Andrew Astuno, a former Treasury Department official who worked on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., has joined Clifford Chance as a CFIUS lawyer, he announced this week on LinkedIn. Astuno was a policy adviser with Treasury’s Office of Investment Security before leaving in early 2022 to join Stroock & Stroock.

Customs attorney and former CBP official Sandra Bell previously with DLA Piper, joined Rimon PC as a partner, she announced on LinkedIn. Bell advises clients on regulations related to customs tariffs and import issues.

Roop Bhatti, former International Trade Commission chief of staff, has joined trade law firm Cassidy Levy as a partner, the firm announced in an email. She worked at the ITC for nearly five years, also serving as counsel to Commissioner Jason Kearns and an attorney adviser.

Greenberg Traurig launched an international trade practice in its Mexico City office, the firm announced Jan. 8. The firm said Guillermo Sanchez Chao will serve as the practice area's first shareholder after joining from Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa. Sanchez Chao's practice will center on "international trade, customs, supply chain and administrative litigation," the firm said.

Greta Peisch is departing her job as general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and USTR Katherine Tai announced Juan Millan will serve as acting general counsel. The general counsel position must be Senate-confirmed.

Lance Jasper, former senior counsel for the SEC's Division of Enforcement, has joined Akin as a partner in the white collar defense and government investigations practice group, the firm announced. Jasper, who worked for the SEC for over a decade, will focus on white collar defense, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases.

Chris Pey, a trade lawyer formerly of FisherBroyles, is joining the new law firm Pierson Ferdinand, the new shop announced Jan. 2. He's joined by over 130 other FisherBroyles partners that made the jump to the new firm.

Chandri Navarro, former partner at Hogan Lovells, joined Baker McKenzie as senior counsel in the North America International Commercial and Trade Practice in Washington, D.C., the firm announced. Navarro, who worked at Hogan Lovells for over 20 years, is a Customs and International Trade Bar Association board member and an American Bar Foundation fellow.

White collar attorneys Maria Lapetina and Ian Herbert were elected members of the firm, effective Jan. 1, the firm announced. Lapetina centers her practice on internal and government investigations, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and anti-money laundering cases. Herbert is a member of the Trust and Family Office and Anti-Money Laundering practice groups, whose practice also centers on government investigations.

International trade attorney Lucas Queiroz Pires is leaving Alston & Bird, according to a notice filed at the Court of International Trade. Pires joined Alston & Bird in 2018 and worked as an associate in the international trade and regulatory practice at the firm, according to his LinkedIn profile.