Overview
Ali Burney's practice focuses on representing clients in the Asia-Pacific region on matters related to US national security laws (incl. US economic sanctions and export controls), the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and anti-money laundering / counter terrorism financing (AML/CFT) laws.
Ali has extensive experience representing clients in front of the US Department of Justice, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). His experience includes conducting cross-border investigations, filing voluntary self-disclosures, responding to subpoenas, obtaining OFAC licenses, conducting risk assessments, and representing individuals and companies seeking removal from OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) and the BIS Entity List.
Ali is ranked in Chambers – Greater China for Corporate Investigations. Clients report that "Ali is a practical and thoughtful lawyer, and his experience with the US government is immensely valuable," his "long track record in the commodities and financial services space has become timely, particularly over the past year" and that he is "very patient and diligent in his work."
He also frequently advises companies investing in high-risk sectors and countries on sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, and export control related pre-acquisition due diligence and post-acquisition compliance program implementation.
- Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong
- District of Columbia
- New York
- J.D., Albany Law School of Union University, 2001
- LL.M. in Banking and Finance Law, Queen Mary University of London, 1998
- B.A., Sewanee: The University of the South, 1994, Economics
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
Investigations & Enforcement
- Represented a global oil and gas trading company in relation to a multi-agency sanctions-related investigation by DOJ, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the FBI.
- Conducted an FCPA-related investigation in the Philippines for a multinational company headquartered in the United States.
- Successfully represented a Singapore-based commodity trader in front of DOJ and FBI relating to allegations of violations of US sanctions and anti-money laundering laws. As a result of the representation, DOJ issued a declination letter and the client did not have to pay a monetary penalty despite the fact that the initial allegations by DOJ and FBI suggested more than USD 200 million in suspect transactions over a five-year period.
- Successfully represented a South Asian refiner in relation to an inquiry from the State Department relating to a suspected shipment of Iranian crude oil. Following our submissions on behalf of the client, the State Department concluded its inquiry without any further action against our client.
- Represented a major European aircraft manufacturing company in relation to a regulatory investigation arising from alleged violations of US sanctions and export controls.
- Represented a major South American airline in relation to a regulatory investigation by the US Department of Commerce.
- Represented a Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturing company in relation to alleged violations of US sanctions and export controls.
- Represented major European and Middle Eastern banks in relation to regulatory investigations arising from alleged violations of OFAC sanctions programs.
Compliance & Advisory
- Advised a global mining company on a group-wide risk assessment of its compliance with US, UN, EU and UK sanctions, export controls and AML/CTF requirements.
- Served as US sanctions and export controls counsel to major international banks, logistics companies, commodity trading companies, and oil and gas companies.
- FCPA counsel to a solar power company with investments and projects throughout South Asia and South East Asia.
- Represented private-equity clients in connection with due diligence on highly complex M&A transactions in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa related to sanctions, AML, and anti-bribery and corruption issues.
Speaking Engagements
- "EU, US and UK Sanctions Against Russia and Belarus: An Overview," Implementing Effective Sanctions Against Russia, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Centre for Financial Crime & Security Studies, Tokyo, Japan, December 2024
- "From policy to practice: Implementing integrated Financial Crime compliance solutions," Deloitte Southeast Asia Financial Crime Symposium 2024, Deloitte, Singapore, Singapore, September 18, 2024
- "Regulatory and Investigations: Perspectives from the UAE & US," Co-Hosted Program, Steptoe and Hadef & Partners, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 5, 2024
- "Regulatory and Investigations: Perspectives from the UAE & US," Hadef & Partners and Steptoe Event, Dubai, June 5, 2024
- "Fighting Digital & Corporate Crime, Investigations & Digital Assets — HK, China & US Focus," Asia Forum: 3rd Annual International Arbitration & Competition Law Summit in Hong Kong, May 18, 2023
- "Sanctions and Arbitrations: Perspective from South-East Asia," L2 i-CON International Webinar, April 13, 2023
- "Sanctions and their impact on the rule of law," GAR Live: Hong Kong, October 27, 2022
- "Navigating the New Economic Sanctions Era: Impact on Global Business/Sanctions Risk Management," IPBA's Anti-Corruption & Rule of Law Committee, June 2, 2022
- "Corruption in the Resources Sector," Energy and Resources Law Asia, November 11, 2021
- "Conducting Effective Internal Investigations for Export Violations", Strafford Publications, October 20, 2021
- "US Tech Export Controls, Sanctions Against Chinese Entities in 2020," China Law & Practice podcast, January 7, 2021
- "Hong Kong and China: What is the Future for Export Controls and Sanctions," Annual Forum on Global Economic Sanctions for Canadian Operations, November 19, 2020
- "Regulatory Due Diligence of the Target Companies in Merger Transactions," Challenges to Cross-Boundary Deal-Making in the Greater Bay Area, Asian Legal Business webinar, September 23, 2020
News & Publications
Stepwise Risk Outlook
Sanctions Update: April 28, 2025
April 28, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Zayna Dembinski, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Hoi Chung Liu, Jonathan Eaton
International Compliance Blog
Weekly Sanctions Update: April 28, 2025
April 28, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Zayna Dembinski, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Hoi Chung Liu, Jonathan Eaton
Stepwise Risk Outlook
Sanctions Update: April 21, 2025
April 21, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Zayna Dembinski, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Hoi Chung Liu, Jonathan Eaton
International Compliance Blog
Weekly Sanctions Update: April 21, 2025
April 21, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Zayna Dembinski, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Hoi Chung Liu, Jonathan Eaton
International Compliance Blog
Weekly Sanctions Update: April 14, 2025
April 14, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Isabella Rao, Jonathan Eaton
Stepwise Risk Outlook
Sanctions Update: April 7, 2025
April 7, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Jonathan Eaton, Sophia Yang
International Compliance Blog
Weekly Sanctions Update: April 7, 2025
April 7, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Meredith Rathbone, Karl Hopkins, Guy Soussan, Alexandra Melia, Darryl Nirenberg, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Quentin Johnson, Elli Zachari, Elliot Letts, Melissa B. Mahle, Anni Coonan, Thomas Goldstein, Wilson Zhao, Zoey Hong, Jonathan Eaton, Sophia Yang
Stepwise Risk Outlook
US Intelligence’s 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment; Implications for Businesses
April 2, 2025
By: Melissa B. Mahle
International Compliance Blog
Trump Imposes Novel “Secondary Tariffs” on Countries Importing Venezuelan Oil and Petroleum Products
March 31, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions Practice
International Compliance Blog
Treasury Department Delists Tornado Cash Following the Fifth Circuit’s Decision
March 25, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions and Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Practices
Resources
Client Alerts
FCPA/Anti-Corruption Developments: 2022 Year in Review
February 24, 2023
By: Iris E. Bennett
Client Alerts
Singapore Data Protection: Considerations for Data Driven Compliance Activities
February 1, 2021
By: Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney
Client Alerts
FCPA/Anti-Corruption Developments: 2020 Year in Review
January 19, 2021
By: Zoe Osborne, Brigida Benitez, Alexandra Baj, Christopher R. Conte, Alexandra Melia, Ali Burney, Fernando Q. Merino, Wendy Wysong, Jefferson Klocke, Jingchun (Cherry) Huang, Troy Shephard, Lin Yang, Bo Yue, Lucas Caiado (International Regulation & Compliance Intern), Jordan Cannon (Law Clerk), Marcia Pulcherio (International Trainee)
Client Alerts
HKSE Listing Applicants: What You Should Know about Sanctions and Export Controls Due Diligence
October 21, 2020
By: Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney
Client Alerts
White House Memorandum Sets Out Best Practices for Agency Enforcement Actions
October 9, 2020
By: Wendy Wysong, Edward J. Krauland, Ali Burney, Meredith Rathbone
Client Alerts
US Weighs Further Xinjiang-Related Enforcement, Including Cotton Import Ban
September 9, 2020
By: Meredith Rathbone, Gregory S. McCue, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney
Client Alerts
Assessing the Impacts of Executive Order 13936 on Hong Kong's Status, One Month Later
August 25, 2020
By: Alexandra Baj, Ali Burney, Eric C. Emerson, Edward J. Krauland, Michelle L. Levin, Patrick F. Linehan, Meredith Rathbone, Wendy Wysong, Martin Willner, Jacob Nelson (International Trade Assistant)
Client Alerts
Due Diligence: Top 10 Benefits of Hiring Independent Compliance Counsel
August 4, 2020
Client Alerts
Top Ten Changes to the DOJ/SEC FCPA Resource Guide
July 20, 2020
By: Christopher R. Conte, Brigida Benitez, Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney, Jefferson Klocke
Events
Seminars & Events
Global Trade and Enforcement Symposium in Hong Kong
June 1, 2023
Speakers: Renato Antonini, Yongqing Bao, Brigida Benitez, Brian G. Burke, Ali Burney, Henry Cao, John Caracappa, Boyd Cloern, Robyn C. Crowther, Brian J. Fleming, Coy Garrison, Zoey Hong, Stanley C. Kuo, Amy J. Lentz, Michelle L. Levin, Patrick F. Linehan, Jamie Lucia, Alexandra Melia, Cáitrín McKiernan, Eva Monard, Darryl Nirenberg, Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar, Angus Rodger, Guy Soussan, David M. Stetson, Grace Wang, Philip R. West, Charles Whiddington, Wendy Wysong, Lin Yang, Bo Yue, Wilson Zhao
Webinars
Ask the Lawyers: Update on US Sanctions Risks for Non-US Companies
February 20, 2020
Speakers: Wendy Wysong, Ali Burney
Noteworthy
- Chambers Greater China, Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (2023-2024)
- Chambers Asia-Pacific, Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (International Firms), Greater China Region (2022-2025)
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Next Generation, Regulatory: Anti-Corruption and Compliance, Hong Kong (2022–2025)
Previous Employment
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US Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control