Holland & Knight Establishes ITAR and Defense Trade Compliance Team

Holland & Knight has launched a new International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Defense Trade Compliance Team to help clients manage issues in this increasingly complex, expanding and scrutinized area.

The team’s creation follows a substantial increase in defense trade and a notable shift in defense trade policy, including the recent expansion in the number of items controlled on the ITAR’s U.S. Munitions List and plans from the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) to issue rulemakings over the next 12 months that would further expand the ITAR’s scope.

The team is led by Washington, D.C.-based Partner Christopher Stagg, a former senior advisor at the DDTC. During his tenure, Mr. Stagg played a key role in shaping the current regulatory framework, including the development of the defense trade “600 series” controls under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

“The defense trade sector offers immense opportunity – yet amid mounting enforcement and increasing ITAR controls, the stakes have never been higher,” said Mr. Stagg. “We help clients mitigate risk by identifying issues, testing compliance strategies and defenses, and engaging regulators with clarity and credibility. With our deep understanding of the regulations and regulatory agencies, we help clients confidently navigate this complex area.”

The multidisciplinary team provides clients with proactive, practical legal strategies on a full range of defense trade and export control issues, including investigations and disclosures, enforcement defense, jurisdiction and classification, compliance programs, licensing strategies and consent agreement remediation. Central to its approach is the use of “red team” assessments to identify vulnerabilities, anticipate government objections and strengthen client positions before issues escalate.

“This team brings together lawyers with a rare combination of regulatory insight, government experience and practical judgment,” said Robert Friedman, co-head of Holland & Knight’s International Trade Regulation Group. “Holland & Knight’s focus on supporting the defense sector allows us to assemble the best lawyers in the industry and offer these types of highly specific services. Whether clients are managing day-to-day compliance or facing high-pressure enforcement cases, our team has the capabilities to provide the pragmatic, impactful solutions our defense clients need.”

The formation of the ITAR and Defense Trade Compliance Team reflects Holland & Knight’s continued investment in national security, aerospace and international trade. The team works closely with attorneys across the Firm’s government contracts, industrial security, mergers and acquisitions, and public policy practices to deliver coordinated counsel on matters where compliance, strategy and enforcement intersect.