Trade and customs
10 CFIUS review experts
These ten professionals have worked on CFIUS national security reviews of foreign investment, as attorneys at law firms and as government lawyers and officials. A reader can learn how practitioners approach CFIUS review from people who have done the work.
Professionals to explore
01—10Aimen Mir
LinkedInExperience: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Investment Security · U.S. Department of the Treasury
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Investment Security at the U.S. Department of the Treasury (2014–2018) and Director of the Office of Investment Security there (2009–2014); the headline describes him as a former career head of CFIUS. He has been a Partner at Freshfields since 2019, focusing on national security review of foreign investments by CFIUS.
Brooks Allen
LinkedInExperience: Partner · Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom since 2024, after serving as Counsel there (2020–2024); the profile says he focuses his practice on CFIUS reviews and international trade issues. Earlier he was Assistant General Counsel at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (2013–2020).
Christine Laciak
LinkedInExperience: Partner · Freshfields
Partner at Freshfields since 2026, and the profile also lists a Special Counsel row at Freshfields since 2005. The profile says she focuses on CFIUS and foreign investment review and advises clients on US national security reviews conducted by CFIUS and on global foreign investment review regulations.
David Plotinsky
LinkedInExperience: Chief (Acting), and Principal Deputy Chief · U.S. Department of Justice, National Security Division, Foreign Investment Review Section
Former Chief (Acting) and Principal Deputy Chief of the Foreign Investment Review Section in the Justice Department's National Security Division (2018–2022), and earlier Lead Attorney, Team Telecom there (2016–2017). He has been a Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius since 2022; the profile says his practice focuses on steering clients through national security reviews of foreign investment by CFIUS and Team Telecom.
Devin DeBacker
LinkedInExperience: Chief, Foreign Investment Review Section, National Security Division · U.S. Department of Justice
Former Chief, Foreign Investment Review Section, National Security Division at the U.S. Department of Justice (2022–2026), and briefly the supervisory official performing the duties of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security in 2025. He has been a Partner at Covington & Burling since 2026, where the headline places him in the National Security and CFIUS practices.
Ian D. Brasure
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel CFIUS, Team Telecom, and IT Supply Chain · U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Assistant General Counsel CFIUS, Team Telecom, and IT Supply Chain at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security since 2021, after serving as Attorney Advisor for CFIUS and the U.S. telecom sector there (2020–2021). He has also been an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law since 2022, teaching a course on national security through the lens of CFIUS and Team Telecom.
Joshua Gruenspecht
LinkedInExperience: Partner · Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati since 2018; the profile says he advises domestic and foreign investors, funds, established companies and startups on regulatory matters and routinely represents businesses before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Earlier he was an Associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (2011–2018).
Karalyn Mildorf
LinkedInExperience: Partner · Clifford Chance
Partner at Clifford Chance since 2025, after serving as Partner (2019–2025) and Counsel (2015–2018) at White & Case. The profile says she has nearly 20 years of experience advising clients on national security reviews before CFIUS and on foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) mitigation matters, and that she has advised clients on CFIUS issues in thousands of transactions.
Les Carnegie
LinkedInExperience: Partner · Latham & Watkins
Partner at Latham & Watkins since 2013, after serving as Counsel there (2011–2013); the profile says he is co-chair of the firm's Export Controls, Economic Sanctions & Customs Practice and leader of its CFIUS and US National Security practice. Earlier he was Counsel (2008–2010) and Associate (2001–2007) at Covington & Burling.
Mark Skerry
LinkedInExperience: Partner, National Security Regulatory Practice · Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Partner, National Security Regulatory Practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett since 2023, after serving as an Associate in the practice (2016–2023). The profile says he represents private equity asset managers, institutional investors and multinational corporations on cross-border transactions undergoing CFIUS reviews and foreign direct investment screening. Earlier he was an Honors Attorney at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2011–2014).
Choose the right perspective
Decide whether you need the perspective of someone who represented parties in reviews or someone who worked inside the government agencies that conduct them. Then match the person's recent work to your deal type, such as private equity investments, technology acquisitions or telecom matters.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do you judge early in a deal whether a CFIUS filing is likely to be needed?
- 02What do parties most often underestimate when preparing for a CFIUS review?
- 03How do you approach negotiating mitigation terms when the government raises concerns about a deal?
Reaching CFIUS review experts
How can I contact one of these CFIUS review experts?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 10 companies, including U.S. Department of the Treasury; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates and Freshfields, based on profile data retrieved on October 9, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach CFIUS review experts?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these CFIUS review experts a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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