Rina Pal-Goetzen, a former Commerce Department official, joined the Semiconductor Industry Association as director of global policy, SIA announced March 7. Pal-Goetzen will work with policymakers in the U.S. and abroad, as well as industry, to “advance the association’s international trade policy agenda,” SIA said. Pal-Goetzen previously worked on trade policy at Commerce and served as general counsel for 3D printed microTEC, a California-based 3D printing company.

David Boling, who was deputy assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan from 2015 until last month, and who negotiated on the U.S.-Japan mini trade deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, announced on LinkedIn that he recently joined Eurasia Group, where he is the director for Japan and Asia trade.

David Wolber, former an attorney with Gibson Dunn, rejoined the firm as of counsel in its Hong Kong office, the firm announced. Before returning, he was global financial crime counsel for the Hong Kong bank HSBC and held a similar position for MUFG Bank. Wolber's practice will concern sanctions, export controls, Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and foreign direct investment controls, and anti-bribery and anti-corruption proceedings.

Daniel Pickard, previously an international trade partner at Wiley, joined Buchanan Ingersoll as the chair of its International Trade and National Security practice group, the firm announced. Pickard deals with matters concerning trade remedy investigations, including antidumping and countervailing duty and safeguard cases; U.S. economic sanctions; anti-bribery cases; export controls; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; and national security, the firm said. His national security practice deals with export controls and anti-boycott proceedings.

Edelman Global Advisory hired Everett Eissenstat, who previously was General Motors senior vice president-global public policy, as chair of North America and global trade lead, the company said in a news release. Before joining GM, Eissenstat was a White House deputy assistant to the president for international economic affairs and chief international trade counsel for the Senate Finance Committee. He also has been assistant U.S. trade representative for the Americas.

Max Vekich, a former president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, was sworn in Feb. 15 as a commissioner on the Federal Maritime Commission. Vekich, who was confirmed by the Senate five days earlier, worked as a longshoreman for more than 40 years and served four terms in the Washington state House of Representatives 1983-1991. “He understands port and supply chain issues from the perspective of a worker on the frontlines of making cargo move,” FMC Chair Daniel Maffei said. “I am confident he will have many important contributions to make to the work of the Federal Maritime Commission and I am happy to welcome him as a colleague.”

Ruchi Gill, former deputy chief counsel for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Latham & Watkins as counsel in its Washington, D.C.-based white collar defense and investigations 'practice, the firm announced. Gill also will serve as a member of the litigation and trial department. She will advise clients on national security regulatory matters, including proceedings at the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., export controls and economic sanctions, the firm said.

Sahar Hafeez has left the Bureau of Industry and Security to begin a new role this week as National Security Council director of international economics. As a senior adviser in the office of the BIS undersecretary, she contributed to the agency’s work on semiconductor supply chain issues (see 2107280051) and other areas.

David Plotinsky, former acting chief and principal deputy chief of the Department of Justice's Foreign Investment Review Section, joined Morgan Lewis as a partner in the Washington, D.C.-based Federal Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division, the firm announced. In his new role, Plotinsky will work on issues relating to "national security, telecommunications, and foreign investment in the United States," including matters at the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the firm said. While at DOJ, Plotinsky led the agency's work before CFIUS.

Rufus Yerxa, previously president of the National Foreign Trade Council, is now senior adviser at McLarty Associates, the consulting company said Jan. 31.