
International Trade: CFIUS Experts
USA Guide 2026 : USA - Nationwide
Rankings

Ranked Individuals
Ranked Individuals
Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Work Highlights
Provided by Chambers
Covington & Burling represented Rio Tinto in securing CFIUS approval for its $6.7 billion acquisition of Arcadium Lithium.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
Covington & Burling has an excellent understanding of US trade law and implications. The firm has resources to work through complex matters quickly and effectively with a wide and deep bench. The team has a very good understanding of how enforcement impacts clients' businesses commercially, operationally and financially.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSACovington & Burling has detailed knowledge of the law and proceedings of the US Department of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission. The firm's counsel has significant experience from working in both agencies, which is a great advantage. It provides excellent advice and is very responsive.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSACovington & Burling is extremely thorough, thoughtful and careful. The team has very strong technical legal skills and abilities; its attorneys are genuine subject matter experts who are very responsive.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Notable Practitioners
Provided by Chambers
Senior Statespeople 
Senior Statespeople 
Corinne A Goldstein
Corinne Goldstein boasts an impressive trade practice that sees her handle both export controls and economic sanctions work. She is particularly well thought of for her deep knowledge of OFAC. Corinne has deep expertise.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Senior Statespeople 
Senior Statespeople 
John K Veroneau
John Veroneau maintains an active trade practice and is noted for his work in the policy arena. His client base includes manufacturers and trade groups. Band 1 
Band 1 
David N Fagan
David Fagan wins widespread acclaim for his expert handling of CFIUS reviews. He is also adept at advising on issues such as FOCI mitigation. David sees a lot of transactions and so he has really good granular knowledge about how certain fact patterns and parties are likely to be viewed by the CFIUS. He is a great strategist and adviser.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSADavid is an exceptionally skilled adviser. He has a depth of knowledge and is really thoughtful about the pushes and pulls of any situation.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSADavid is able to distil down situations to the key points that you should be aware of. He is able to crystallize complex concepts very quickly and is really smart.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSADavid is a great, strategic legal adviser. He deeply understands the business and legal needs of his customers. He creatively works through difficult situations and is a great communicator.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 1 
Band 1 
Mark E Plotkin
Mark Plotkin comes highly recommended for his expertise in the CFIUS space. His clients include defense and technology companies. Mark is a trusted adviser to his clients and is able to convey comfort to clients given the experience of his practice.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAMark has deep insight and great experience in this field. He is calm, creative and great to work with.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAMark is one of the grandfathers of the CFIUS bar.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 1 
Band 1 
Peter L Flanagan
Peter Flanagan is a seasoned practitioner who regularly assists clients with issues relating to trade controls. He often works with clients in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical and defense industries. Peter is a phenomenal sanctions specialist in DC. He is a go-to lawyer for very sensitive and important topics.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAPeter is a great partner. He has a sense of urgency, a good understanding of the business and provides easily applicable guidance.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAPeter's strength is that he is particularly practical with regulations; it's not about just understanding them, but about what a company might need to do and he has the ability to communicate that to clients. He has a great personality and is great to work with.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 1 
Band 1 
Peter Lichtenbaum
Peter Lichtenbaum is a leading lawyer in the trade controls space. He is particularly experienced in working with aerospace and defense clients. Peter is one of the best export control lawyers out there in the market today. He is very diligent, very precise and an excellent writer. We have a lot of trust in his very clear, well-reasoned advice.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAPeter is a subject matter expert who gets called into the trickiest matters. He loves to dive into complex regulatory issues and dig deep.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAPeter has a great sense of the regulatory environment as well as business savvy. This lays the foundation for the guidance he provides.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 2 
Band 2 
Adam J Szubin
Adam Szubin has strong skills in OFAC matters. His clients include financial institutions. Adam is great. He is super careful, super smart and really good on sanctions.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAAdam has always been fantastic and a pleasure to work with. He knows the subject matter as well as anyone.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAAdam is extremely accomplished and very smart. In terms of brainpower, he is really impressive and his heft in this space is phenomenal.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 2 
Band 2 
Kimberly A. Strosnider
Kimberly Strosnider serves as co-chair of the firm's international trade controls group. She is well regarded for her extensive counseling work and advising on economic sanctions.
Kimberly brings a different perspective and encyclopedic knowledge.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAKimberly is lovely to work with. She is very responsive, very knowledgeable and provides expert advice in this space. She provides practical advice on how to implement ways to protect the company and thinks outside of the box for regulatory matters.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAKimberly is amazing. She can take the most complicated, difficult and challenging area and explain it in a way that makes it simple and accessible to make sure everyone has a shared understanding. She becomes everyone's expert.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 3 
Band 3 
Shara Aranoff
Shara Aranoff is known for her strength in trade remedy litigation. She regularly handles antidumping and countervailing duty cases. Shara is an expert in the field. She knows how customs will react, knows everyone at customs and can communicate a sense of this and these issues.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAShara is extremely helpful and can quickly provide substantive advice.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAShara has a deep understanding of the approach of US government agencies and courts to regulating international trade and always provides pragmatic and forward-looking advice.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 4 
Band 4 
Heather Finstuen
Heather Finstuen has a growing practice advising both US and international clients on securing CFIUS approval. Her expertise also includes the mitigation of FOCI.
Heather provides very strong legal guidance. She is great at translating your needs to legal text and vice versa. She really digs in to understand the business and its needs.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAHeather is a really talented and sharp lawyer.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAHeather has good commercial awareness and is an excellent problem-solver.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAHeather is very adept at advising on government regulatory considerations and issues. She is a fantastic partner.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 4 
Band 4 
Jonathan R Wakely
Jonathan Wakely regularly assists clients with CFIUS reviews. He advises automotive and pharmaceutical companies, among others. Jonathan is very knowledgeable and good at working with clients. He always understands the issues, parties' objectives and dynamics with the government.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAJonathan is a great person to work with. He absolutely knows what he is doing, which allows him to anticipate and help clients mitigate potential issues and challenges way before they arise.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAJonathan has an excellent combination of professional experience in government and in law. He guides clients through the regulatory process with outstanding explanations of where you are and what is needed. He really spends time understanding your business needs.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Band 5 
Band 5 
James Smith
James Smith is noted for his expertise in trade matters, with an adept understanding of US foreign trade law.
James' breadth of experience and expertise is his key strength. He provides good, practical advice and understands the business constraints to negotiate a favorable outcome.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAJames is very detail-oriented, technical and gives extremely detailed responses that are tailored to our needs.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSAJames is personable, attentive to our needs and answers all of our questions well.
International Trade: CFIUS Experts respondentUSA
Ranked Individuals at Covington & Burling LLP (12)
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