National Security & Global Investigations

Akin’s National Security & Global Investigations practice handles cross-border criminal, civil administrative and congressional investigations and voluntary self-disclosures relating to potential sanctions, export control, anti-corruption, customs and anti-money laundering laws and regulations.

National security investigations require a deep understanding of today’s highly technical regulatory environment as well as the policy issues related to the matter at hand. Both are critical to crafting a strategy that limits risk and exposure as effectively and cost-efficiently as possible.

Our team includes numerous former senior government officials from the key enforcement and regulatory agencies conducting national security-related and cross-border investigations, including the Departments of Justice (DOJ), Treasury (Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)), Commerce (Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)), Homeland Security (Customs and Border Protection (CBP)) and State (Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC)). This depth and experience enable us to handle complex regulatory matters and seamlessly transition to high-profile enforcement actions and litigation.

We routinely work with non-U.S. headquartered companies and frequently draw on the experience of Akin’s U.S., U.K. and EU-qualified attorneys on the ground in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as our global network of trusted local country-based counsel. This global footprint equips us to manage the substantial collateral risks that increasingly accompany cross-border investigations, including issues related to data privacy and state secrecy laws, blocking statutes, immigration, crisis management and dawn raids, media relations, communications with multiple U.S. and non-U.S. law enforcement and regulatory authorities, engagement with auditors and audit committees, corporate governance and managing compliance remediation on a parallel track. We regularly assist clients in navigating DOJ’s National Security Division (NSD) Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations, and our attorneys have handled some of the most significant national security matters that are highlighted by the U.S. government.