Former Commerce export control official joins Akin Gump

Washington law firm Akin Gump said Kevin J. Wolf, who most recently served as the Commerce Department’s assistant secretary for export administration, joined its international trade practice.    Akin Gump, a Washington D.C.-based law firm, said Kevin J. Wolf, who most recently served as the Commerce Department’s assistant secretary for export administration, joined its international trade practice.
   Also joining the firm from Commerce is Steve Emme, who served as senior advisor to Wolf.
   Wolf’s appointment follows the recent arrival of EU trade partner Jasper Helder to the firm’s London office.
   “Building on Jasper Helder’s arrival to our London office last November, Kevin represents another tremendous addition to our market-leading international trade team,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith in a statement.
   “A great many of our clients are affected by U.S. export controls and sanctions rules, and it’s hard to overstate the benefit of having someone of the caliber of Kevin, who wrote the book on U.S. export control regulations, available to advise them,” Koopersmith added.
   Wolf’s practice at Akin Gump will include advising clients globally on international trade regulatory matters, with a focus on the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ (CFIUS) regulations and process.
   Prior to his appointment to Commerce seven years ago, Wolf was a partner at another large law firm. There, he worked on a variety of international trade law issues, including international sanctions and the FCPA. In addition, he handled a number of high-profile, multi-year corporate and civil defense matters pertaining to export control, sanctions and other areas.