Latham & Watkins‘s economic sanctions and export controls practice is a go-to for advice on primary and secondary sanctions, and a full-range of export controls mandates. Leveraging the firm’s global reach, the team is able to comprehensively advise a client base spanning multinational corporations and financial institutions. The group assists with filing voluntary self-disclosures, negotiating warning letters and responding to subpoena requests from agencies. With expertise in defense trade controls under ITAR and dual-use export controls under EAR, expert Les Carnegie leads the team, alongside Eric Volkman, who is well-positioned to advise on sanctions matters. Specializing in compliance and enforcement issues, Andrew P. Galdes assists clients to conduct investigations into their compliance with economic sanctions regulations administered by OFAC. With public and private sector experience, Ruchi Gill is another key lawyer advising on disputes and compliance. The firm’s offering with respect to critical technologies was strengthened by the addition of Aaron Amundson to the team in 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Key clients
- Cadence Design Systems
- Duolingo
- Robinhood
Work highlights
Representing the founder and former CEO of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, in connection with a complex resolution of multiple agency investigations.
Represented Duolingo before the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and successfully secured authorization from OFAC for Duolingo to provide its language-learning app, and administer its English proficiency exam, to students and other persons located in Syria.
Advised Cadence, an EDA and Intelligent System Design provider delivering hardware, software, and IP for electronic design, on the export controls and sanctions matters related to its acquisition of Arm’s Artisan foundation IP business, consisting of standard cell libraries, memory compilers, and general-purpose I/Os (GPIOs) optimized for advanced process nodes at the leading foundries.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Les Carnegie; Eric Volkman
Other key lawyers
Andrew Galdes; Ruchi Gill; Aaron Amundson