Squire Patton Boggs has added a three partner team in Washington DC focused on international investigations, national security issues and counseling clients on transactions that require US Government approval, with the addition of Tom Firestone, Shannon Reaves, and Chris Griner. They, along with a team of supporting attorneys and staff, join from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, where Mr. Firestone co-chaired the Government Investigations & White-Collar Practice and Mr. Griner chaired the National Security/CFIUS/Compliance Practice.
“This is a premiere, multi-faceted team with decades of experience counseling international clients on high stakes matters in the courtroom and before government entities,” said Global Chair and CEO Mark Ruehlmann. “Their experience complements several areas of growth within our firm where clients are faced with acute demands and we are delighted to have Tom, Chris and Shannon as part of the team.”
Commenting on the team’s move to the firm, Mr. Firestone said, “While we all had the chance to explore opportunities at various law firms, Squire Patton Boggs stood out for its reputation in our respective areas of practice, the global scale we require to service and grow our practices and commitment to strategic growth.”
Mr. Reaves said, “We look forward to working alongside the exceptional group at Squire Patton Boggs. Their global platform and depth of practices will allow us to more comprehensively meet the needs of clients.”
Squire Patton Boggs has made several senior additions to its Washington DC office including former US Ambassador Paul Jones, global trade expert Everett Eissenstat, Meta Platforms, Inc’s Associate General Counsel, Competition and Regulatory Martin Mackowski, US Department of Treasury official Adam Hensel-Briscoe, and former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors Kathleen McGovern and Jerrob Duffy.
About the Team:
Mr. Firestone specializes in complex transnational investigations and international risk management and represents companies and individuals before the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of Treasury and other U.S. agencies. He also previously worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where he specialized in the investigation and prosecution of transnational organized crime. Mr. Firestone’s matters often involve the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and other sanctions laws, the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and other anti-money laundering laws, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and other federal criminal statutes related to business crime and national security, among other matters. He also previously served as Resident Legal Adviser at the US Embassy in Moscow and twice won the State Department’s Superior Honor Award for his work there.
Mr. Griner was chair of Stroock’s National Security/CFIUS/Compliance Practice Group. With decades of experience, Mr. Griner helps foreign and domestic companies negotiate the maze of government regulations involved in acquiring or investing in companies considered U.S. national security assets. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field of national security/CFIUS and played a key role in the development of FOCI mitigation arrangements used by the U.S. government today. Chris has been awarded many accolades, including the highest ranking by Chambers Global and as a Washingtonian “Star of the Bar.” He has been invited by the U.S., British and Italian governments to address CFIUS and other regulatory aspects of foreign direct investment in the United States, and has been quoted in prominent publications including The Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Deal, China Legal Review, Reuters and American Law Daily.
Mr. Reaves, formerly a lead partner in Stroock’s National Security/CFIUS/Compliance Group, is a nationally ranked national security attorney who focuses his practice in the areas of cross-border transaction reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), industrial security, including Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) mitigation matters before the U.S. Departments of Defense and Energy, and export control compliance. Mr. Reaves represents clients in pre-CFIUS filing analysis to determine potential national security issues; navigates CFIUS reviews and investigations, including assessing whether specific transaction structures create CFIUS jurisdiction; negotiates deal terms with the government; and advises companies regarding FOCI mitigation/negation compliance issues. He routinely negotiates FOCI mitigation/negation arrangements, including Special Security Agreements, Proxy Agreements, Security Control Agreements and FOCI Board Resolutions.
