Ajay Kuntamukkala, partner at Hogan Lovells, has been named office managing partner in the firm's Washington, D.C., office, effective July 1, the firm announced. Succeeding Michele Farquhar in D.C., Kuntamukkala currently sits as a co-leader of the International Trade & Investment practice. His practice centers on "economic sanctions, export controls, and compliance with government licenses and authorizations," among other things, the firm said.

The Federal Maritime Commission has hired Alex Chintella as an administrative law judge, FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei announced June 21. Chintella was previously an attorney and administrative hearing officer with the Federal Railroad Administration.

Deborah Curtis, a former export control and sanctions official, has joined Arnold & Porter as a partner in its White Collar Defense & Investigations practice in Washington, the firm announced. Her practice will center on "national security investigations and defense, and other litigation and enforcement matters." Curtis previously served as the chief counsel for the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, a trial attorney for export control and sanctions at DOJ, and as deputy general counsel for litigation and investigations for the CIA.

Charlie Steele, former chief counsel at the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control during 2019-2020, launched a solo law practice called the Law Office of Charles Steele, the attorney announced on LinkedIn. The firm's work will center on "U.S. economic sanctions matters, including counseling, compliance advice, license applications, enforcement matters, and delisting petitions," along with proceedings involving the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and national security. Steele added that he will continue his practice at Forensic Risk Alliance, where he has worked as a partner since 2020.

Trade attorney Dariya Golubkova, former associate at Holland & Knight, moved to Kasowitz Benson, she recently announced on LinkedIn. Golubkova worked in Holland & Knight's international trade and national security practice and will move to Kasowitz Benson's litigation and sanctions practices. According to her new firm, Golubkova's practice centers on "complex commercial and international litigation," given her experience with "compliance, licensing and enforcement issues" stemming from U.S. sanctions and import and export control laws.

Former partners at Crowell & Moring and Ashurst have joined European firm Van Bael & Bellis's growing London-based International Trade practice, the firm announced. Michelle Linderman, formerly at Crowell, joins as a partner whose practice will center on "UK-specific and cross-border sanctions, the UK Modern Slavery Act, export controls, and cybersecurity issues," among other issues in international trade and sanctions. Joining her is Ross Denton, former head of International Trade at Ashurst, as senior counsel. His practice will key in on "export controls, sanctions, customs and trade remedies, as well as cartels, state aid/subsidy control and foreign direct investment control."

Mayer Brown added former DOJ attorney Adam Hickey as a partner. Hickey, previously deputy assistant attorney general in DOJ’s National Security Division, will focus on sanctions, export controls and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., among other issues, the firm said this week.

Caitrin McKiernan, former attorney with Shearman & Sterling, joined Steptoe & Johnson's Hong Kong and New York offices as a partner in its Investigations and White-Collar Defense Practice. McKiernan's practice will center on "multijurisdictional compliance reviews and internal investigations, crafting compliance policies, providing proactive compliance counseling, and leading interactive compliance training," the firm said. McKiernan also will aid companies seeking to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, economic sanctions and export controls, the firm said.

Catherine Hein, former acting principal deputy assistant general counsel of enforcement and intelligence at the Treasury Department, has joined Latham & Watkins in its Washington, D.C.-based Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and U.S. National Security Practice. While at Treasury, Hein also worked as the CFIUS managing counsel helping review cases before the committee. Her practice will focus on "matters involving CFIUS and US national security regulatory regimes," the firm said.

Seven attorneys and two international trade professionals, all from McDermott Will, joined Blank Rome's international trade practice group in Washington. The new lawyers are partners Joanne Osendarp and Eric Parnes, senior counsel Lynn Kamarck and Alan Kashdan, of counsel Conor Gilligan, and associates Tyler Kimberly and Brendan Saslow. Also joining are Jorge Miranda as trade economic adviser and Deborah Flinn as international trade manager, both from McDermott Will. Osendarp will co-chair the practice group with Anthony Rapa. The attorneys' practices involve trade remedy cases, export controls and sanctions proceedings and False Claims Act litigation, among other things, Blank Rome said.