Lucinda Low Joins International Group

(June 13, 2005, Washington, DC)—Steptoe & Johnson LLP has announced that Lucinda A. Low has joined the International Trade Practice Group as a partner. She is resident in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, effective immediately.

Ms. Low was formerly a partner at Miller & Chevalier, where she had practiced since 1992 in the areas of Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) compliance and enforcement, export controls, sanctions, trade and investment law, and international arbitration.

"Lucinda is a leading practitioner in the international regulatory compliance field and adds additional stature and depth to our top-ranked international practice," said Susan G. Esserman, head of the firm's International Department.   "Lucinda deepens the firm's ability to service the full range of our client's international business  needs, ranging from regulatory compliance,  arbitration, investor-state dispute resolution, and trade litigation, and strategic policy advice."

Ms. Low is a member of the Board of Directors of Transparency International, and her practice focuses on US and international anti-corruption laws and assisting companies with ethical international business practices.  She is widely recognized for her experience in the FCPA, and related international conventions from the OECD, OAS, United Nations, and European Union. She has also represented clients before the World Bank in connection with anti-corruption requirements for World Bank-financed projects.  

"My training, experience, and interests could not be better aligned with those of Steptoe's International Department, as well as its formidable white-collar, securities, dispute resolution, and corporate practices," Ms. Low said.  "I feel very fortunate to join their ranks and to have the opportunity to expand my practice in such distinguished company."

Roger Warin, chairman of the firm, observed "With Lucinda joining our firm, we enhance our ability to provide one-stop services to clients who must confront complex FCPA regulatory, securities, disclosure, and law enforcement risks, as well as what we see as an expanding menu of cross-border regulatory exposure and litigation.  With the moves we have made in London, Brussels, and New York, Lucinda's arrival could not have come at a better time."

Ms. Low's practice includes training for company management and employee personnel; establishing workable compliance policies and procedures; counseling on international trade and investment transactions in numerous jurisdictions; putting together commercial deals that take into account business ethics and regulatory requirements; conducting internal investigations, audits, and risk assessments; and representing clients before enforcement agencies and bodies, such as the Securities & Exchange Commission, the US Department of Justice, local US Attorneys' offices, and the World Bank. 

In addition, Ms. Low provides legal advice and counsel in the related areas of export control, economic sanctions, and anti-money laundering compliance. She also handles international investment disputes, and adds significantly to the existing international arbitration capability of the firm, particularly in the area of disputes between foreign investors and host governments.  She recently led a team that successfully opposed the first consolidation request under NAFTA Chapter 11.  

Ms. Low was awarded a J.D. by UCLA in 1977, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the UCLA Law Review.  She is a former Chair of the ABA Section of International Law, and a current member of the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on International Law and a member of the Board of Directors of Transparency International-USA.  She was the 2003 recipient of the William Ray Vallance Award presented by the InterAmerican Bar Foundation, presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution toward improving the law and jurisprudence of the Western Hemisphere.

In addition to enjoying high visibility as an international practitioner, Ms. Low is a frequent speaker and lecturer on international legal topics and a prolific writer. 

Steptoe & Johnson LLP, one of only two firms to receive a #1 national ranking for International Trade by Chambers USA (2005 guide to America’s Leading Lawyers), is noted for its ability to develop and implement strategies that take advantage of opportunities and minimize the risks inherent in today’s ever-changing global marketplace.  In advancing the interests of its clients, the firm’s International Department brings to bear a depth and breadth of knowledge and experience that span all industry and business sectors, including International Trade Litigation, International Trade Policy and Strategy, World Trade Organization, EU Law, Export Controls/FCPA and International Regulatory Compliance, Customs, Immigration, International Arbitration, International Business Transactions, International Aviation, and Public International Law.