US law firm Arent Fox has made three new hires in its international trade and investment practice.

David Tafuri (pictured), who has been named as a partner, joins the firm from Dentons, where he chaired the emerging democracies practice. His prior experience also includes seven years as partner at Squire Patton Boggs, and before this he served as rule of law coordinator for Iraq at the US Department of State, where he worked directly with the chief justice of Iraq and Iraqi ministries to help rebuild the country’s legal system.

Based out of Arent Fox’s Washington DC office, Tafuri works with clients in frontier markets to solve complex problems at the intersection of law and diplomacy.

Arent Fox has also appointed Richard Griffiths as senior adviser and Jasmine Zaki as associate. As part of Tafuri’s team, Griffiths counsels, advises, and leads the international strategy efforts on behalf of foreign governments in regions across the globe, while Zaki advises clients on commercial matters, including regulation and compliance issues related to companies operating in the Middle East and Africa.

Welcoming Tafuri to the firm, Kay Georgi, international trade practice leader, says: “David’s prominent international profile, extensive experience overseas, including counselling to foreign governments, is a great addition to our growing international practice. The talent and global reputation of David’s team bolsters our international capabilities for clients in emerging markets.”

This is the latest in a series of hires to Arent Fox’s international trade and investment practice. Earlier this year, the firm appointed Angela Santos as a customs and trade law partner in its New York office, while in 2019, the firm brought in Matthew Tuchband from the US Treasury department’s office of foreign assets control (OFAC).