International Trade Commission member Rhonda Schmidtlein became chairman of the ITC by operation of law, succeeding outgoing chair David Johnason, whose term expired on June 16, the commission announced. She was nominated to the ITC by President Barack Obama in 2013 and previously served as chairman from 2017 to 2018. Prior to joining the commission, Schmidtlein served as a consultant to the World Bank for two years and worked as the founding director of the Office of International Affairs created to implement the obligations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

Matt Lapin, former partner at Porter Wright, has joined Wiley Rein as special counsel in the international trade and national security practice groups, the firm announced. Lapin's practice centers on "supply chain risk, export controls, economic sanctions, customs law, foreign investment, and anti-corruption," the firm said.

Rick Del Toro, a DOJ prosecutor focused on national security issues, is retiring from federal government, he announced on LinkedIn this week. He began working at DOJ in 1998 and helped lead the National Security Division’s investigations and prosecutions of export control and sanctions violations. He said he will return to “the practice of law” after a “lengthy sabbatical.”

International trade attorney Stephen Morrison has joined Wiley Rein as an associate, departing Morris Manning after joining the firm in August 2023 (see 2308100043), according to his LinkedIn page. Morrison previously served as a law clerk at the Court of International Trade, 2021-2023.

John Leonard, former deputy executive assistant commissioner at CBP, has joined Kim & Chang in the international trade and customs practice in South Korea, he announced on LinkedIn. Leonard worked at CBP for nearly 18 years, holding a variety of positions, most recently deputy executive assistant commissioner of CBP's Office of Trade.

David Lim, a former prosecutor with DOJ’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, has joined White & Case as partner, the firm announced May 29. Lim, who left DOJ earlier this month, was the co-director of DOJ’s Task Force KleptoCapture, where he supervised investigations and prosecutions of Russia-related sanctions and export control violations. The firm said he will advise clients on export control and sanctions enforcement risks and help handle government and internal investigations.

Samuel Moss, former attorney adviser with the Treasury Department, has joined the Pentagon as an associate general counsel, he announced on LinkedIn. Moss previously worked on issues related to sanctions and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. at Treasury (see 2405060003).

Global law firm Dentons on May 20 announced the launch of "a comprehensive offering to support" businesses in navigating the "opportunities and challenges" from the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, a deal that is expected to lead to new defense trade exemptions and other business opportunities for companies from the three countries (see 2404300050, 2404180035 and 2405140038). The firm said it will help companies "participate in public-private partnership opportunities afforded by AUKUS and navigate funding, policy, and regulatory issues." Those may include issues relating to defense contracting, technology transfers, supply chain integration and new export markets, it said.

Former DLA Piper trade attorneys Nate Bolin and David Allman joined K&L Gates as partners in the antitrust, competition and trade regulation practice, the firm announced. The two lawyers will focus on national security law matters, including export controls and sanctions.

Sanctions and export control attorney Keil Ritterpusch has joined Buchanan Ingeroll as a shareholder in the international trade and national security practice group, the firm announced May 13. Ritterpusch has worked across the defense, aerospace and software sectors and has helped clients put in place compliance programs involving the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, Export Administration Regulations, Foreign Trade Regulations, Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act requirements.