Robert Slack has joined Fenwick & West as a partner in its Washington, D.C.-based regulatory practice, the firm announced. Slack's practice focuses on economic sanctions, export controls and other trade compliance issues. He represents clients before the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, the State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration, the firm said. He is a former partner in Kelley Drye's trade and national security practice.

Mayer Brown announced partners Tim Keeler and Nikolay Mizulin as co-leaders of the firm's International Trade Practice, taking over from Duane Layton, who led the practice for 15 years. Keeler, who joined the firm in 2009, heads Mayer's Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. practice. Mizulin's practice centers on advising clients about "international and EU trade law, with particular emphasis on trade remedies, [World Trade Organization] Dispute Settlement, customs and sanctions," the firm said.

Peter Robinson will step down June 30 as president of the U.S. Council for International Business, the business group said Jan. 11. “A search process has been initiated and will be led by USCIB Chair Eric Loeb (Salesforce) and other board members,” USCIB said.

Gabriel Monzon-Cortarelli, former partner at Orrick Herrington, has joined Becker, a mid-size law firm based in Fort Lauderdale, to chair the International Practice Group for Europe and Latin America, the firm announced. Monzon-Cortarelli also will work as a shareholder in Becker's corporate practice based in New York and Milan. His practice will center on foreign direct investment into the U.S.

Flexport, the global logistics company, announced the hiring of Teresa Carlson to be president and chief commercial officer. Carlson, who previously worked as an executive-in-residence at Microsoft, also was the leader of Amazon Web Services. The press release announcing her hire said she will oversee sales, marketing and the nonprofit arm, and will lead expansion into new markets, verticals and strategic partnerships.

John Sullivan, former deputy secretary of state and U.S. ambassador to Russia, has rejoined Mayer Brown as a partner in the Washington, D.C., and New York offices, the firm announced. Sullivan's practice will center on issues relating to clients' business operations, "including global risk, US sanctions and export controls, international trade disputes and regulation, and foreign investment." Sullivan served as ambassador to Russia from 2020 to 2022 and as acting secretary of state from March to April 2018. He is also a distinguished fellow at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a distinguished senior fellow at Columbia University School of Law's National Security Law Program.

Akin Gump promoted 15 lawyers to partner, effective Jan. 1. Among the new partners are Alexis Guinan and Jingli Jiang. Guinan's practice, based in Washington, centers on sanctions and international trade laws, the firm said. She has advised clients looking to evaluate sanctions and other trade restrictions "associated with their portfolio companies." Jiang's practice touches on international trade proceedings, "including export controls, sanctions, antitrust and other types of regulatory and corporate advice," the firm said. She is in the Beijing office.

The National Foreign Trade Council has hired John Pickel, a former trade director in the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, as senior director for international supply chain policy. Pickel also previously served as counselor to the CBP commissioner for trade facilitation and trade enforcement and as a congressional affairs staffer. “John brings a remarkable wealth of expertise and experience in a range of supply chain, trade facilitation and customs issues that are critically important to our member companies,” NFTC President Jake Colvin said.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide named Jim Barber, retired in 2020 as chief operating officer for UPS, to its board of directors. At UPS, Barber “was responsible for international operations, U.S. operations, freight forwarding, distribution and logistics, freight brokerage, customs brokerage and more,” a news release said.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative this week announced the hiring of two new officials.