Overview
Jason Wright is an experienced litigator with a sharp focus on economic sanctions and national security law. He advises multinational corporations, government officials, sovereign entities, intergovernmental institutions (IGOs), state-owned entities (SEOs), NGOs, and private clients across various industries.
His litigation practice covers white-collar defense, international human rights, and US and transnational commercial litigation. A Bronze-star combat veteran with a top-secret security clearance, Jason has a strong background in national security and public international law. He has successfully represented clients in business transactions and legal matters in the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Jason is experienced in advising on regulatory compliance, economic sanctions, and business and human rights. He draws on his military career and close work with US law enforcement and national security agencies to navigate complex national security and international legal and sanctions issues. He regularly advises on cross-border transactions and mergers and acquisitions involving economic sanctions, export controls, foreign direct investment (FDI), and human rights compliance.
Jason often represents clients before the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). He also handles matters involving the Department of Justice, its FARA Unit, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and various national security and intelligence agencies. His deep knowledge about these agencies and the laws they enforce offers clients a unique combination of experience and insight.
Jason’ extensive criminal 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. A former clerk at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (the “Rocket Docket”), his practice includes economic sanctions disputes, the IRS Whistleblower Program, civil RICO, civil forfeiture, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Classified Information Protection Act.
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 (SEO), sovereign wealth funds, multi-national companies, family offices, investors, and trusts providing full scope services on more than 150 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 and 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.
Administrative Procedure Act Litigation
- 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 reformed IRS Whistleblower Program and argued a seminal appeal on the standard of review before the US Circuit Court for the District of Columbia.
- 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 the law department of a major organization.
- 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.
News & Publications
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
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
Noteworthy
- Bronze Star Medal (2008)
- Secretary of Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2014)
- LawDragon’s Top 500 Leading Litigators in the US (2025)
- Small Business Turnaround Award, Turnaround Management Association (2022)
- National Security Law “Hero” Recognition, Just Security (2014)
- Trial Advocacy Award, New York City Bar Association (2009)
Previous Employment
- US Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps
- Chief, Administrative Law, 88th Readiness Division (Wisconsin, 2024 – Pres)
- Assistant Professor of Law, US Military Academy at West Point (2020 – 2024)
- Deputy Regional Defense Counsel, 16th Legal Operations Detachment (New York, 2018–2020)
- Senior Defense Counsel, 16th Legal Operations Detachment (New York, 2016-2018)
- US Army JAG Corps
- Managing Trial Defense Counsel, US Military Commissions, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (2011–2014)
- Trial Defense Counsel, US Army Europe, Wiesbaden Army Airfield (2009–2011)
- Aide-de-Camp to MG Mark P. Hertling, Commanding General, 1st Armored Division Headquarters, 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 Headquarters, Iraq (2007-2008)
- International Law Advisor, 1st Armored Division Headquarters, Wiesbaden, Germany (2006)
- Administrative Law Attorney, 1st Armored Division, 2nd Brigade, Baumholder, Germany (2005)
- Law Clerk, Office of the General Counsel, US Army (2003)