on compliance with the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, as well as other emissions reduction regulations, such as the UK SAF mandate.
Between 2017–2022, Chris advised the UK Department for Business and Trade on UK and international trade and public laws, including acting as a Deputy Director (Legal). He has also worked in Brussels, advising on EU trade law both in private practice and within the legal department of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade.
Chris is a part of Sidley’s global team of international trade lawyers covering law, economics, and policy across Brussels, Geneva, London, and Washington, D.C. Sidley’s international trade team is consistently recognized as a top tier practice across all regions. Sidley has been ranked as a Band 1 firm for “International Trade” in every major jurisdiction, including global-wide, Europe-wide, Asia-Pacific, and Chambers Global/USA (2017–2024).