International Trade Counsel / Senior Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 315,000 - 415,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Mental Health

Family Care Benefits

Disability Coverage

Parental Leave

HSA & FSA

401(k)

Flexible PTO

Bonus Eligibility

Job summary

Direct Counsel is seeking an International Trade Counsel or Senior Associate Attorney to join its Washington, DC office. The role focuses on complex export controls, sanctions, customs, and national security matters for leading clients.

The ideal candidate has 6+ years of experience, DC Bar admission, and a track record advising on EAR, ITAR, OFAC, and related frameworks, with strong research and writing skills and client-facing capacity.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to the District of Columbia Bar (or eligibility for admission).
• 6+ years of experience in international trade, export controls, economic sanctions, customs, or related regulatory matters.
• Experience advising on EAR, ITAR, OFAC sanctions, and other U.S. trade regulatory frameworks.
• Significant experience preparing export classifications, commodity jurisdiction requests, license applications, and related government filings.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on compliance with U.S. export control regulations, including EAR, ITAR, OFAC sanctions, and customs regulations.
• Prepare and submit export license applications, Technology/TAAs, and other regulatory filings.
• Counsel on international trade and sanctions issues in cross-border transactions (M&A, joint ventures, tech transfers).
• Advise on CFIUS reviews and national security considerations in foreign investment transactions.
• Design and enhance international trade compliance programs, risk assessments, and employee training initiatives.
• Conduct internal investigations and voluntary disclosures involving export controls and customs compliance.

Skills

Legal research

Drafting

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Project management

Education

J.D. (ABA-accredited)

DC Bar admission or eligibility

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

International Trade Counsel / Senior Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel is seeking an International Trade Counsel or Senior Associate Attorney to join the Strategic Advisory & Government Enforcement practice of a prestigious Am Law firm in Washington, D.C.This is an outstanding opportunity for an attorney with 6+ years of experience advising clients on complex international trade, export controls, economic sanctions, customs, and national security matters. The practice counsels leading domestic and global companies across the aerospace, defense, technology, energy, life sciences, financial services, telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing sectors on evolving regulatory frameworks and cross-border business issues.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on compliance with U.S. export control regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), OFAC sanctions programs, and U.S. customs regulations.
• Conduct export jurisdiction and classification analyses, including commodity jurisdiction requests and EAR/ITAR classification determinations.
• Prepare and submit export license applications, Technical Assistance Agreements, and other regulatory filings with the Departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury.
• Counsel clients on international trade and sanctions issues arising in cross-border transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, technology transfers, licensing agreements, and foreign investments.
• Advise clients on CFIUS reviews and national security considerations involving foreign investment transactions.
• Design, implement, and enhance international trade compliance programs, risk assessments, internal policies, and employee training initiatives.
• Conduct internal investigations and prepare voluntary self-disclosures involving export controls, sanctions, and customs compliance.
• Advise clients on emerging technology regulations affecting artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, cybersecurity, cloud computing, encryption, and advanced technologies.
• Assist clients with customs and import matters, including tariff classifications, country of origin determinations, valuation, duty assessments, and CBP inquiries.
• Represent clients before U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, State, Treasury, Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security.
• Manage multiple complex matters while providing strategic, business-focused legal advice.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to the District of Columbia Bar (or eligibility for admission).
• 6+ years of experience in international trade, export controls, economic sanctions, customs, or related regulatory matters.
• Experience advising clients on EAR, ITAR, OFAC sanctions, and other U.S. trade regulatory frameworks.
• Significant experience preparing export classifications, commodity jurisdiction requests, license applications, and related government filings.
• Experience with CFIUS reviews and national security matters is strongly preferred.
• Experience advising on customs compliance, tariff classifications, country of origin determinations, valuation, and CBP matters is preferred.
• Experience handling government investigations, enforcement matters, and voluntary disclosures is a plus.
• Familiarity with regulations impacting emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, cybersecurity, encryption, and cloud computing.
• Outstanding legal research, drafting, analytical, and communication skills.
• Strong project management abilities with the capacity to independently manage sophisticated client matters.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to client service.
• Prior experience with a U.S. government agency such as BIS, DDTC, OFAC, or a similar agency is a significant plus.
• Strong academic credentials and major law firm, government, or in-house experience.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $315,000-$415,000, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and bonus-eligible hour expectations.

Comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Mental health and wellness programs
• Child, family, elder, and pet care benefits
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Industry-leading parental leave
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Flexible Time Off (FTO) and paid holidays
• Annual discretionary performance bonus eligibility