Holland & Knight has bolstered its International Trade Group with the addition of Christopher Stagg as a partner in Tysons, Virginia. Mr. Stagg brings deep experience handling complex and sensitive export control matters throughout his career. Previously, he served as a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), where he was the deputy lead in revising the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). During his tenure at DDTC, he reformed the ITAR's commodity jurisdiction process and advised the FBI on export enforcement investigations.
"We are thrilled to welcome Chris to our firm. His extensive experience, from writing export control regulations at the U.S. State Department to successfully handling high-stakes matters for a diverse range of prominent companies, perfectly positions him to enhance our team," said Ronald Oleynik, co-head of the firm's International Trade Group. "Chris not only fills a critical need in export controls but also embodies the experience and thought leadership that will elevate our practice."
Mr. Stagg's practice focuses on high-stakes export control matters, combining his government and litigation experience to develop effective legal strategies. He works with companies under intense government scrutiny to defend against alleged export control violations and lead internal investigations. With his experience successfully litigating export control issues against the government, he advises companies on both litigation strategy and compliance matters. He has extensive experience helping companies navigate consent agreements, from defense and negotiation through implementation of compliance requirements. Mr. Stagg also maintains a leading practice for resolving jurisdiction, classification and interpretative issues, recently leading a comprehensive jurisdiction and classification review for a publicly traded company under a consent agreement.
"I am excited to join Holland & Knight and contribute to its International Trade Group. The ITAR and EAR are becoming increasingly complex, and there is heightened enforcement scrutiny. With my background in government and private practice, I look forward to leveraging my experience in export controls to help our clients navigate these complex regulatory landscapes," said Mr. Stagg. "I am eager to build upon the firm's reputation as a leader in trade compliance, and to collaborate with such a talented team to tackle the challenges ahead."
Mr. Stagg serves as co-chair of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Export Controls and Economic Sanctions Committee, has been inducted as a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and is the assistant editor of Bartlett's Annotated International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
He earned a J.D. degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and a B.A. degree from The George Washington University.
Not yet admitted to Virginia Bar; admitted to New York Bar and District of Columbia Bar only and practicing under supervision of lawyers licensed to practice in Virginia.