Judith Alison Lee

Judith A. Lee is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office and Chair of the firm’s International Trade and Regulation Compliance Practice Group.  Ms. Lee practices in the areas of international trade regulation, including USA Patriot Act compliance, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, economic sanctions and embargoes, and export controls.

Ms. Lee was been selected by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business as an international Leading Lawyer for USA International Trade in 2013.  She was also ranked by Chambers and Partners as a Leading International Trade Lawyer in Export Controls, Economic Sanctions, and FCPA in its Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2012.  Chambers and Partners also selected Ms. Lee as a Leading International Trade Lawyer in 2007 – 2012 in its Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business Guide and is listed in the Best Lawyers in America® guide for 2006 – 2013.  She has been included in The International Who’s Who of Trade and Customs Lawyers for 2009 – 2012 and The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers 2012.  Ms. Lee is also included in Euromoney's 2007 and 2008 “Guide to the World's Leading International Trade Lawyers,” U.S. Section.  In 2006, Ms. Lee was named by the Washington Business Journal as one of the Best Lawyers in the Washington, D.C. area for International Trade and Finance Law and was named by The Washington Post as one of Washington D.C.'s Super Lawyers for 2011 and one of the Best District of Columbia Attorneys by The Washington Post Magazine in 2013.  Ms. Lee was chosen by the Ethisphere Institute as one of three of the 2013 “Attorneys Who Matter” in the field of Trade/Export Compliance, on the basis of counsel “who are best prepared to handle any issue around their particular specialty.”  She has also been named as a Top Attorney by DC Magazine for 2010 and by SuperLawyers for 2012. 

Ms. Lee currently serves on the International Law Advisory Board for Strafford Publications.  She is the Chair of the International Sales Subcommittee on Export Controls, Sanctions and Anti-Corruption of the International Bar Association and serves as an officer of the International Bar Association's International Sales Committee.  Ms. Lee is the past Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Committee on Export Controls and Embargoes, and was a past chair of the American Bar Association Customs Law Committee.  Ms. Lee was appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of International Trade to that court's Rules Advisory Committee and Jurisdiction Committee.  She is also a past member of the Board of Directors of the Customs and International Trade Bar Association. 

Ms. Lee is a member of the Bars of Virginia and the District of Columbia.  Ms. Lee received her law degree in 1987 from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary and her bachelor of arts in 1984 from Mount Holyoke College, where she studied Chinese and politics.  In 1983 and 1984, she attended Donghai University in Taiwan, where she studied Chinese language, culture and politics.  Ms. Lee is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  She is a member of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's Diversity Committee. 

Speaking Engagements

• ACI’s 7^th National Forum on Prepaid Card Compliance panel on “Developing, Implementing, and Maintaining AML Compliance Programs,” and at the Master Class on “Emerging Payment Systems:  Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Considerations for New Technologies and Evolving Products,” in Washington, D.C., January 30, 2013
• ACI’s AML & OFAC Compliance for the Insurance Industry panel on “Regulatory and Enforcement Roundtable:  Perspectives from OFAC, the DOJ, the Office of the NY State AG, the Secret Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the NY County District DA’s Office,” and  “Benchmarking Your AML and OFAC Compliance Initiatives – Identifying Industry Best Practices and Incorporating Them Into Your Compliance Programs,” in New York, NY, January 22-23, 2013
• “New Sanctions Based SEC Reporting Requirements and the Expanded Sanctions on Iran,” Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, December 12, 2012
• PLI’s Coping with U.S. Export Controls 2012 panel, “OFAC Economic Sanctions – Dramatic Changes in Pace and Scope,” in Washington, D.C., December 11, 2012
• ACI’s 3rd OFAC Boot Camp panel, “Demystifying U.S. Sanctions Against Cuba Amid Conflicting Canadian and EU Blocking Measures: What the Restrictions Mean for Your Employees and Transactions Worldwide,” in New York, NY, December 5, 2012
• Washington Area Corporate Counsel Association (WMACCA) on “Export Control Reform: What You Should be Doing Now,” in Tyson’s Corner, VA, November 1, 2012
• ACI's 4th Annual Emerging Payment Systems, “Understanding OFAC in the Context of Emerging Payment Systems,” in Washington, D.C., September 27, 2012
• PLI's One-Hour Briefing on the “Dodd-Frank Act's Conflict Minerals Provisions: Analysis of the Due Diligence and Reporting Requirements,” September 25, 2012
• “Conflict Minerals: Understanding the SEC’s Final Rules,” Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, September 18, 2012
• ACI’s Advanced Forum on “OFAC Enforcement and  Compliance” in  Washington, DC, April 25, 2012
• ACI’s 3rd National Conference on “Emerging Payment Systems” in San Francisco, April 16, 2012
• A 2012 Update on Encryption Export Controls, Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, February 21, 2012
• “Extraordinary Times for OFAC and Economic Sanctions” presentation to MetLife’s Compliance Division, Jan. 18, 2012
• 2011 Year-End OFAC Update, Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, January 12, 2012
• ACI’s annual OFAC Boot Camp, December 1, 2011, in New York
• “Office of Foreign Assets Controls: Operations of United States Sanctions Programs,” A Presentation to First Hawaiian Bank, September 19, 2011
• CLE-credit program “OFAC Regulatory Overview,” for McDonald’s Corporation’s Legal Department, May 6, 2011
• 2011 Mid-Year OFAC Update, Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, July 13, 2011 
• ACI’s 4th National Forum on OFAC Enforcement & Compliance Conference, “OFAC Investigations, Penalties and Settlements for Non-Regulated Entities and Individuals,” April 28, 2011
• ACI’s 2nd China Summit on Export Controls Compliance, “Getting EAR Jurisdiction Right:  How to Classify Under the CCL, ECCN's, de minimus and More,” and “Preventing Encryption Pitfalls:  How to Incorporate China and U.S. Restrictions Into Your Export Program,” April 12-13, 2011
• The Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative, Gibson Dunn Hosted Program, March 8, 2011
• 2010 Year-End OFAC Update, Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, January 6, 2011
• OFAC's Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations – Expanded Scope and New Requirements, Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, September 16, 2010
• Ethisphere Institute Webinar on July 29, 2010 on “OFAC Sanctions:  A Mid-Year Review,” highlighting the significant developments in OFAC sanctions during the first half of 2010 and touching on current legislative and executive developments; co-presenter: Jim Slear
• Canadian Bar Association's Foreign Investment Review Committee Conference, “The Investment Canada Act: New Law and Policy,” in Toronto, June 4, 2010.
• ACI's 3rd National Forum on OFAC Enforcement & Compliance, “Fundamentals of Compliance with U.S. Economic Laws:  OFAC Programs Demystified,” April 28, 2010
• Strafford Publications teleseminar, “FCPA Compliance in Joint Ventures,” April 21, 2010
• OFAC Sanctions: Overview and Update 2010, Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, February 17, 2010
• ACI's 5th National Forum on Export Enforcement & Investigations, “The Fallout from FCPA Cases:  Minimizing Increased Risks of Crossover Government Export Investigations,” January 29, 2010
• Strafford Publications webinar, “Foreign Asset Control Compliance in Domestic and International Transactions,” October 6, 2009
• American Conference Institute's India Summit on Anti-Corruption Compliance and Enforcement, Presenter, Workshop on “Fundamentals of FCPA Compliance: Navigating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practice Act,” in Mumbai, India, June 2, 2009
• American Conference Institute's “2nd National Forum on OFAC Enforcement and Compliance,” Panel Moderator on “Facilitation: What is it and How to Minimize Risks,” Washington, DC, April 21, 2009
• Northern Virginia Technology Council and Administrative Committee of Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Area, presentation on U.S.-China Trade Issues, in Tysons Corner, Virginia, October 23, 2008 
• The 2008 New England Women's Global Leadership Conference, presentation on International Law, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts, September 27, 2008
• Strafford Publications, Inc.'s seminar (teleconference) on “Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Voluntary Disclosures,” September 16, 2008
• Women in Regulatory Law (WIRL) Symposium on “Challenges in International Security,” panel moderator for “The Role of Economic Sanctions in International Security,” in Washington, D.C. at the Museum of Women in the Arts, June 18, 2008
• American Conference Institute's ”OFAC Enforcement and Compliance National Forum,” panel on “Facilitation:  What Is It, and How to Minimize Risks,” in Washington, D.C., June 17, 2008
• American Conference Institute's 3rd National Forum on Export Enforcement  & Investigations “M&A Due Diligence: Reducing the Risk of Successor Liability,” January 31, 2008
• “OFAC Sanctions: Overview and Updated,” Gibson Dunn Hosted Webcast, December 6, 2007
• Ethisphere webcast on “Exporting Technology and High-Tech: Your Responsibilities Under U.S. Export Control Laws,” October 9, 2007
• Aviation Week's “Defense Suppliers' Forum,” Export Controls panel, on Commodity Jurisdiction issues, June 4, 2007
• American Conference Institute's 10th National Forum on Export Controls, “Foreign Nationals: Managing U.S. Restrictions on Dual Nationals and Complying with EU Privacy Laws,” May 16, 2007
• Women in International Regulatory Law Symposium's “International Regulatory Law as a Positive Force for Change,” Post-Symposium Panel on “Revolving Doors: Charting an Ethical Career Path in International Law,” April 25, 2007
• Strafford Publications, Inc.'s seminar (teleconference) on “Foreign Asset Control Compliance in Domestic and International Transactions: Avoiding Penalties Absent Clear Government Guidance,” April 17, 2007
• Strafford Publications, Inc.'s seminar (teleconference) on “Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Staying Out of the Government's Crosshairs,” January 25, 2007
• Executive Enterprise Institute (EEI) and Credit Union Times (CUT) conference on “Complying with the Bank Secrecy Act/USA Patriot Act” on topic OFAC Update 2006, December 14, 2006
• Strafford Publications, Inc.'s seminar (teleconference) on “Assuring Foreign Assets Control Compliance in Domestic and International Transactions,” September 13, 2006
• Strafford Publications, Inc.'s seminar (teleconference) on “Assuring Foreign Assets Control Compliance in Domestic and International Transactions,” June 7, 2006
• NACM (National Association of Credit Management) - February 9, 2004 seminar (teleconference) on sanctions issues

Publications

• Lee, Judith A. and Doody, James, “Office of Foreign Assets Control Compliance: Recent Developments,” The Banking Law Journal, November/December 2011
• Lee, Judith A. and Doody, James, “Office of Foreign Assets Control: The Little Agency with a Big Bite,” The Review of Banking & Financial Services, August 2011
• Lee, Judith A. and Doody, James, “2010: OFAC's Big Year,” Law360.com, March 2011
• Lee, Judith A. and Noonan, Linda, “Bank Secrecy, Money Laundering, and Terrorist Financing,” International Enforcement Law Reporter, December 2010
• Lee, Judith A. and Slear, James D., “OFAC Uses New Enforcement Tools Against Foreign Bank,” The Export Practitioner, November 2009
• Lee, Judith A., West, Joseph D., Brennan, Christyne, Wharwood, Dave M., and Speice, Patrick F., “National Security Implications of Foreign Investment in U.S. Government Contractors,” Briefing Papers Second Series, West Group - Thomson West, 2007
• Lee, Judith A. and Plaine, Daniel J., “Making Way For International Business Integrity And Compliance Due Diligence In Cross-Border Acquisitions,” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, May 2007
• Lee, Judith A. and Slear, James D., “Beware of OFAC:  A little-known agency poses challenges to international finance,” International Financial Law Review, September 2006
• Lee, Judith A. and Slear, James D., “Special problems concerning the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in the People's Republic of China,” IBA Legal Practice Division, Litigation Committee Newsletter - September 2006
• Lee, Judith A. and Slear, James D., “Doing Business in China: Unique Corruption Compliance Concerns and Strategies,” Washington Legal Foundation, Contemporary Legal Note Series, Number 51 - August 2006
• Lee, Judith A., West, Joseph D., and Monahan, Jason A., “U.S. Export Control Compliance Requirements for Government Contractors,” Briefing Papers, Thomson-West, November 2005
• Lee, Judith A., “Exclusion of Infringing Products from Importation and Other International Trade Remedies,” Intellectual Property Law - Damages and Remedies, 2004