Christian Contardo

About Christian Contardo

Christian Contardo advises clients across industries, including the technology, defense, finance, and industrial sectors, on a variety of national security and global trade matters. His US government law enforcement and intelligence community experience concerning economic sanctions and export controls, data privacy and security, and foreign intelligence enhances his ability to effectively counsel clients on Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) reviews, import and export controls, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions, compliance programs, and potential risks to global transactions.Christian also advises clients on related issues such as Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance, export and sanctions licensing, foreign ownership and control, and facility clearances. Additionally, Christian represents clients in enforcement proceedings, conducts investigations into potential export control and sanctions violations, and foreign investment reviews before CFIUS.Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Christian served as an attorney advisor at the Department of the Treasury Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI), including the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control. There, he provided guidance on legal issues involving the Bank Secrecy Act, intelligence, economic sanctions, CFIUS matters, counterintelligence/insider threat programs, anti-money laundering, security clearance investigations, information security, and data privacy.Christian also worked at Department of Justice (DOJ), National Security Division, where he represented the government before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. At DOJ, he obtained court orders and warrants authorizing electronic surveillance and search in sensitive intelligence operations pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA); developed FBI counterintelligence and export control investigations; conducted compliance training; and advised FBI senior leadership, special agents, and intelligence analysts.In addition, Christian served as a deputy chief for national security law at the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE), where he led a team supporting ICE counterterrorism investigations and advised senior DHS leadership on legal and policy issues in federal investigations involving immigration, counterterrorism, espionage, visa security, fraud, and export control.

Experience

1. of Counsel

   Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

   Jan 2025 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Our lawyers advise clients on all aspects of internal investigations, resolution of enforcement matters, and government investigations involving international trade and national security issues. With a cross-border team of professionals who understand the intricacies of navigating global investigations, we help clients investigate and resolve matters under US export and import laws, including—but not limited to—International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulation (EAR), and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations.We routinely counsel clients on due diligence, licensing, compliance, and national security issues affecting the movement of products, technology, and people engaged in activities subject to regulation. We focus on cross-border investments and related regulatory due diligence before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and have handled more than 70 submissions to the committee within the last few years alone. Our team understands the scope and ever-evolving issues of concern to the national security community, and our consistent and proactive engagement with relevant stakeholders continuously refines our knowledge and counsel.Our lawyers also address import enforcement and US Customs and Border Protection requirements, as well as advise on managing compliance requirements within the United States and across jurisdictions.Given our team members’ diverse backgrounds in military service and prior employment with the US Department of Defense (DOD), US Department of Commerce (DOC), and several private-sector defense companies, we are well-positioned to balance US government equities and business considerations in a pragmatic, focused way that achieves our client

Education

• National Intelligence University

  Master of Science - MS, Strategic Intelligence

  2013 — 2015

• Lewis & Clark College

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Political Science and Foreign Languages (French and Russian)

  1996 — 2000

• American University Washington College of Law

  Juris Doctor, Law

  2002 — 2005