Three international trade attorneys, Sarah Sprinkle, Jared Cynamon and Marisa Littlefield, joined Sandler Travis, the firm announced. Sprinkle joins the firm as a member and co-lead of the trade remedies practice after most recently working as senior counsel at Akin Gump. Cynamon joins as an associate after conducting trade remedies work at the Commerce Department. Littlefield joins as a customs attorney associate after graduating from the American University Washington College of Law.
Kathryn Herrity, a former CBP auditor, has joined customs compliance firm Deleon Trade as a senior trade auditor, the firm announced. Herrity served as a senior auditor and field quality auditor of CBP's Trade Regulatory Audit in Chicago for the past 14 years.
Regulatory attorney Brett Shumate left his position as partner at Jones Day on Jan. 17, the firm said in a notice to the Court of International Trade. Shumate had appeared as counsel for various companies in the massive Section 301 litigation before the trade court. Shumate joined Jones Day as a partner in 2019 after serving as the deputy assistant attorney general for the federal programs branch in DOJ's civil division.
Former International Trade Commissioner chair and current commissioner Rhonda Schmidtlein will join WilmerHale as a partner in the international trade, investment and market access practice group, the firm announced. The ITC, in a concurrent press release, said the commissioner will step down Feb. 1. Schmidtlein was confirmed to the ITC in 2014, previously serving as chair for 17 months in 2017-18.
Ryan Majerus, former acting assistant secretary for enforcement and compliance at the Commerce Department, has joined King & Spalding as a partner in the international trade practice, the firm announced. Majerus has held various positions in the U.S. government, including senior policy adviser for supply chains at the White House National Economic Council and assistant general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
International trade attorney Moushami Joshi has joined Husch Blackwell as senior counsel, Joshi announced on LinkedIn. She joins the firm from Pillsbury Winthrop, where she worked as an attorney for over 10 years. Prior to working at Pillsbury in Washington, Joshi worked as an international trade partner at L&L Partners in India.
International trade attorney Michelle Avrutin has left Schagrin Associates, the firm said in a notice to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Avrutin joined Schagrin in 2020. The firm declined to comment on the reason for her departure.
Alejo Cabranes, former senior policy adviser with the Treasury Department, is joining DOJ as an attorney in its National Security Division, he announced on LinkedIn. Cabranes has worked at Treasury since 2023, where he helped implement sanctions and anti-money laundering policies.
Trade attorney Kristen Smith has departed Sandler Travis, the firm said in a notice to the Court of International Trade. Smith worked at Sandler Travis for over 20 years, joining in 2005, most recently as a practice leader and member of the trade remedies practice.
International trade attorney Neil Helfand was elevated to partner at Grunfeld Desiderio, the firm announced. Helfand, a former CBP attorney in the Office of Regulations and Rulings, is based in New York and works on various customs issues, including country of origin determinations, tariff classification and detentions, and seizures.