Morrison Foerster, a global law firm, appointed Chris Chamberlain as a partner in the National Security group in the Washington, D.C. office. Chamberlain served most recently as a senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), where he focused on developing and implementing semiconductor export controls, especially those related to manufacturing equipment. He brings over 15 years of government sector and private practice experience, including highly specialized knowledge in export controls.
The addition of Chamberlain from BIS follows the March rejoining of National Security practice co-chair David Newman, who served as DOJ’s second-ranking national security official, and the addition of Margot Benedict, former senior counselor to the Attorney General, who rejoined the firm as of counsel. Chamberlain is the second attorney to join from the Department of Commerce this year, following the addition of Anna Faber, the former counsel to the General Counsel at the DOC.
“In today’s dynamic geopolitical climate, navigating the complex and expanding network of export controls has become a—if not the—critical issue for global companies,” Brandon Van Grack, co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s National Security group, said. “Export controls have slowly become the tip of the national security spear. Chris is the perfect addition to our team, given his private sector and extensive government experience. Having sat at the center of industry-shaping export control rules, Chris understands the regulatory landscape and intent behind BIS’s complex rules, which will be invaluable to companies seeking guidance with these multifaceted issues.”
As a senior advisor at BIS, Chamberlain helped develop and implement BIS’s export controls and other semiconductor-related regulatory programs, and he played a central role in formulating the rules on semiconductor manufacturing equipment. He also has significant experience with items and industries involving encryption, telecommunications, microelectronics and computers, radar/lidar and other sensors/lasers, test and inspection, cloud services, open-source software and various emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. Prior to the DOC, Chamberlain was an attorney at another prominent global firm, where he was a member of its international trade group focusing his practice on high-technology and cybersecurity regulation and policy.
“During my time in government, I saw firsthand the impactful regulatory work that Chris helped drive forward at BIS, which required both a deep understanding of the complexities of the semiconductor industry as well as extensive experience with the legal and policy dimensions of export control regulation,” David Newman, co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s National Security group, said. “Chris is arriving at just the right time to advise clients in this critically important space.”
“Few firms have the unique combination of an industry-leading National Security team and equally strong government presence in D.C., in addition to a globally renowned platform and client base, which offer me the ideal environment to grow a thriving practice,” Chamberlain said. “I look forward to leveraging my diverse experience in export controls, especially in semiconductor and tech sectors, to help clients confront their most pressing national security and international trade matters.”
