Sanctions and export controls attorney Susan Kovarovics, a former partner at Bryan Cave, has joined Akin Gump as an international trade partner in the Washington, D.C., office, the firm announced. Kovarovics' practice centers around compliance issues involving International Traffic in Arms Regulations, Export Administration Regulations, Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the firm said.

Nadiya Nychay, former partner at Dentons, has joined Jones Day as a partner in its government regulation practice based in Brussels, the firm announced. Nychay covers matters involving the World Trade Organization, EU regulatory and trade proceedings and international trade disputes. She also counsels clients on international sanctions and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance, the firm said. Before joining Dentons, Nychay served as a legal officer in the Rules and Accessions Divisions at the WTO.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said, after it was announced that the administration nominated Doug McKalip to be chief agricultural negotiator in her office, "USTR’s Chief Agricultural Negotiator will play a pivotal role in maintaining and building on these successes on behalf of America’s workers, farmers, ranchers, and producers. Doug McKalip is a highly qualified nominee with decades of experience in public service. His institutional knowledge of USDA spans multiple administrations, from leading different offices to serving as trusted advisor to Secretary [Tom] Vilsack, and will help us continue the close collaboration between our agencies that has enabled so much success."

DOJ appointed Glenn Leon, Hewlett Packard Enterprise's ethics and compliance chief, to be the next head of the agency’s Fraud Section, an agency spokesperson said June 8. Leon will oversee the agency’s work in white-collar fraud and corruption, including violations and prosecutions involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor and served as a supervisor in DOJ’s securities fraud unit.

Retired Army Gen. Stephen Lyons, who ran the U.S. Transportation Command when he was in the military, has been named the new port and supply chain envoy to the administration's Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. He replaces John Porcari.

Venable has hired Richard DiNucci, a long-time CBP official who most recently was director of field operations in San Francisco, as a senior policy adviser in its international trade group, the law firm said. He will be based in Washington.

President Joe Biden will nominate Alexis Taylor, director of Oregon’s Department of Agriculture, to be USDA’s undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, the White House said May 13. Taylor previously oversaw USDA’s Farm Service and Foreign Agricultural Service agencies, where she worked to “open new markets and improve the competitive position of U.S. agricultural products in the marketplace,” the White House said. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack praised the nomination, saying it builds on USDA's commitment to "enhance export opportunities for American farmers and producers and increase global food security."

Heather Hurlburt will be the new chief of staff for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She comes from New America, a left-of-center think tank, where she studied the intersection of political polarization and foreign policy. She replaces Ginna Lance, who was interim chief of staff.

Peter Quinter, former customs and international trade attorney at GrayRobinson, joined Gunster as the leader of its Customs and International Trade Law Group, Quinter said in a post on his LinkedIn account. Quinter advises on issues involving investigations by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control and the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Before entering private practice, Quinter served as counsel at the Southeast Regional Headquarters of the U.S. Customs Service.

John Beahn, former head of Shearman & Sterling's Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and foreign direct investment practice, has joined Milbank as a partner, the firm announced in an email. Beahn's work will center on CFIUS matters and FDI proceedings as well as national security issues, including sanctions and arms controls, the firm said.