Now more than ever, companies must operate in an environment of increasingly complex legal and public policy considerations. The U.S. and other governments plan to increase their reliance on the private sector in addressing national and economic security concerns, including through a range of government enforcement efforts. This environment is rapidly changing as governments endeavor to adapt to the shifting geopolitical landscape, requiring companies to seek out tactical guidance to help evaluate and navigate the myriad ways in which their businesses intersect with national and economic security concerns.
Sidley assists clients, in the U.S. and internationally, in identifying the legal risks that may arise from their business activities, which could raise security concerns as they are prepare for the increased governmental focus on conduct. We guide clients through assessing the effectiveness of their current or developing compliance programs in addressing those potential risks.
Preemptively Covering All Bases For Clients
Sidley’s National and Economic Security team is a multidisciplinary group with deep roots in government and diversified matters. Our lawyers cover a broad range of complex national and economic security-related issues, including: trade controls, investment controls, government contracts, anti-corruption, cybersecurity, and other relevant areas. Our experienced team has the ability to address clients’ legal and public policy needs across a spectrum of key areas, advising on how multinational corporations can best comply with laws and regulations relating to cross-border business landscape.
We also leverage Sidley’s broad platform of both subject matter and industry-specific tactical insight to work across practices to best serve clients in related areas, such as: financial services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, intellectual property, aerospace and defense, cybersecurity, and economic sanctions. Additionally, our enforcement, compliance, and litigation teams are adept at handling government investigations and litigation matters should they arise.
How We Add Value
Our deep understanding of national and economic security matters is based on team members’ extensive experience serving previously in government roles in several different countries, as well as in the private sector. Some of our team members assisted in the development of significant government policies and priorities that now govern proactive enforcement and litigation decisions. Many have successfully handled high-profile, high-stakes national and economic security-related disputes, both within the government and business landscape.
Many of our lawyers have pursued relevant investigations in the role of government officials, and many have extensive experience responding to government investigations and conducting internal investigations of the highest sensitivity. We provide clients with invaluable insider perspectives on factors enforcement officials consider when deciding whether to bring actions and where to place the most importance in structuring strong compliance programs.
Collectively, our strong knowledge base enables us to provide clients with an in-depth understanding of the current policy, agency decision-making processes, and business drivers required for companies to have a robust coordinated strategy to achieve their goals and avoid unnecessary government scrutiny.
Our highly experienced team includes the following former government officials:
- Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division
- Deputy Assistant Attorney General
- Deputy Associate Attorney General
- Chief of Staff and Senior Counselor to the U.S. Attorney General
- Counselor to the Attorney General
- Associate White House Counsels
- General Counsel of the Office of Management and Budget
- General Counsel and former Assistant General Counsel of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
- Senior Counsel to the House Financial Services Committee
- U.S. Attorneys and numerous former Assistant U.S. Attorneys
- Principal Deputy General Counsel for the Department of Treasury
Our team members have represented clients in front of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DTCC), and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and among other agencies, as well as in congressional investigations, internal investigations, and other government enforcement and litigation matters.
We also provide full-service counsel to clients in the areas of:
- Sanctions and Export Controls
- Government Contracting
- Anti-Corruption
- Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
- CFIUS and ITAR
- Customs and Border Security
- Anti-Money Laundering
- Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)
- False Claims Act
- Defense Production Act
- Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI)
