Law firm Akin has hired three partners to its international trade practice, as it looks to build its cross-border compliance and investigations capabilities in what it says is an “expanding criminal and regulatory enforcement environment”.

Ryan Fayhee (pictured), Roy Liu and Tyler Grove join Akin’s Washington DC office from Hughes Hubbard and Reed. The trio intend to continue their focus on economic sanctions, export controls, anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering compliance and investigations.

Fayhee is a former senior prosecutor and national security official with the US Department of Justice. He assists clients facing high-profile reputational risks, often involving US and foreign regulators and enforcement authorities.

“Ryan and I worked side-by-side for several years on a number of the highest-profile sanctions and export control investigations at the Department of Justice,” says Jonathan Poling, Akin’s international trade practice head. “Governments are signalling more enforcement in these areas. The market is seeing that occur. This group recognises this reality and strengthens our ability to support clients engaged in trade globally, but also critically at the intersection of US and China relations.”

Liu focuses on US-China trade-related matters. He primarily advises multinational corporations on economic sanctions, export controls and customs matters as well as related strategic considerations. He also counsels US and Europe-based corporations on doing business with and in the Greater China region and in resolving conflicts of laws issues.

Grove brings more than a decade of experience advising clients on the full spectrum of economic sanctions and international trade regulation and compliance. His practice focuses on complex internal investigations, enforcement and self-disclosures; emerging controls on semiconductors and high technology; and foreign direct investment and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reviews.

Commenting on the trio’s arrival, Kim Koopersmith, Akin chair, says: “Ryan, Roy and Tyler have built elite practices that are ideally suited for today’s highly complex regulatory environment and create obvious synergies with our existing strengths across the firm, in particular with our market-leading sanctions and export control practice and government and congressional investigations team. Their remarkable track record in representing clients before key government stakeholders on their most complex cross-border matters highlights their strengths and enhances our capability to handle the most challenging matters our clients face. I am very pleased to welcome them to the firm.”