Akin is pleased to welcome Jason Prince, immediate-past Chief Counsel for the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), as a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Prince will help lead the firm’s top-tier, multijurisdictional economic sanctions practice.
At OFAC, Prince spearheaded the legal design of groundbreaking sanctions measures and led the legal review of all major enforcement, compliance, licensing, regulatory and litigation actions across more than 35 sanctions programs. Prior to his role as Chief Counsel at Treasury, Prince served as an attorney advisor in the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Enforcement and Intelligence, advising the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
With more than 18 years of legal experience in the public and private sectors, Prince brings extensive global sanctions and export controls know-how, including in the emerging areas of fintech and virtual currency. His practice focuses on representing exporters and multinational companies, including financial institutions, on complex international trade compliance and enforcement matters involving OFAC’s sanctions regulations, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the U.S. Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls’ International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
“Jason’s arrival strengthens our powerhouse team, which is perfectly positioned to advise clients in today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical environment across sanctions, export controls, national security and global investigations,” said Akin chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “He adds extensive global sanctions and export controls experience, including in the emerging areas of fintech and virtual currency, that are increasingly relevant to the market.”
Prince’s arrival at Akin reunites him with Opher Shweiki, who recently joined the firm from BIS. Together, as Chief Counsels, they closely collaborated on the legal review of export controls and economic sanctions regulations during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This reunion allows Akin to provide clients with the insights of the immediate-past Chief Counsels of both BIS and OFAC. Prince’s addition strengthens Akin’s sanctions, export controls, national security and global investigations team, connecting him with partners Kevin Wolf, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, and Jonathan Poling and Ryan Fayhee, former Department of Justice, National Security Division prosecutors.
“We see growing demand in this space, including in complicated sanctions regulatory and fast-paced enforcement work, and are excited to have Jason join Akin,” said international trade practice head Jonathan Poling. “With the former Chief Counsels from both OFAC and BIS and a deep bench on all things export, sanctions and ongoing enforcement work, we are well-positioned to continue to give our clients the best possible advice and representation.”
“I am truly honored to join Akin and be part of such an exceptional, multijurisdictional international trade team,” Prince said. “I have long admired the firm’s commitment to excellence and am excited to contribute to its first-class global reputation. Teaming up with Opher again and leveraging our collective experience, together with Akin’s already deep bench of strong talent, I am confident that we will bring immense value and continue to deliver outstanding results to our clients as they navigate the complex landscape of sanctions and export controls.”