Sandler Travis hired Elizabeth Chiavetta, previously “director of audit policy at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where she oversaw three branches within Regulatory Audit’s Audit Policy Division,” to the firm's auditing team, it said in a news release. Sandler Travis also added David Thomas, previously chairman of Trade for America and vice president for trade policy at Business Roundtable, as a member of the firm, it said. “As an attorney and lobbyist, David Thomas will advise and represent clients on international trade issues before Congress and the Executive Branch as well as assist on issues related to customs rules, policies, and procedures,” the firm said.

Akin Gump hired Hagir Elawad, previously legislative affairs director for the United Arab Emirates Embassy in the U.S., as a senior policy advisor in the firm's international trade practice, it said in a news release. While at the embassy, she worked on “a wide array of issues, including sanctions, export controls, aviation and aerospace, Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States matters,” the firm said.

Hogan Lovells named Jared Wessel, who worked in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative General Counsel's office during the Obama administration, a partner, the law firm said in a news release. Anne Fisher, who works on export control issues, was named counsel, Hogan Lovells said.

Michael Cerny, previously a lawyer with Sandler Travis, joined Charter Brokerage as chief legal officer, Charter said in a news release. Both Charter and Cerny specialize in drawback issues.

Deputy U.S. Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney, who as the deputy in charge of the Western Hemisphere has done a lot of the legwork on the NAFTA replacement, has been nominated to be legal adviser at the State Department.

Suzanne Kane and Chiara Klaui were named partners at Akin Gump, the law firm said in an emailed Jan. 3 news release. Kane's “work includes advising clients on mitigating the impact of the administration’s trade policies, particularly tariffs; representing clients in Customs and Border Protection enforcement actions, audits and internal investigations; counseling clients on intellectual property rights and forced labor compliance; and helping clients devise compliance programs.” the firm said. Klaui “is the go-to lawyer for clients seeking counsel on European Union (EU) export controls and trade sanctions and their interaction with, in particular, U.S. trade regulations.” Kane is based in Washington, while Klaui is in the firm's London office.

Richard O'Neill was named partner at Neville Peterson, where he was previously an associate attorney, the law firm said in an emailed news release. O'Neill's work is focused on “all aspects of international trade and Customs law, including tariff classification, appraisement, country of origin and trade preference programs, Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs, Free Trade Agreements, export controls and trade remedies,” the firm said.

Patrick Caulfield and Angela Santos were promoted to partners at Grunfeld Desiderio, the law firm said in a news release. The firm also named Mika McLafferty of counsel, it said.

Douglas Hassebrok was appointed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to be deputy assistant secretary for export enforcement in the Bureau of Industry and Security and acting assistant secretary for export enforcement, according to Jim Bartlett of Full Circle Compliance. Hassebrok was previously BIS director of the Office of Export Enforcement. John Sonderman was named to Hassebrok's previous role at BIS in an acting capacity, Bartlett said, citing agency sources. BIS didn't comment.

Sidley Austin promoted Barbara Broussard to partner in the firm's Washington office, it said in a news release. Broussard works on “international trade compliance, specifically customs and economic sanctions, and has particular experience in reviewing international trade transactions,” according to her bio.