Mike and Brent propose a new framework for post-resolution third-party independent consultants imposed under corporate resolutions with the U.S. Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) or monitors imposed under resolutions with the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) National Security Division (NSD) that best promotes underlying national security objectives while also minimizing the impact on the resolving company’s business. Their proposal is based on their prior “Fresh Looks” article with the NYU Law School’s Program on Corporate Compliance & Enforcement (PCCE), “Monitoring What Matters: A Fresh Look Proposal to Government and Industry for How Post-Resolution Oversight Can Best Deny Hostile Actors the Means to Cause Deadly Harm,” from March 28, 2024.

Mike and Brent introduce their prior “Monitoring What Matters” article (00:37), contrast the needs of post-resolution oversight under U.S. export controls with those under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) (01:52), and then explain why traditional concepts of what a post-resolution independent monitor or consultant should do miss the mark (02:38), how the compelling need to move quickly could justify imposing key milestones at just 3 and 6 months, with completion in one year (04:56), that this shortened timeframe can be achieved by leveraging the “awareness of a high probability” standard of knowledge under the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (05:56), how battlefield risks should drive prioritization (09:28), how third-part independent consultants should be leveraging what is likely, for many companies already on the front lines of U.S. export controls (e.g., by being part of the leading-edge AI ecosystem), a robust compliance program that was likely further enhanced during the preceding government investigation (11:11), how companies and any post-resolution independent consultant or monitor should think about where and how to draw due diligence lines regarding multi-tier distributor and reseller networks (12:57), the importance in the national security context of thinking about third-party consultant and monitor independence not just in terms of independence from direct client relationships with the subject company but also in terms of independence from the relevant foreign country’s military or intelligence agencies, including prior engagements to lobby the U.S. government (16:38), and the three key takeaways from their prior article (22:04). They conclude with Brent’s ever-popular segment, “Managing Up” (28:08).

The prior “Monitoring What Matters” article: https://wp.nyu.edu/compliance_enforcement/2024/03/28/monitoring-what-matters-a-fresh-look-proposal-to-government-and-industry-for-how-post-resolution-oversight-can-best-deny-hostile-actors-the-means-to-cause-deadly-harm/

The rest of the “Fresh Looks” series with NYU: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Mike & Brent welcome Erika Trujillo, Managing Director of SEIA (“say-a”), who with her company brings advanced data analytics solutions to solving trade compliance problems. Mike and Brent discuss Erika’s background and the services SEIA provides (00:14); how advanced data analytics can help with export controls risk assessments by, among other things, bringing to bear data from across multiple departments (which is particularly important under U.S. law’s collective knowledge doctrine and the “high probability” standard) (02:10); the importance of differentiating between your company’s “internal data” and the “external data” and of identifying and leveraging what internal data might be sitting within reach (05:03); the importance of contextualization, i.e., taking a holistic perspective at potentially interesting data points that only become informative in the context of other data points, for example data suggesting that EAR99 items that otherwise would not require an export license might be exported for prohibited end-uses or to prohibited end-users (06:53); the need for companies to have the courage to engage with their own data, especially since they are making statements to various governments in any case about their trade flows (09:21); how small- and medium-sized companies can start, step-by-step, to get a handle on their internal data (10:53); how to respond to reports or allegations (i.e., “red flags”) of potential export control violations (12:18); common data pitfalls to avoid (13:51); the importance of prioritization not just in terms of data cleanup projects (14:28); why praying to the accounting platform gods and hoping everything is OK is not sufficient (16:00); the full definition of knowledge (including an awareness of a high probability) and what opportunities that presents for risk-based approaches to trade compliance (16:35); how a data-driven approach to trade compliance can help improve relationships with colleagues in sales and operational functions (18:39); how to overcome the fear of what you might find by taking a deeper dive into your company’s data (19:28); and how a data-driven approach can help with c-suites and boards of directors (20:13). We conclude with a surprise twist in the ever-popular segment, Brent Carlson’s “Managing Up” in exploring Erika’s mission and purpose in co-founding SEIA.

More about SEIA: https://www.seiatech.com/aboutseia

Contact or Book a Demo with SEIA: https://www.seiatech.com/contact

Contact Erika: [email protected]

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Mike & Brent’s “Fresh Looks” series: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

Mike and Brent follow-up on Mike’s being quoted in Dow Jones Risk Journal regarding the unexpected export control consequences of the Israel-Iran conflict. They discuss the geopolitical context (00:39), the article by Richard Vanderford and Mengqi Sun (01:22), the risk that Iran tries to evade U.S. export controls (and sanctions) by procuring replacement parts and equipment through third-party intermediaries (02:12), the cautionary tale of an Alabama resident sentenced to five years in U.S. federal prison for diverting items to Iran (03:29), the need to be cognizant of “catch-all” U.S. export controls related to ballistic missiles and WMD programs (including nuclear) and those controls reliance on the full definition of “knowledge” to include “an awareness of a high probability” (04:42), increased tracking and investigative activity by the U.S. government (06:19), how companies need to think about responding to “red flags” (06:45), the likely impact of forensic review of battlefield recoveries on requests by Israel and NGOs to companies for assistance in tracing item or component flows to Iran (07:44), and the likelihood of increased, rather than decreased, activity by U.S. agencies as a result of the conflict (09:52). They conclude with another segment of Brent Carlson’s “Managing Up” (12:26).

The Dow Jones Risk Journal article (June 13, 2025) (subscription req.): https://article.dowjones.com/djriskjournal/articles/israel-attack-could-bring-new-business-risks-even-if-not-followed-by-more-sanctions-9f0dab93?mod=risk-compliance_feat1_dow-jones-risk-journal_pos4&_gl=1*eca83t*_gcl_au*OTM2NjQxODc2LjE3NDI1ODkxNDI.*_ga*MTQ0NTg1NTk4LjE3NDI1ODkxNDI.*_ga_K2H7B9JRSS*czE3NTAyMTQ5MjgkbzMxJGcxJHQxNzUwMjE0OTQ4JGo0MCRsMSRoNTM5NTk0NjQx

The Wall Street Journal Morning Risk Report (June 16, 2025): https://createsend.com/t/d-3CAD0099A1F7C65A2540EF23F30FEDED

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Brent & Mike’s “Fresh Looks” Series: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

Mike and Brent welcome Tom Blass, Editorial Director of World Export Controls Review (WorldECR) Magazine that is now part of Dow Jones. Mike and Brent discuss with Tom how he and Mark Cusick started WorldECR more than a decade ago to help bridge the gap between law and geopolitics in sanctions and export controls (00:36), the recent acquisition of WorldECR by Dow Jones (04:43), some of the particular challenges Tom and Mark faced in getting WorldECR off the ground (06:30), their realization that they were creating a community (07:12), what Tom has observed in terms of geopolitics and how geopolitics have driven regulatory and enforcement activity (10:13), what Tom looks for in submissions for publication, especially in terms of balancing depth and accessibility (12:57), upcoming WorldECR events in Brussels, London, Washington, and Silicon Valley (16:19), and the direction the sanctions and export control profession is heading (21:05). Then back by popular demand is Brent Carlson’s “Managing Up” segment (24:07).

WorldECR: https://www.worldecr.com/

WorldECR Events Information & Registration: https://www.worldecr.com/events/

About Tom Blass and Mark Cusick: https://www.worldecr.com/about-us/

Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-blass-1886135/

Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-cusick-3b763420/

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Mike and Brent unpack the May 13, 2025, due diligence guidance from the U.S. Bureau of Industry & Security. They describe what happened on May 13 (00:00), the guidance from BIS on General Prohibition 10 and Huawei Ascend chips (03:34), the related BIS policy statement (04:13), and then focus on the BIS “Industry Guidance to Prevent Diversion of Advanced Computing Integrated Circuits” (04:47), specifically the underlying U.S. national security concerns (05:50), relevant key takeaways from Episode 13’s special guest Dana W. White (06:51), the significance of the Industry Guidance’s reference to the WMD and military-intelligence catch-all provisions (08:29), the historical pre-1993 “KYC Guidance” cross-referenced by BIS in the new Industry Guidance (11:53), how the historical “KYC Guidance” is often misunderstood through selective quotation devoid of relevant context (13:34), the new “red flags” identified in the May 13, 2025 Industry Guidance (16:10), the key takeaways of the Industry Guidance (17:55), a warning about over-reliance on the Industry Guidance’s statement about existing end-use certificates (18:47), and the practical implications of the Industry Guidance for trade compliance teams (19:36). They then conclude with the next installment of Brent Carlson’s “Managing Up” (21:26).

BIS May 15, 2025 Industry Guidance: https://www.bis.gov/media/documents/ai-counter-diversion-industry-guidance-may-13-2025.pdf

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Brent & Mike’s “Fresh Looks” landing page: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

Mike and Brent welcome Dana W. White, Managing Partner at the Juno Collective, to share her thoughts and analysis regarding China and U.S. export controls based on her long career of public service in a variety of national security-related roles. Mike, Brent, and Dana discuss Dana’s national security background (00:49), what happens “behind the scenes” that leads to U.S. agencies determining national security threats exists (02:28), how knowledge-sharing is both the strength and the Achilles’ heel of free societies (06:11), how U.S. businesses and business leaders play an important part in our national security (07:26), the challenge of finding reliable data points from which to infer export controls compliance risks (09:37), what business leaders should understand about how the relationship between the U.S. and China is different today than when China joined the World Trade Organization (11:21), how Dana and the Juno Collective help clients to understand and mitigate risks (13:46), and the common pitfalls companies face when responding to inquiries by the U.S. Congress (18:45). They conclude with yet another segment of Brent Carlson’s “Managing Up” (20:23).

More about Dana W. White and the Juno Collective: https://www.juno-collective.com/about

Contact Dana W. White: [email protected]

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Brent & Mike’s “Fresh Looks” series: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

In a timely episode discussing end-use and end-user controls and how the full definition of “knowledge”--to include “an awareness of a high probability”--runs through those controls, Mike starts by summarizing key developments on May 13, 2025, right before publication, specifically issuance that day of three key guidance documents by the U.S. Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) on exactly these topics in the context of advanced computing integrated circuits, Huawei, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and data centers (00:00). Mike and Brent then discuss the end-use and end-user catch-all provisions and why they are often overlooked (02:31), how those catch-all provisions apply to real-world scenarios (05:02), why the Entity List is best thought of as a “backstop” to the end-use and end-user provisions (08:21), what to do if a customer or counterparty ends up on the Entity List (10:34), the collective knowledge doctrine and its implications (15:12), how and where to draw the line in risk-based due diligence of distributors and resellers (16:45), the pros and cons of raising an advice of counsel defense (18:49), how boards of directors can best fulfill their duty of oversight (21:11), and the importance of periodic risk assessments that include the potential risks under the “high probability” standard (23:43). Mike and Brent then conclude with Brent’s recurring segment, “Managing-Up” (26:48).

The Three May 13, 2025 BIS Guidance Documents related to Advanced Computing Integrated Circuits:

BIS Policy Statement: https://www.bis.gov/media/documents/ai-policy-statement-training-ai-models-may-13-2025

Industry Guidance: https://www.bis.gov/media/documents/ai-counter-diversion-industry-guidance-may-13-2025.pdf

Guidance on General Prohibition 10: https://www.bis.gov/media/documents/general-prohibition-10-guidance-may-13-2025.pdf

"The Blind Men and the Elephant": https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mhuneke_huneke-worldecr-april-2024-blind-men-activity-7218965733731373056-oKHG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAE_zFwB6ELW6Yitzba7Kt-wYyoqEFq6I6s

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

“Fresh Looks” landing page: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

Mike & Brent return with a point-counterpoint episode on U.S. export control policy. After discussing the latest news about U.S. AI export controls (01:03), they discuss the points and counterpoints related to whether we should have export controls at all (04:57), the relevance of the national security justifications offered by the U.S. Department of Commerce in promulgating its regulations (06:52), the lessons of Ukraine battlefield recoveries (09:59), the views of Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, on risk and how to push any industry to a more-compliance mindset (rather than acquiesce to the race to the bottom) (10:44), why Brent shouldn’t talk about the old days of corruption (12:08), and how not only the export controls’ design but also their enforcement by government and compliance efforts by industry are all relevant factors to consider in assessing export controls’ effectiveness (14:53). They conclude with the latest installment of Brent’s “Managing-Up” segment (23:04).

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

The "Fresh Looks" landing page: https://www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

Mike & Brent propose an AI Diffusion Rule path forward to help both companies and the U.S. government. They start with an update on last-minute reporting before the episode was published (00:00) then cover the attention the AI Diffusion Rule is getting before its May 15, 2025 compliance date (03:56), the Rule’s similarity’s to the First World War’s “rationing system” for export controls (08:08), a report by Barath Harithas of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) about the AI Diffusion Rule (09:15), how the AI Diffusion Rule incorporates by reference for companies in Tier 2 countries several new U.S. inbound and outbound restrictions that turn on the “high probability” standard (10:53), a CSIS report by Gregory C. Allen on DeepSeek and AI export controls in which Allen raises concerns about a high-regulation, low enforcement (or high loopholes) environment—which Mike & Brent refer to as Allen’s “One-Way Policy Fallacy” (13:21), and what Tier 2 countries (e.g., India, Israel, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE)—and their U.S. design or manufacturing companies can do to best position customers in such countries to have national companies become National Validated End Users to obtain more chips (19:07). They conclude with the latest installment, back by ever-increasing popular demand, of Brent Carlson’s “Managing-Up” segment (23:51).

CSIS, Barath Harithas, The AI Diffusion Framework: Securing U.S. AI Leadership While Preempting Strategic Drift (Feb. 18, 2025): https://www.csis.org/analysis/ai-diffusion-framework-securing-us-ai-leadership-while-preempting-strategic-drift

CSIS, Gregory C. Allen, DeepSeek, Huawei, Export Controls, and the Future of the U.S.-China AI Race (Mar. 7, 2025): https://www.csis.org/analysis/deepseek-huawei-export-controls-and-future-us-china-ai-race

Gregory C. Allen’s “AI Policy” Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ai-policy-podcast/id1726253148

Bloomberg Law, Michael Huneke, Outbound Investment Rule Embraces New National Security Paradigm (Nov. 7, 2024): https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/outbound-investment-rule-embraces-new-national-security-paradigm-1

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

Their “Fresh Looks” series: https://www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks

Mike & Brent jump into tariffs to focus on practical strategies to navigate these uncertain times and to mitigate the risk of future enforcement actions. Specifically, they discuss what longer-term geopolitical trends help businesses to plot a strategy despite being whipsawed by tariff news each day (01:57), a recent and helpful Foreign Affairs article, by Emily Kilcrease and Geoffrey Gertz of the Center for a New American Security (03:21), the recent book "Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare" by Edward Fishman and his description of the "impossible triad" between economic interdependence, economic security, and geopolitical competition (04:21), relevant historical background on the rise of China after the Second World War and its current oversupply problem (04:54), how severe pressures on businesses in both the U.S. and China will create white collar compliance risks today and enforcement risks tomorrow (07:42), customs evasion enforcement risk under the U.S. False Claim Act (FCA) and the FCA's definition of "knowledge" (08:06), the importance of dynamic assessments of customs evasion risks (11:25), potential fines and penalties from U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) enforcement (12:54), a deeper dive into the FCA's "knowledge" standard and its similarities to the "high probability" standard under the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (16:14), and practical strategies for companies trying to manage these risks (17:50). Then they conclude with another installment, back by increasing popular demand, of Brent Carlson's "Managing-Up" segment (20:39).

Geoffrey Gertz & Emily Kilcrease, "A World Safe for Prosperity How America Can Foster Economic Security," Foreign Affairs Magazine: https://www.cnas.org/publications/commentary/a-world-safe-for-prosperity

Edward Fishman, "Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare": https://a.co/d/duy9b5t

More about Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhuneke/

More about Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-carlson-41ba692/

Our "Fresh Looks" series: www.hugheshubbard.com/fresh-looks