Introduction to U.S. Economic Sanctions

New Jersey is a key player in global commerce. As such, it is important for the state’s businesses to understand and appreciate the rapidly changing legal landscape of U.S. economic sanctions to ensure compliance.

This NJSBA webinar will provide attendees with a comprehensive introduction to U.S. economic sanction laws and regulations administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The webinar will be led by Kian Meshkat, Esq, an expert in U.S. economic sanctions.

Learn to navigate the legal frameworks of OFAC’s sanctions programs, including:

• Key statutory authorities, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”)
• The comprehensive embargoes on Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria, and the occupied regions of Ukraine
• OFAC’s sanctions lists, including the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List
• The agency’s regulations for reporting, licensing, self-disclosures, enforcement and delisting petitions.
• Unique sanctions programs targeting Russia and Venezuela

The webinar will also cover compliance efforts and judicial precedent related to OFAC’s agency actions.

About the Presenter
Kian Meshkat is the Principal Attorney of Meshkat Law, P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in U.S. economic sanctions and export controls matters. He has more than a decade of experience representing clients all over the world and across numerous industries, in matters involving economic sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and export controls administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”). This includes providing routine compliance advice, regulatory licensing, internal investigations, self-disclosures, enforcement actions, and delisting requests.

Kian previously served as a subject matter expert to the court-appointed monitor for the largest monitorship in U.S. history related to sanctions and export controls violations. He has also written extensively on trade-related laws and issues for various legal publications and has appeared on various media outlets providing insight as a trusted source on sanctions and export controls laws relevant to current events.

Program Agenda:

• 2:00 | Introduction
• 2:05 | Introduction to Sanctions and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”)
• 2:25 | Overview of OFAC Sanctions Program
• 2:50 | Key OFAC Sanctions Program Concepts
• 3:00 | OFAC’s Reporting, Procedures, and Penalties Regulations
• 3:15 | Compliance and Lessons Learned From Prior OFAC Enforcement Actions
• 3:30 | Judicial Challenges to OFAC’s Actions
• 3:35 | Question and Answer/Summation
• 3:40 | Adjourn