Liz Abraham, former director of the Bureau of Industry and Security's International Policy Office, has joined White & Case as a trade lawyer in its international trade practice, a spokesperson for the firm said. Abraham had been with BIS since May 2023, according to her LinkedIn profile. She officially joined White & Case on June 2.
A law firm said May 23 that the U.S. was failing to provide documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act partly because it was relying on a “novelly broad” interpretation of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (Husch Blackwell v. Department of Commerce, D.D.C. # 1:24-02733).
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Former Bureau of Industry and Security Undersecretary Alan Estevez has joined the board of directors of Almonty Industries, a tungsten mining and production company. Almonty CEO Lewis Black said Estevez's "firsthand experience in acquisition, contracting, and supply chain operations will be especially relevant as we advance our position as a key allied supplier of tungsten." Estevez also became a senior adviser for Covington & Burling after leaving BIS earlier this year (see 2505120044).
China's Foreign Ministry criticized recent measures by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security to restrict exports of a range of items to China, saying Beijing "firmly" opposes the controls and "will resolutely defend our legitimate rights and interests."
Taiwan is offering to impose more stringent export controls and investment screening measures to prevent “high-risk countries” from obtaining sensitive semiconductors and other critical technologies, the country’s government told the Bureau of Industry and Security.
At least three companies last week disclosed receiving letters from the Bureau of Industry and Security informing them of new license restrictions they must follow for certain exports to China, including two semiconductor design firms and one oil company.
The recent departure of many career employees at the Bureau of Industry and Security and other government agencies hasn’t necessarily translated into less export control and sanctions enforcement activity, lawyers said last week.
Gregory Dunlap, a former special agent in charge of the Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement, has joined Akin as a senior regulatory adviser. Dunlap most recently oversaw export controls and sanctions investigations at BIS and also worked at DOJ for more than eight years, including in the National Security Division.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is suspending and revoking existing export licenses for a range of items destined to China, including chip-related design software and civil aviation items, two people familiar with the matter said.