Jonathan C. Poling is a partner in Akin Gump’s international trade practice with significant experience handling complex export control and trade-related civil and criminal matters involving a wide array of industries. He is a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Security Division’s Counterespionage Section.
Mr. Poling represents clients nationally and internationally in a variety of matters, including white collar criminal cases, administrative enforcement matters, trade-related due diligence, integration issues in mergers and acquisitions, internal investigations, audits, temporary denial orders (TDOs), entity list designations, export control and sanctions cases, and addressing corporate compliance issues. Mr. Poling has also served as an independent monitor for companies, including companies that have entered into the World Bank disclosure program.
His practice also covers anti-money laundering and fraud investigations involving international trade and trade finance, including investigations involving potential violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act and the Arms Export Control Act. He has also handled substantial and high-profile investigations and prosecutions of non-U.S. companies and financial institutions for trade violations.
During his time with the DOJ, Mr. Poling handled a number of cases, including a matter that resulted in the first arrests and prosecution of employees of a European freight forwarding company for violations of U.S. export control laws and one of the largest sanctions cases in U.S. history. He also received multiple commendations and awards for excellence while at DOJ.
Mr. Poling worked with the DOJ’s National Export Coordinator and interacted with the licensing agencies and civil enforcement authorities on numerous international trade and trade finance matters. He worked extensively in training both U.S. and non-U.S. law enforcement agencies on export control enforcement efforts, and previously served on the DOJ’s Foreign Investment Review Staff, which serves on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review process.
