Anna Searcey is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the International Trade and White Collar Defense and Investigations practice groups.
Anna advises clients on U.S. trade laws designed to accomplish a range of foreign policy, national security, and human rights goals, focusing her practice on compliance with economic sanctions, export controls (EAR and ITAR), and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Her experience includes conducting internal investigations and representing clients before numerous regulatory agencies (such as the Departments of Treasury, Commerce, State, Justice, and Homeland Security), including filing voluntary self-disclosures, responding to subpoenas, resolving enforcement matters, and securing licenses and approvals. She also advises clients regarding the development of their compliance and ethics programs and conducts trade-related risk assessments, including supply chain due diligence targeting forced labor risks.
Anna maintains an active pro bono practice, including to help non-profits understand and navigate U.S. trade controls. She also has experience in immigration-related pro bono matters. Anna has assisted clients in connection with their asylum proceedings and applications for legal permanent residence, as well as representing families that were separated by the 2018 “Zero Tolerance” policy in pursuing Federal Tort Claims Act claims against the federal government.
She previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Paula Xinis of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. She received her law degree from the University of Virginia, where she served as the Notes Development Editor of the Virginia Law Review. Anna also participated in the Human Rights Study Project, interning in Myanmar (Burma) for a non-profit organization focused on promoting the rule of law. Prior to law school, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in International and Area Studies.
Anna is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Virginia.
Speaking Engagements
- Panelist, “Understanding U.S. Economic Sanctions on Cuba,” Miami-Dade Bar Association’s Florida Law Con (Apr. 12, 2024)
- Invited Speaker, “Global Sanctions Relating to Burma: Current State and What’s Next,” Burmese American Community Institute (BACI), Indianapolis, Indiana (Feb. 9, 2024)
- Invited Speaker, “U.S. Sanctions on Burma: An Overview from a Legal, Political, and Human Rights Perspective,” Asian American Bar Association (APABA) – Indiana Chapter, Indianapolis, Indiana (Feb. 9, 2024)
Publications
- Sanctions considerations for non-governmental organisations, Global Investigations Review’s The Guide to Sanctions – Fifth Edition (June 2024)
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- University of Virginia - 2018 Juris Doctor
- University of Oklahoma - 2015 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- District of Columbia Bar
- Virginia Bar
Clerkships:
- USDC, Maryland, Hon. Paula Xinis, 2019 - 2020