Sean M. Reilly is Co-Chair of the Sanctions, Export Controls & Anti-Money Laundering practice group at Hughes Hubbard with more than two decades of experience related to sanctions, export control, and anti-corruption investigations and compliance. Sean’s trade and anti-corruption practice also includes advising corporations on risk assessment, designing and implementing compliance programs, transaction and M&A due diligence, and contractual negotiation and reviews. Sean is also a seasoned litigator, who represents corporate and individual clients in commercial disputes, criminal investigations and trials, shareholder class action and derivative litigation, Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions, and products liability litigation.
Prior to joining Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Sean served as assistant to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce and was director of the department's Office of Policy and Strategic Planning. In this role, he acted as senior economic, international trade, export control and foreign policy advisor to Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. During his tenure in the Office of the Secretary, he worked with White House staff and other Cabinet agencies to develop and advance policies related to international trade, export controls, sanctions, national security, financial services, telecommunications, and technology, and he participated in the review of cases pending before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). As chief of staff for Market Access and Compliance in the International Trade Administration, he managed more than 200 trade policy professionals charged with eliminating trade barriers and opening foreign markets for US exporters. He also supervised the creation of the "Invest in America" initiative to attract foreign direct investment.
In connection with his export control and anti-corruption investigations practice and international trade work, Sean has traveled extensively, including to Afghanistan, Belgium, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Ireland, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Following law school, Sean served for nearly five years as judge advocate in the United States Air Force, where he defended and prosecuted more than 40 trials by court-martial as lead counsel.
Professional Activities
Assistant to the secretary and director of Policy and Strategic Planning, US Department of Commerce, 2007 – 2009
Chief of staff, Market Access and Compliance, International Trade Administration, US Department of Commerce, 2006 – 2007
Acting director, Office of the Executive Secretariat, Office of the Secretary, US Department of Commerce, 2004 – 2006
Judge advocate, captain, United States Air Force, 1994 – 1998
Recognition
2019, 2015 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, sponsored by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
2018 Capital Pro Bono High Honor Roll, sponsored by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Highlighted Publications and Lectures
"Commercial Strategies for Iraq," Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit, Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force/Iraq Development Program, Dubai, UAE, September 2007
Panel, "US and Global Business Clusters and Investment Trends," 2008 Biotechnology Industry Organization International Convention, San Diego, June 2008
Shoe-In Podcast Episode #36, "You Run a Global Footwear Business, Do You Know the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?" February 7, 2017
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
