Skadden announced today that Brian Egan has joined the firm as a partner in its Washington, D.C.-based CFIUS, National Security and International Trade Group. A former senior legal official with the Department of State, National Security Council, White House and Department of the Treasury, Mr. Egan worked most recently in the CFIUS and national security practice at another international law firm.
At Skadden, Mr. Egan will counsel U.S. and international clients from a cross section of industries on CFIUS reviews and foreign investment matters. He will advise on all aspects of export controls, including compliance, classification, licensing, enforcement and related transactional due diligence. Mr. Egan’s experience also extends to economic sanctions compliance and risk mitigation, civil and criminal enforcement matters and “blacklisting” issues. Additionally, he will counsel clients on matters involving government contracts, trade policy, anti-money laundering, public international law and cybersecurity.
During his distinguished career in public service, Mr. Egan focused on a broad range of legal issues impacting U.S. national security and foreign relations. As the senior-most lawyer at the State Department and the White House’s National Security Council, Mr. Egan worked extensively with almost every significant U.S. government department and agency with national security responsibilities, including the Departments of Justice, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce and Treasury, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI, CIA and NSA. Mr. Egan also served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy White House counsel during the administration of President Barack Obama, and as the Treasury Department’s assistant general counsel for enforcement and intelligence.
In these roles, Mr. Egan was deeply involved in CFIUS and export control matters — including in providing legal advice to White House officials on novel and high-profile CFIUS cases, assisting with reforms to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Export Administration Regulations as part of the president’s Export Control Reform initiative, among others. Mr. Egan handled numerous sanctions matters at Treasury, State and the National Security Council. Additionally, as the Senate-confirmed legal adviser to the State Department, he oversaw litigation involving the U.S. government before the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals and was instrumental in developing the U.S. government’s position on issues of public international law.
“Since leaving government for private practice, Brian has become one of just a few national security lawyers who are brought in regularly to support outside firms and clients with highly complex transactional and regulatory challenges — a testament to the high level of respect he has within the D.C. CFIUS, export control and sanctions bar,” said Michael Leiter, leader of Skadden’s CFIUS and national security practice. “Brian’s extensive experience in a wide range of sectors and geographies, as well as his understanding of evolving national security challenges, will further enhance the firm’s robust practice.”
“I look forward to joining the Skadden team — many of whom I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with in the past — and to helping the firm’s clients navigate highly complex and regulated national security issues,” said Mr. Egan.
A graduate of Stanford University, Mr. Egan earned his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He is ranked in Chambers USA for both CFIUS and Export Controls & Economic Sanctions and has received numerous performance-based awards from U.S. government agencies.