Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Thea Kendler, and former Senior Policy Advisor, Aiysha Hussain, join Mayer Brown
Washington DC – Mayer Brown continues to strengthen its Export Controls & Sanctions practice with the addition of Thea Kendler, former Assistant Secretary for Export Administration at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and Aiysha S. Hussain, who served as her Senior Policy Advisor. Thea, who will co-head Mayer Brown’s Export Controls & Sanctions practice, and Aiysha both join the firm as partners and bring extensive experience in international trade, national security, and white-collar defense.
As Assistant Secretary, Thea was the senior BIS official leading policy-making and implementation of all dual-use export controls, with a particular focus on advanced computing, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies. Prior to that role, she served for seven years as a prosecutor in the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, where she led investigations and prosecuted cases involving export controls, espionage, and counterintelligence, including the prosecution of Huawei. She also spent nearly 10 years in the BIS Chief Counsel's Office after beginning her career in private practice focused on the intersection of national security and international business.
“Having known Thea personally and professionally for nearly 25 years, I can attest that her leadership and experience across law, policy, and enforcement, is unparalleled,” said Tamer Soliman, co-head of Mayer Brown's Export Control & Sanctions practice. “At a time when export controls have taken on unprecedented importance as a tool of US national security, what Thea has achieved in shaping and influencing the law in this field is truly exceptional. Working closely with Aiysha, she cultivated deep relationships with both industry and foreign government counterparts to lead the development of novel controls and global technology partnerships to protect critical technologies that have changed this landscape. Her unique background and strategic insights will be invaluable to our clients in an increasingly complex environment. We are thrilled that Thea and Aiysha are joining us.”
"Many firms have Export Controls and International Trade practices; however, Mayer Brown is unique in having a broader National Security Law umbrella practice with nationally-renowned leaders,” said Ambassador John Sullivan. “From our time working together at the Department of Commerce, I know Thea will be a great addition. She is well-positioned to lead in this critical area and offer exceptional guidance for our clients."
As Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of BIS, Aiysha identified regulatory priorities, advised on strategic initiatives involving China and Russia, and led the development and drafting of artificial intelligence technology regulations. Prior to that, Aiysha served as Senior Counsel in the Office of the Chief Counsel for Industry and Security where she focused on export control investigations and enforcement matters, clerked at both the District Court and Appellate Court levels, and was in private practice at a Washington DC law firm handling export controls, sanctions, FCPA compliance, and white-collar investigations.
Thea and Aiysha’s arrival reflects Mayer Brown’s continued expansion of its complementary national security, cybersecurity, international trade, and white-collar investigations and enforcement capabilities, including through the recent arrival of Ken Wainstein (who has served in a variety of senior roles including US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and FBI General Counsel and Chief of Staff); Veronica Glick (who recently rejoined the firm from the US Department of State Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy); Hiral Mehta (former Assistant United States Attorney in the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York); Arun Rao (who most recently served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the US Department of Justice’s Civil Division); and Adam Hickey (former Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the National Security Division and Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York).
"I am excited to combine my regulatory and enforcement experience with the reach and depth of experience that Mayer Brown offers, and to build on the firm’s impressive network in the areas of national security and trade," said Thea. "The firm's international reach and long tradition of legal excellence provide a unique opportunity to develop my practice and deliver exceptional results for our clients. I look forward to working with the talented team at Mayer Brown to address the evolving challenges in national security and international trade."
"We are delighted to have both Thea and Aiysha join our team," said Andrew Olmem, the managing partner of Mayer Brown's Washington DC office. "Their combined expertise in export controls policy, regulations, and enforcement is a perfect addition to our premier trade practice and further strengthens Mayer Brown’s capabilities to handle the most complex problems facing clients.”
Raj De, leader of the Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practice and the National Security practice at Mayer Brown, and a member of the firm’s global Management Committee, added, "Thea and Aiysha's arrival is a significant milestone for our practice. Their leadership in the field of export controls and their strategic vision will greatly benefit our clients, especially those in the technology and AI sectors. We are excited to leverage their expertise to further strengthen our position as a leader in international trade and national security law."
