Les P. Carnegie > Latham & Watkins LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Housing a formidable CFIUS practice, Latham & Watkins LLP secured key roles on a host of high-profile reviews over the past year. The group’s success is due in no small part to its strong combination of standalone national security expertise together with its ability to service clients from top-tier offerings across the firm, including M&A, energy, life sciences and TMT. Widely acknowledged to rank among the market leaders for CFIUS matters, Damara Chambers co-heads the CFIUS and US national security department; she recently represented Consolidated Edison in obtaining clearance for the sale of its interest in its wholly owned subsidiary, Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses and its subsidiaries, to RWE Renewables Americas. Les P. Carnegie co-leads the Washington-based CFIUS and US national security practice and represents a broad range of companies, financial institutions and private equity funds on security reviews. Rounding out the senior partners is global chair of the connectivity industry group, James Barker, who has extensive experience in CFIUS and Team Telecom matters. The practice additionally draws on a strong second line of non-partners, including new counsel Catherine Hein, who joined in May 2023 from the USDT; counsel Ruchi Gill, who formerly served as Deputy Chief Counsel for the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; and Zachary Eddington, who was promoted to counsel in early 2024.

A force in the national security area, Latham & Watkins LLP is a popular choice to represent major global clients—including multinational corporations, private equity funds and financial institutions—on export controls and economic sanctions. Equally adept at compliance and enforcement matters, the team advises on the full range of primary and secondary sanctions programs administered by the US, EU and UK, among other jurisdictions. Les P. Carnegie co-leads the economic sanctions and export controls group as well as the wider CFIUS and US national security department; his practice takes in a broad scope of related regulatory matters, including defense trade controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and dual-use export controls under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Fellow economic sanctions and export controls co-lead, Eric S. Volkman, leverages his white-collar crime expertise to contribute significant experience in international corporate investigations, FCPA-related matters and anti-money laundering. Other key contacts in the Washington DC-based team include CFIUS specialist, Damara Chambers, who co-heads the national security department and is also noted for her record in advising on export control and economic sanctions issues; and counsel Andrew Galdes, who is a rising star in the field.