Jenner & Block partner Rachel Alpert was tapped to serve as the chief counsel to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the firm announced on Oct. 24. Alpert has worked at Jenner & Block since 2021 and has fleshed out the firm's national security, sanctions and export controls practice, along with the human rights and global strategy practice. Her practice centered around export controls and sanctions proceedings under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, Export Administration Regulations and OFAC regulations, among other things. Prior to working at Jenner & Block, Alpert worked as an attorney-adviser to the State Department and as counsel at Latham & Watkins.

Ben Glassman, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, has been appointed deputy practice group leader for Squire Patton's Government Investigations and White Collar Practice group. As U.S. attorney from 2016 to 2019, Glassman prosecuted cases involving national security, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, antitrust and the False Claims Act, among other things, the firm said. Among other Squire Patton announcements was the appointment of Kendra Sherman as the firm's first U.S. national hiring chair.

Timothy Hruby, former chief of staff for the assistant secretary for enforcement and compliance at the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration, has joined Blank Rome as of counsel in the International Trade practice group. Hruby's practice will center on "international trade regulation," including trade remedies and customs proceedings, the firm announced. During his time at Commerce, Hruby worked as the lead negotiator for Commerce on trade remedies issues as part of the USMCA talks and "prepared high-level government officials for meetings with other U.S. and foreign government officials," the firm said. He is a U.S. roster member of binational panels for USMCA disputes.

Akin's Devin Sikes was appointed to the Court of International Trade's Rules Advisory Committee. The commiAn international trade counsel at Akin, Sikes adjudicates trade remedies and customs matters.

Over 99% of the partners at Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling voted for the two global firms to combine, with both parties beginning "active integration planning," aiming to complete the transaction by May, the Oct. 13 announcement said. Both have international trade and financial sanctions practices. The new firm, A&O Shearman, will have around 3,950 lawyers and 800 partners worldwide, the announcement said.

Joshua Drew, former assistant U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, has joined Miller & Chevalier as a member. Drew's practice will center on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act proceedings, corporate compliance and internal and external investigations, the firm said. He served as assistant U.S. attorney 2003-2009, and before that as a DOJ trial attorney in the agency's fraud section. More recently, Drew helped lead international communications company Veon through an FCPA monitorship.

Russell Semmel, former international trade attorney at Bryan Cave, has joined Sandler Travis as of counsel in the Miami office, the firm announced in an email. His practice will center on international trade law, regulation and policy matters, including tariff classification, economic sanctions and free trade agreements, among other things. Semmel worked at Bryan Cave for the past two years as counsel, and before that at ArentFox as a trade attorney.

Lydia Childre, former international trade and logistics senior associate at Venable, has joined boutique trade law firm Lighthill, the firm announced on LinkedIn. Childre worked at Venable for nearly two years after serving as a senior project adviser on Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs at the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration. Her practice at Lighthill will center on "national security and trade policy," the firm said. Lighthill was founded earlier this year by former Crowell & Moring attorney John Anwesen (see 2307050026).

International trade law firm Cassidy Levy hired Amy DeArmond, former director of government affairs at Leggett & Platt, to serve as the director of government affairs at the firm, Cassidy Levy announced in an email. DeArmond's experience centers on proceedings in front of the Commerce Department, the International Trade Commission, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, CBP and DHS. The firm said she helped put together a coalition strategy to "secure passage of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015."

Trade attorney Julia Kuelzow has moved from Kelley Drye, where she worked as an associate, to Fenwick & West, where she now works as a trade and national security associate, per a notice at the Court of International Trade. At Fenwick, Kuelzow's practice centers on export controls and sanctions, shifting from her trade remedies work at Kelley Drye. Prior to working at Kelley Drye, Kuelzow served as a law clerk at CIT and as a junior dispute settlement lawyer at the World Trade Organization, according to her LinkedIn page.