Vinson & Elkins today announced that Tigist Kassahun has joined the firm as a Corporate partner. She will start in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office before soon transitioning her practice to New York. Kassahun joins Vinson & Elkins from Debevoise & Plimpton, where she was a counsel in the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions practices.

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Sidley is pleased to announce that John Foote has joined the firm’s Global Arbitration, Trade & Advocacy practice in Sidley’s office in Washington, D.C. Mr. Foote joins from Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, where he led the customs practice. Sidley’s Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy practice is a Chambers Band 1 practice in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

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Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Tom Sundlof, former senior attorney at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the Life Sciences industry team and Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group. Tom brings more than two decades of government experience to Blank Rome, including key legal positions at the FDA and the U.S. House of Representatives. Tom’s FDA practice was wide-ranging, including leading the agency on regulatory, compliance, and enforcement matters for medical devices, combination products, and other FDA-regulated products. Tom joins Blank Rome from the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel, where he served as Associate Chief Counsel and Assistant Deputy Chief Counsel (Acting), advising on high-profile regulatory actions, enforcement, and policy development.

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Akin announced today that Steven Emme, immediate past chief strategy officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), has joined the firm as an international trade partner in Washington, D.C. The move further strengthens Akin’s best-in-class international trade team, enhancing the firm’s export controls and sanctions practice capabilities. Prior to his most recent service at the BIS, Emme was senior counsel at Akin, advising clients on compliance with the BIS’ Export Administration Regulations, the Department of State’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations and sanctions regulations administered by the Department of the Treasury.

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Bracewell LLP announced today that Seth M. Barsky has joined the firm’s environment, lands and resources department as a partner in the Washington, DC office. Barsky joins after a distinguished career with the US Department of Justice (DOJ), where he served for over three decades and held senior roles within the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), most recently as Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG).

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Vinson & Elkins announced today that C.J. Polito has joined the firm as a Washington, D.C.-based partner in the firm’s Energy Regulatory Practice. Polito joins from Sidley Austin, where he was an Energy Regulatory partner. 

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Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced today that David Higbee, Ben Gris and Djordje Petkoski, three of the nation’s leading antitrust advisors, are joining the firm in Washington as partners in the Antitrust Practice. Higbee, Gris and Petkoski provide strategic antitrust counseling and advise on merger control matters, government and internal investigations, and complex litigation. Their experience spans multiple industries, including energy, technology, financial services, life sciences and defense.

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