Sheppard Mullin

Sheppard Mullin’s international trade team helps clients address their most challenging sanctions (OFAC), export (DDTC and BIS) and import (DHS), and anti-bribery (DOJ and SEC) issues.  Our team of international trade attorneys has extensive experience helping clients with projects such as the following:

• Counseling on risk-based compliance strategies
• Developing and rolling out compliance policies and procedures
• Preparing and delivering compliance training
• Addressing day-to-day compliance questions
• Analyzing and counseling related to M&A and other corporate transactions
• Conducting and supporting due diligence
• Preparing and managing compliance audits
• Leading internal investigations and reviews
• Advising on government investigations
• Implementing compliance enhancements and corrective actions
• Negotiating settlements and penalties

Our international trade attorneys work directly with clients and – as necessary – with the government regulators themselves to help clients understand and comply with their obligations.

With respect to US sanctions issues, the obligations change regularly as a reflection of US foreign policy.  Our international trade attorneys are always on top of the relevant laws.  Whether the matter involves facilitation or the export of services, the 50% rule or a license application, a voluntary disclosure or responding to a subpoena, our international trade team can help.

When exporting US-origin products or technologies, it is essential to understand the classification of the export (whether controlled under the ITAR or the EAR), where it will be sent, its end use and its end user.  Our international trade team helps clients address all of these issues, as well as the corresponding issue of whether a license or other authorization is needed to make the export.  Our international trade attorneys can also assist with the routine administrative export requirements, such as registering with the State Department or keeping proper records.

The FCPA prohibits US companies and individuals, as well as US issuers, from making or offering bribes to non-US government officials.  There also are recordkeeping and internal controls provisions by which issuers must abide.  Our international trade team understands that these relatively simple concepts can be very difficult to apply in practice – whether in the case of gifts and hospitality, the hiring of third party agents and representatives, deciding whether to permit facilitating payments, or making a disclosure to the Fraud Section or the SEC.

Import matters also present challenges to our clients, whether because of duty classification issues, country of origin marking decisions, or working with CBP on seizures or other such matters.  Our international trade attorneys can help with any of these issues.

In addition to these areas of practice, our international trade attorneys have deep experience advising clients on matters related to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, anti-boycott regulations (whether administered by the Treasury Department or the Office of Anti-boycott Compliance), anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and many other trade regulatory matters.  Please contact us anytime if we can assist.

 

"As Sheppard Mullin continues to grow, it is important that we not lose sight of the need to recruit women, attorneys of color and others of diverse backgrounds."
-Guy Halgren, Chairman of the Executive Committee

At Sheppard Mullin, we make every effort to recruit the finest lawyers and nurture their talents. The firm recognizes the importance of diversity and the need to create a workplace of inclusion. We need ¿ and our clients demand ¿ a team of attorneys that is as diverse as our increasingly global client base. Achieving and maintaining diversity is key to great client service ¿ a core value of our firm. What distinguishes good intentions from results is a commitment by senior management to find the best attorneys possible coupled with the sincere belief that people with diverse backgrounds bring valuable attributes to the firm. At Sheppard Mullin, the Executive Committee, Diversity Committee, and the lawyers in each of our offices work hard to ensure that all attorneys who join our firm fit in seamlessly and are encouraged to succeed.

Members of our Diversity Committee include ethnically diverse attorneys and a representative from the firm's Executive Committee. Diversity Committee members have served on the Boards of the Anti-Defamation League, the Black Women Lawyers Foundation (Los Angeles), and the Charles Houston Bar Association (northern California). Women and minority attorneys participate on key committees of the Firm (Executive Committee; Compensation Committee; Diversity Committee; Recruiting Committee; Professional Personnel Committee; Associate Issues Committee). Four of the Firm's nine Office Administrative Partners are women, one of whom is African-American and another is multi-racial.

"Serving on the firm's Diversity Committee is one of the most important things I do. I firmly believe that we must be vigilant in our efforts to recruit talented women attorneys and attorneys of color. Our success in this area has a positive effect our firm's culture, practice and client relationships."
-Joan Story, Member Executive Committee and Diversity Committee

Below is a description of just some of our outreach efforts.

• The firm participates in and financially supports the California Minority Counsel Program and the ABA Minority Counsel Program, as well as several minority bar associations. These groups are dedicated to increasing access for and promoting and retaining minorities in the legal profession.
• The firm actively recruits law students of color, e.g., we participated in the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) of the Western Region job fair held at UCLA School of Law.
• Sheppard Mullin contributes to the Minority Corporate Counsel Association; California Women Lawyers; Queen's Bench; Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles; and the National Black Law Students Association, among others.
• We actively participate with other major Los Angeles law firms in the Diversity Directors Roundtable, a group that is committed to promoting diversity in the legal profession and in our firms.
• The firm received the Law Firm Award from the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation for its strong commitment to the promotion of community and pro bono activities.
• Multicultural Law magazine named Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as one of "The 2011 Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity."
• Sheppard Mullin helped underwrite the production of a motion picture project entitled "Soul of Justice: The Life and Times of Thelton Henderson." The film chronicles the life of respected African-American jurist Thelton Henderson, a crusading civil rights litigator and role model.
• The firm signed the Bar Association of San Francisco's "No Glass Ceiling Initiative," BASF's "Minority Goals and Timetables," the New York County Lawyers' Association Diversity Statement, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Diversity Statement.

Much of our pro bono work relates to the diversity of the communities in which we practice; sample clients include:

• Constitutional Rights Foundation
• Domestic Violence Project, Los Angeles Bar Association
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
• Task Force for the Women's Resource Fair, City of San Diego
• Tolerance Through Education Program, Beverly Hills Barristers Associations
• Violence Against Women Act Program, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Awareness of diversity enables us to understand the value of differences. At Sheppard Mullin, we are committed to hiring top tier attorneys, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.