Martin brings over a decade of prominent government and private sector experience in economic sanctions, export controls, and other national security matters; she is the fifth former OFAC official to join the firm

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the arrival of Elyse Martin as of counsel in the firm’s National Security Group. Martin, who will be based in the firm’s Austin, Texas office, brings to the firm more than a decade of combined government and private practice experience in economic sanctions, export controls, and other foreign policy and national security trade and investment controls matters. Prior to her most recent private sector role, Martin served for more than five years at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), most recently as OFAC’s Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs.

Martin joins Morrison Foerster from another leading global firm, where she managed a substantial portfolio of complex sanctions matters, including preparing specific license applications and general license requests; advocating for clients before the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and State; counseling clients across a variety of sectors regarding ordinary course sanctions issues and the establishment or updating of risk-based sanctions compliance policies; providing critical sanctions support on major client divestments of Russian entities and businesses, as well as other corporate transactions; conducting internal investigations; preparing voluntary self-disclosures; and handling sensitive client enforcement matters.

During her tenure at OFAC, Martin directed the team responsible for OFAC’s regulatory actions across all sanctions programs. Prior to serving as Assistant Director at OFAC, Martin served as a Section Chief in OFAC’s Compliance Division and as a Sanctions Regulations Advisor in its Regulatory Affairs Division. Over the span of her career at OFAC, she was extensively involved in the development, implementation, and administration of OFAC’s sanctions programs, and played a critical role in the execution of many of OFAC’s most complex and highest profile sanctions actions, including those involving Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and Cuba. Among other responsibilities, Martin directed the team responsible for drafting, clearing, and publishing all of OFAC’s regulatory actions. She also worked closely on sanctions issues with interagency partners, including the National Security Council, the Department of State, and the Department of Commerce. Martin also provided significant input on enforcement, compliance, and licensing matters presenting unique and complex questions of interpretation and policy.

“Elyse’s extensive OFAC experience, including her broad command of the legal issues and regulations related to economic sanctions, as well as her export controls expertise, combined with her years of private practice experience, will be invaluable to our global clients seeking guidance on their most complex national security and foreign policy issues,” said John Smith, former OFAC Director and co-head of Morrison Foerster’s National Security practice. “Elyse’s arrival makes her the fifth OFAC official to join MoFo in recent years, further cementing the firm’s position as a national security industry leader.”

In addition to Smith and Martin, MoFo’s sanctions practice includes three other OFAC veterans: former OFAC Assistant Chief Counsel Andrea Delisi, former OFAC Enforcement Section Chief Rachel Fiorill, and former OFAC Sanctions Compliance Officer Charlotte Baskin-Gerwitz. Together with Smith, the MoFo National Security practice is co-headed by Brandon Van Grack, who oversaw sanctions and export control prosecutions at the U.S. Department of Justice before joining the firm. Nathanael Kurcab, who formerly served in the Intelligence Branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is also a senior member of the firm’s National Security/sanctions team.

“I am thrilled to join Morrison Foerster’s exceptional National Security team and the firm,” said Martin. “Having previously worked with many of the firm’s sanctions experts during my time at OFAC, I know I am joining a talented and dedicated team of lawyers. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues, new and old, and leveraging my extensive technical expertise to assist clients in solving their most complex sanctions issues, while drawing on my OFAC experience to help our clients take risk-based approaches with their multilayered sanctions matters.”

During her tenure at OFAC, Martin received several notable awards and recognitions, including OFAC’s “Outstanding Service” award in 2021 and two Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence awards for work on the Iran sanctions program and a significant project to serve OFAC’s national security and foreign policy goals, in addition to being recognized as OFAC’s sole “Outstanding New Employee of the Year” in 2016. Earlier in her career, she was an attorney at another prominent global law firm.

Martin earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from The George Washington University and her J.D. from New York University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, New York, and Texas.

About Morrison Foerster

Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. The year 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Morrison Foerster’s presence in Asia. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firm’s commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster has been named to The American Lawyer’s A-List for 20 of the ranking’s 21 years. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a longstanding commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of having at least 30 percent women, minority, LGBTQ+, and lawyers with disabilities representation across notable leadership roles and within the partnership. In addition, the firm was selected as the “Outstanding Firm for Diversity & Inclusion” as part of the Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: USA 2023. Morrison Foerster also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment. For more information, visit http://www.mofo.com.

Media Contact

Carla Del Bove, Morrison Foerster, 646-387-5068, [email protected]

SOURCE Morrison Foerster