Research Assistant Attorney

Areas of Excellence

• Legal professional and former U.S. official with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), tangibly passionate about international trade and commerce, and the U.S. led sanctions, embargo, and other governmental regulations and guidelines that all U.S. persons and entities must adhere to when engaging, directly or indirectly, with e.g., sanctioned countries, or designated persons.

• Proven ability to successfully initiate and maintain strong liaisons with all parties such as e.g., appropriate officials within the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, DOD, and occasionally members of the U.S. Congress; integral to the overall strategic objectives of U.S. sanctions.

• Focused and highly productive, routinely balancing the management of hundreds of individual cases while also entrusted with supervisory duties, and business audits and community training activities.

• Excellent communicative and collaborative skills. Able to thrive within a team-oriented effort towards a common strategic effort, while also driven and highly productive under minimum supervision. Professional Memberships

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia - admitted 2008 District of Columbia Bar - admitted 1993

State of Pennsylvania Bar - admitted 1992

Experience

Poydras Law 2008-Present

Attorney

Advised and consulted with parties who were either actively or prospectively engaged in transactions between the U.S. and embargoed or sanctioned countries. Zealously represent cllents injured due to the negligence of others. Also represent alleged perpetrators of criminal violations. E-Document review on behalf of such firms as: Kirkland & Ellis, Gibson & Dunn, Gilbert LLP, Hogan Lovells, Paul Hastings, Covington & Burling, Kaye Scholer, LLC, DLA Piper, and Arnold & Porter, LLP, in response to complex corporate mergers as well as U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission investigations.

U.S. Department of Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control 1998-2008 Licensing and Civil Penalties Officer

Successfully managed hundreds of U.S. Cuba, Myanmar, Iran, and Libyan Sanctions programs cases involving either the licensure or enforcement of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”), in close coordination with the U.S. Departments of State (International Trade In Arms - ITAR), and Commerce (Export Administration Regulations - EAR). Conducted thorough investigations of either trade licensing requests or pursuant to sanctions violations that included, among other things, interviews with U.S. enforcement agents, accused or requesting parties, and communications with their legal representatives. Negotiated settlements with alleged violators or their legal representatives in lieu of prosecution and higher fines. Drafted memoranda to senior officials and in-house Legal Counsel that stated and reinforced my findings, and outlined the basis for trial where reasonable settlement was not possible. Managed small task forces that, among other things, helped draft policy, guidelines, and reduced inter-division case-load backlogs. Reviewed and analyzed internal company trade transaction records as well the records (Suspicious Activities Reports – SARs), of most major U.S. banks records pursuant to investigative actions, and submitted findings to senior officials.

**Please note that I experienced a period of non and under-employment from 1995-1998 upon leaving the Office of DC Corporation Counsel and transferring to my home state of Louisiana to pursuit potential business opportunities. District of Columbia, Office of the Corporation Counsel (now Office of the Attorney General) 1993-1995 Assistant Corporation Counsel

Prosecuted high volume of municipal gambling, narcotics, solicitation, and child abuse and neglect. Mediated multiple civil actions on behalf of the government as an alternative dispute resolution. Provided District of Columbia Department of Human Services social workers and other related parties with legal counsel including representation at trials and hearings. Conducted all phases of pre-trial discovery and trial preparation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, DC 1991-1993

Research Assistant

Conducted legal research, analyzed hundreds federal discrimination cases from petitioners seeking redress of alleged grievances. Drafted recommendation memorandum for purposes of providing the Commissioner to whom I was assigned with substantive proposed positions on each case prior to a full Commission disposition vote.

Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury 1989-1990 Student Research Assistant

During third year of law school, drafted recommendation memorandum for disposition of hundreds of U.S. Iranian sanctions violations cases. Analyzed importation requests from U.S. persons or foreign entities regarding the importation into the U.S. of non-fungible, Iranian- origin goods.

Education

• Juris Doctorate, Howard University School of Law May 1990

• Bachelor of Science Degree, Southern University May 1984

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