Emily Thomson

Emily advises clients on foreign direct investment, sanctions, export controls, trade compliance and customs. She has extensive experience advising clients on the application of the UK national security and foreign direct investment regime, from assessing whether the regime applies to clients and making notifications to the UK Government on their behalf, to assisting clients with advocacy on points of national security in front of UK Government. Emily also has a particular focus on advising clients on the ever-changing landscape of EU and UK sanctions against Russia and other jurisdictions.

International Trade, Sanctions, Export Controls

• Advised an S&P 100 technology-focused consultancy/professional services business across a wide range of trade matters, including technology and services-focused trade sanctions measures, financial sanctions, and export controls.

• Advised a multinational cloud management and software vendor on the application of the EU’s Russia sanctions restrictions to its sales of software and cloud services into Russia and to Russian end-customers.

• Advised a major UK bank on a UK financial sanctions license application and assisted with preparation and submission of the license.

• Advised a major multi-national appliance company on its global sanctions and export controls policy and implementation of its corporate compliance programs.

Foreign Investment and National Security

• Advised an international semiconductor company during its detailed UK Government review under the UK national security regime and represented the company in front of the Investment Security Unit and UK Government stakeholders.

• Assisted a multinational cyber-security and cloud company with UK foreign investment and national security assessments and clearances in relation to its reorganisation in preparation for more than USD 1 billion divestment of a stake in the company.

• Advised a UK oil and gas company on the national security risks related to the sale of part of its North Sea operations worth GBP 367 million and assisted on associated notifications to UK Government under the UK national security regime, ultimately resulting in clearances.

• Advised a major sovereign wealth fund on a national security risk assessment in relation to a proposed acquisition of a business with major defense contracts.