John E Smith

Practice Areas

National Security, CFIUS, FARA, Sanctions + Export Controls; Investigations + White Collar Defense; Global Ethics + Compliance

Career

John E. Smith, former Director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), is co-head of Morrison & Foerster’s National Security practice, and a member of the Global Risk + Crisis Management group and Investigations + White Collar group. After serving 11 years as a top OFAC official, and three as its Director, Mr. Smith brings unmatched experience in economic sanctions, enforcement, and national security to MoFo.

Both in the United States and globally, clients turn to Mr. Smith for his deep experience and unique perspective on the complexities and escalating risk of U.S. and multilateral sanctions. He is a trusted advisor for clients navigating significant civil and criminal enforcement actions by U.S. and other government prosecutors and regulators. He also served for three years at the United Nations as part of an expert panel overseeing the global implementation of sanctions and five years as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, representing OFAC and other agencies in civil litigation involving national security and other matters.

Personal

J.D., Columbia Law School; BACHJ, University of Missouri; B.A., University of Missouri