Overview
Jason Wright is an experienced litigator and national security lawyer who represents multinational companies, sovereign entities, executives, and boards in high-stakes matters arising from sanctions, export controls, foreign investment restrictions, and other instruments of economic statecraft. He advises and defends clients facing government investigations, enforcement actions, and complex cross-border disputes, and litigates challenges to government actions that affect global business operations.
Jason regularly represents clients before OFAC, BIS, CFIUS, and the Department of Justice, and guides companies through sensitive interactions with US national security and intelligence agencies. His work sits at the intersection of regulatory enforcement, geopolitical risk, and complex commercial exposure.
Chambers describes Jason as having "great judgment," being "extremely sharp," and providing "great advice on legal, ethical, and business matters," adding that he "can play the legal game of chess. By methodologically understanding the opponent’s moves, conditions, and center of gravity, Jason is always many steps ahead."
A Bronze Star recipient and lieutenant colonel in the US Army Reserve, Jason brings more than two decades of national security experience to managing legal, reputational, and operational risk in matters involving economic warfare and geofinance.
His litigation practice covers white-collar defense, international human rights, challenges to administrative agencies under the Administrative Procedure Act, and US and transnational commercial litigation. He has successfully represented clients in business transactions and disputes in the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Jason's extensive criminal trial and appellate experience includes high-profile cases such as the 9/11 terrorism case in Guantánamo Bay, the Dewey & LeBoeuf trial, and federal and Supreme Court appeals in securities and financial fraud, 2nd Amendment, and IRS whistleblower cases.
He earned an advanced law degree in international human rights law from the University of Oxford and has published and presented on public international law, economics sanctions, and national security law worldwide. Jason has represented victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and terrorism in cases related to armed conflicts and provided expert testimony before the US Congress on economic sanctions.
His teaching experience includes co-directing an international criminal law tribunals clinic at Washington and Lee University School of Law, teaching international criminal law and procedure at Georgetown University Law Center, and teaching constitutional and national security law at the US Military Academy at West Point.
His pro bono and volunteer activities include providing legal support to Gold Star Families, teaching international humanitarian law for the American Red Cross, and coaching youth soccer.
- New York
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York
- US District Court, District of Columbia
- US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- US Tax Court
- US Court of Federal Claims
- Hon. Barry R. Poretz, US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, 2004-2005
- M.S.T., University of Oxford, International Human Rights Law
- J.D., George Mason University School of Law, cum laude
- B.S., James Madison University
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
Economic Sanctions and National Security Law
- Led, developed and implemented an automated economic sanctions compliance program for a major organization using an enterprise platform that integrates the sanctions screening and analysis into a single ecosystem.
- Represented and advised sovereign ministries, state-owned entities, sovereign wealth funds, multi-national companies, family offices, investors, and trusts providing full scope services on more than 200 discrete economic sanctions, export controls, and CFIUS compliance and counseling matters.
- Represented more than forty Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) individuals, entities, and vessels against the US Department of State and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, successfully resulting in a definition of the “financial services sector” definition under E.O. 14024.
- Led training seminars, edited a handbook, and drafted chapters on best practices for governance, risk and compliance for an international governmental organization (IGO).
White-Collar and Government Investigations
- Represented President Trump's former Personal Secretary and Director of Oval Office Operations at the White House, who was compelled to testify under a subpoena issued by the Manhattan district attorney's office in People v. Donald J. Trump ("the Stormy Daniels case").
- Represented a cryptocurrency trader in a successful $15M civil forfeiture case to challenge the seizure and civil forfeiture of a Binance account in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
- Represented the family member of the former President of Guatemala in a successful civil forfeiture challenge in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Civil Litigation and International Disputes
- Represented a foreign financial institution in a $500M anti-injunction suit in an economic sanctions-related dispute in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
- Represented a $200M e-commerce company with commercial disputes against payment processors in Hong Kong, the UK, Norway, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Nevada.
- Represented a sovereign entity in 1782 litigation in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York to compel production of records for an international arbitration.
- Represented a foreign paper company in disputes in Virginia courts and the US District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Eastern District of Michigan relating in defense of judicial sale, breach of contract, and 1782 proceedings.
Government & Regulatory Litigation
- Secured the release of individual under the writ of habeas corpus in the US District Court for the Southern District of California who benefitted from deportation protection under the Convention Against Torture.
- Represent a congressional whistleblower in challenges against IRS Whistleblower Office award determinations regarding $5B in tax evasions before the US Tax Court.
- Tried the first case before the US Tax Court under the IRS Whistleblower Program.
- Won a seminal appeal in the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia prevailing on the "clearly erroneous" standard of review for a $90 million award claim under the IRS Whistleblower Program.
- Successfully represented dozens of foreign investors under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program against the Department of Homeland Security to obtain approval of their immigrant-investor petitions and served as a court-approved expert on the EB-5 Program in two bankruptcy proceedings before the US Bankruptcy Court for Delaware.
Public International Law
- Designed and directed a 15-hour public international law course for a foreign ministry.
- Represent two grantor international non-profit organizations in response to inquiries from the UN’s Human Rights Council on matters relating to business and human rights.
- Advised several clients, drafted studies and conducted internal reviews on matters relating to UN mandates, the laws of war, international humanitarian law, and UN enforcement mechanisms.
- Won a federal trial in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on human rights grounds in defense of a case brought by El Salvadoran military colonel under the Hague Child Abduction Convention.
Speaking Engagements
- “U.S.-Iran Tensions and Diplomatic Talks,” World Salon, February 12, 2025
- “Economic Warfare and Geofinance,” New North Ventures Boston Innovation Summit, February 5, 2025
- "Immunity: The Principle and Its Evolution; the Role of Commercial Dispute Resolution in Promoting the Rule of Law," KSA Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1st Forum on World Law Day, September 13, 2025
- “Leadership for Lawyers: Lessons from the Battlefield to the Courtroom,” American Red Cross Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Competition, March 22, 2025
News & Publications
Risk & Resilience
The Legal Dimensions of Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence
February 6, 2026
By: Yousuf Aftab, Jonathan C. Drimmer, Jason Wright, Timothy L. Dickinson, Ellie Abramov
International Compliance Blog
U.S. Targets Rosneft and Lukoil in First Russia Sanctions Action Under Trump
October 28, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions Practice
International Compliance Blog
More Relief for Syria: Commerce and Treasury Ease Export Controls and Revoke Sanctions
September 12, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions Practice
International Compliance Blog
Trump Imposes Secondary Tariffs on India Targeting Russian Oil Imports
August 8, 2025
By: Steptoe's Trade Policy and Economic Sanctions Practices
International Compliance Blog
President Trump Revives His Hardline Cuba Policy
July 16, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions Practice
International Compliance Blog
A New Day: The US Announces Immediate Sanctions Relief for Syria
June 2, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions Practice
International Compliance Blog
Treasury Department Announces CFIUS "Fast Track" Pilot Program for Foreign Investors
May 19, 2025
By: Steptoe's National Security & Cross-Border Transactions Practice
Resources
Noteworthy
- Chambers Global, International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions (2026)
- Chambers USA, International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions (2025)
- LawDragon, Top 500 Leading Litigators in the US (2025, 2026)
- Veteran of the Year Recipient, 17th Congressional District (2025)
- Small Business Turnaround Award, Turnaround Management Association (2022)
- National Security Law Hero, Just Security (2014)
- Trial Advocacy Award, New York City Bar Association (2009)
- Bronze Star Medal (2008)
- Secretary of Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2014)
- Army Meritorious Service Medal (2009, 2021, 2024)
- Iraq Campaign Medal (2008)
- Order of the Combat Spur (2008)
- Parachutist Badge (2005)
Previous Employment
- Chief, Administrative Law, 88th Readiness Division, US Army Reserve (2024-present)
- Assistant Professor of Law, US Military Academy at West Point, US Army Reserve (2020-2024)
- Deputy Regional Defense Counsel, 16th Legal Operations Detachment, US Army Reserve (2018-2020)
- Senior Defense Counsel, 16th Legal Operations Detachment, US Army Reserve (2016-2018)
- Managing Trial Defense Counsel, US Military Commissions, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (2011-2014)
- Trial Defense Counsel, US Army Europe (2009-2011)
- Aide-de-Camp to MG Mark P. Hertling, Commanding General, 1st Armored Division, Germany (2009)
- Aide-de-Camp to MG Mark P. Hertling, Commanding General, Multinational Division-North, Iraq (2008)
- Staff Plans Officer and International Law Advisor, Multinational Division-North, Iraq (2007-2008)
- International Law Advisor, 1st Armored Division, Headquarters, Germany (2006)
- Administrative Law Attorney, 1st Armored Division, 2nd Brigade, Germany (2005)
- Law Clerk, Office of the General Counsel, US Army (2003)