Peter Quinter, former customs and international trade attorney at GrayRobinson, joined Gunster as the leader of its Customs and International Trade Law Group, Quinter said in a post on his LinkedIn account. Quinter advises on issues involving investigations by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control and the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Before entering private practice, Quinter served as counsel at the Southeast Regional Headquarters of the U.S. Customs Service.
John Beahn, former head of Shearman & Sterling's Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and foreign direct investment practice, has joined Milbank as a partner, the firm announced in an email. Beahn's work will center on CFIUS matters and FDI proceedings as well as national security issues, including sanctions and arms controls, the firm said.
Elizabeth Boison, previously with DOJ's Bank Integrity Unit and National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, joined Hogan Lovells as a partner in the Global Regulatory and Intellectual Property, Media and Technology practice group, the firm announced. During her time in government, Boison also worked with the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, where she helped craft guidance on the regulatory enforcement of financial crimes, the firm said. At DOJ, Boison focused on sanctions, asset forfeiture, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other fraud-involved proceedings.
Anthony Rapa, a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis, joined Blank Rome as a partner in its National Security practice, the firm announced. Blank Rome said Rapa will work on "sanctions and export control-related matters in cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, government investigations, and regulatory matters." Such issues under Rapa's portfolio include regulations administered under the Export Administration Regulations, the Bureau of Industry and Security and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
Grace Hill, former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, in the Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, has joined Wilkinson Stekloff as a partner, the firm announced. At EDVA, Hill prosecuted an array of white collar crime cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, investment fraud, bribery and public corruption, the firm said.
Brendan McCommas, former attorney at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, has joined Husch Blackwell as senior counsel in the Intellectual Property practice and Technology, Manufacturing and Transportation industry group, the firm announced. At USPTO, his positions included chief of staff and senior adviser. McCommas will focus on IP disputes concerning "patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing and trade secrets," the firm said.
James Sullivan, a former International Trade Administration official, has joined DLA Piper as a partner in the data protection, privacy and security subgroup as part of the Regulatory and Government Affairs practice, the firm announced. At ITA, Sullivan was the assistant secretary for industry and analysis as well as deputy assistant secretary for services. He oversaw the agency's Office of Digital Services Industries and was responsible for the government's implementation and management of data protection and privacy regimes with an emphasis on data flows and artificial intelligence, the firm said.
Elizabeth Craddock, former partner at Jones Walker, has joined Holland & Knight in its Public Policy & Regulation Group in Washington, D.C., the firm announced. Craddock's practice will focus on energy, environment and trade policy, among other things, the firm said. She also brings experience with sanctions issues. Earlier in her career, Craddock was vice president of government affairs for the International Association of Drilling Contractors.
Clark Packard, who had been trade policy counsel at the R Street Institute, is joining the Cato Institute's Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, he tweeted March 14. Cato advocates policies based on libertarian principles.
Andrea Durkin, a former director for Central America in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the George W. Bush administration, announced that she has returned to the office to be assistant USTR for the World Trade Organization and multilateral affairs.