Susan Kovarovics, a leading export controls and sanctions practitioner, has joined Akin Gump as an international trade partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. She joins the firm from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, where she served as partner in charge of its Washington, D.C. office. While at that firm, she worked alongside Akin Gump international trade partners Kevin Wolf, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, and Mac Fadlallah, partner in charge of Akin Gump’s Dubai office.
With more than 20 years of experience in the private and public sectors, Ms. Kovarovics is a highly regarded, Chambers-ranked advisor to leading private and publicly held companies worldwide navigating the highly complex—and often quickly developing—legal and regulatory landscapes. Her practice focuses on compliance matters involving International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions, U.S. antiboycott laws, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
“The demand for compliance advice, particularly in the export controls and sanctions realms, has never been higher,” commented Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Susan is well known throughout the industry for providing creative, informed solutions to legal and compliance issues, and our clients will greatly benefit from her experience and insights. I am delighted to have her on board.”
Ms. Kovarovics joins the firm’s renowned export controls and sanctions team, which regularly represents leading companies around the globe across a variety of sectors, including technology, energy, investment funds and private equity, aerospace and defense. The group, comprising lawyers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, is one of the largest in the world, and has received recognition in Chambers and Legal 500 as well as awards from significant media outlets such as Financial Times, Law360 and WorldECR.
Tom McCarthy, head of Akin Gump’s international trade practice, added, “We are proud to offer our clients a premier export controls and sanctions team. Susan’s arrival marks another outstanding addition and is perfectly timed to match our clients’ increasing need for counsel in this space. I am excited to welcome her to our team.”
Ms. Kovarovics leverages her specialized experience to play a vital role in export and sanctions compliance, antiboycott, and anticorruption matters across an array of key industries, including aerospace, agribusiness, consumer electronics, defense, health care, higher education, manufacturing and national security.
Commenting on the move, Ms. Kovarovics said, “Akin Gump has an exemplary reputation in the market for its international trade practice and its top-flight offerings to clients across the full spectrum of export control and sanctions issues. The opportunity to work with this incredible group of practitioners, and, particularly, to work with Kevin and Mac again, was too good to pass up. I am delighted to be here.”
About Ms. Kovarovics
Ms. Kovarovics is a leading, Chambers-ranked international trade lawyer with more than 20 years of experience focused on export controls and sanctions matters. Ms. Kovarovics earned her J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law School and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Drew University.
About Akin Gump’s International Trade Practice and Regulatory Work
Akin Gump’s international trade practice comprises over 70 lawyers and advisors operating from offices in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and throughout the United States. The firm’s international trade team is highly regarded as a top-ranked practice, comprising lawyers and advisors with over six decades of experience guiding companies, industries and foreign governments through detailed trade regulatory processes. This wealth of knowledge and experience of the firm’s international trade team is vital to providing informative and timely updates to clients on the fast-moving and evolving sanctions and regulatory landscape resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The team assist clients with issues before the World Trade Organization; the EU Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union; the EU Directorate General for Trade; EU member states’ national customs, export controls, sanctions and foreign trade administrations, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the International Trade Commission; the U.S. Departments of State, Treasury, Commerce and Justice and affiliated agencies such as the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Bureau for Industry and Security; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the World Bank and other multinational development banks; the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies and offices that deal with international trade regulation.
The firm’s broader regulatory section has more than 100 professionals covering antitrust, communications, cybersecurity, financial services, environmental, government procurement, health care, international trade, privacy and transportation issues.
