Andrew C. Adams

Andrew Adams, a partner in Steptoe's New York office, advises companies and individuals in the areas of national security crises, government and internal investigations, corporate governance, and white-collar and regulatory matters. His practice includes a particular focus on cryptocurrency and digital assets, anti-money laundering compliance, economic sanctions, export controls, and the seizure and forfeiture of assets by US authorities.

Prior to joining Steptoe, Andrew served as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice's National Security Division, where he oversaw the Division's sanctions, export control, and counterintelligence investigations. He also helped to establish the National Security Division's National Security Cyber Section, contributing to the Department's efforts to address cyber-enabled threats, state-sponsored cyber activity, and other emerging national security challenges. While at "Main" Justice, Andrew also led the Department's response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as the inaugural director of the Department's Russian Sanctions and Export Control Task Force ("KleptoCapture"), focused on anti-money laundering and asset forfeiture tools deployed in the service of US and allied national security.

For over a decade, Andrew served as a federal prosecutor and supervisor in the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, where he investigated and prosecuted complex matters involving money laundering, transnational organized crime, sanctions-related misconduct, the integrity of financial institutions, cryptocurrency-enabled financial crime, cultural property trafficking, and other significant criminal conduct, including sports integrity matters. As the Chief of the Office's Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit, he led a team of prosecutors focused on sophisticated transnational criminal organizations and opaque financial networks, while also coordinating the District's civil and criminal asset forfeiture program.

Before entering public service, Andrew practiced as a litigation associate at an international law firm based in New York.