Happy 100th Episode! Tim O'Toole is joined by EMBARGOED! co-founder and co-host emeritus Brian Fleming (Steptoe LLP), plus colleagues Melissa Burgess and Collmann Griffin (Miller & Chevalier), for a celebratory recording of the 100th episode of the podcast. In a special edition of the Lightning Round, the team shares thoughts about developments in Iran, Russia, and Cuba sanctions. Along the way, they also revisit a few crystal ball predictions from prior episodes, reveal the EMBARGOED! origin story, and respond to a few AI-generated comments.

Roadmap:

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Thanks to our guests for joining us!

Brian Fleming: https://www.steptoe.com/en/lawyers/brian-j-fleming.html 

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

Host Tim O'Toole is joined by colleagues Melissa Burgess and Collmann Griffin (Miller & Chevalier) and guest Rachel Alpert (Jenner & Block) to dive into the history of U.S. economic sanctions. Kicking off the episode, the group tackles a range of trivia questions about predecessors to OFAC, sanctions licensing, sanctions measures dating back to the Revolutionary War, and more. Draft-style, each participant then unpacks favorite and obscure sanctions programs and targets from Southern Rhodesia to unregulated fishing.

Roadmap:

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Thanks to our guests for joining us!

Rachel Alpert: https://www.jenner.com/en/people/rachel-alpert 

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

In this emergency episode, host Tim O'Toole is joined again by colleague Melissa Burgess (Miller & Chevalier) to discuss sanctions aspects of the June 17, 2026, Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran and legal considerations impacting the lifting of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The episode reviews paragraphs 7 and 10 of the MOU before taking a brief tour through the nearly 50-year history of sanctions on Iran and some of the key sanctions authorities. They discuss a sampling of reporting, waiver, and certification considerations, examine General License X, and share thoughts on some of the more difficult potential sanctions delistings.

Roadmap:

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Thanks to Melissa for joining us! https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

In this episode, host Tim O'Toole is joined by special guests Brad Brooks-Rubin (Arktouros) and Dr. David Soud (I.R. Consilium), as well as colleagues Collmann Griffin and Melissa Burgess (Miller & Chevalier), to discuss the many connections between gold and sanctions. The episode begins by exploring gold as a natural resource, the gold supply chain, and the difficulties of tracing gold. We also examine gold as a payment mechanism throughout history, and gold's function in foreign exchange transactions. Along the way, the episode dives into restrictions on gold in sanctions programs from the early days of the Trading with the Enemy Act through current Russia and Venezuela sanctions, cartel involvement in the gold supply chain, and use of gold as a hedge against sanctions.

Roadmap:

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Thanks to our guests for joining us!

Brad Brooks-Rubin: https://www.arktouros.co/team/bbr

Dr. David Soud: https://irconsilium.com/david-soud/ 

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

In this episode, host Tim O'Toole is again joined by colleagues Collmann Griffin and Melissa Burgess (Miller & Chevalier) and special guests Erik Woodhouse (former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) at the Department of State) and Joshua Kretman (former Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acting) in EB, who also spent several years as the lead sanctions attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at State). In part 2 of their discussion of State's role in sanctions, Erik and Josh address an unanswered question from part 1, then explain the coordination and separation between State and OFAC in licensing and enforcement. The discussion also covers a recent case addressing State’s power to designate and delist, as well as State's role when one of its decisions is challenged in court.  

Roadmap:

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Thanks to our guest for joining us:

Joshua Kretman: https://www.dentons.com/en/joshua-kretman 

Erik Woodhouse: https://www.crowell.com/en/professionals/erik-woodhouse 

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

In this episode, host Tim O’Toole is joined by colleagues Collmann Griffin and Melissa Burgess (Miller & Chevalier), and special guests Erik Woodhouse (former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) at the Department of State) and Joshua Kretman (former Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acting) in EB, who also spent several years as the lead sanctions attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at State). In part 1 of this discussion, Erik and Josh explain the structure and various players working on sanctions within State, walk through the process of creating a new sanctions program, and discuss State's role in sanctions targeting.

Roadmap:

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Thanks to our guest for joining us:

Joshua Kretman: https://www.dentons.com/en/joshua-kretman 

Erik Woodhouse: https://www.crowell.com/en/professionals/erik-woodhouse 

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

In this episode, Host Tim O'Toole is once again joined by Melissa Burgess, Counsel at Miller & Chevalier. Tim and Melissa discuss the major events and developments in 2025 for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the Outbound Investment program that is sometimes referred to as "Reverse CFIUS" (because it involves restrictions on U.S. investment into foreign countries, rather than foreign investment in the U.S.). Tim and Melissa also shared their thoughts on what might be coming in 2026.

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Thanks to our guest for joining us:

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

Host Tim O'Toole is joined by guests Melissa Burgess (Counsel at Miller & Chevalier) and Michael Burton (Partner at Jacobsen Burton Kelley) to make their draft picks from a pool of Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) actions in 2025. Throughout the draft, they dissect each other’s choices, issue some compliments, suggest New Year's resolutions for the agency, and propose a new test for BIS agents. Picks include what BIS didn't do in 2025, the Affiliates Rule, and lifting comprehensive sanctions on Syria.

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Thanks to our guests for joining us:

Michael Burton: https://www.jbktradelaw.com/michael-l-burton 

Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

Happy new year from your friends at EMBARGOED! Tim and Miller & Chevalier's Caroline Watson and Collmann Griffin draft the most significant OFAC events of 2025. The draft is three rounds and picks include sanctions relating to Iran, narco-trafficking, Yemen, Russia, Venezuela, Syria, China, and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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Thanks to our guests for joining us:

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Caroline Watson: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/caroline-j-watson 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!

On this episode of EMBARGOED!, host Tim O'Toole is joined by Miller & Chevalier's Collmann Griffin and Claire O'Neill McCleskey, former Head of the OFAC Compliance Division, to discuss sanctions compliance in the shipping industry.

Roadmap:

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Thanks to our guests for joining us: 

Claire O'Neill McCleskey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-o-neill-mccleskey/ 

Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin 

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!