Damara L. Chambers

Damara is a partner in the Washington D.C. office and co-leads the firm’s National Security and International Trade practice. She advises clients on cross-border investment and national security matters, including national security reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly known as the Defense Security Service (DSS), Department of Energy and other cognizant agencies, and on the application of international trade controls, including export controls and economic sanctions.

Damara is recognized in Chambers USA and Chambers Global (2019) for her extensive experience advising clients before CFIUS and advising companies regarding the mitigation of foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) under national industrial security regulations administered by DSS, Department of Energy and other agencies. She has been involved in negotiating some of the most significant national security agreements with the U.S. government and has represented clients on a variety of landmark CFIUS and FOCI matters.

In her export controls and economic sanctions practice, she advises companies on compliance and enforcement matters relating to U.S. export controls administered by the Departments of State, Commerce, and Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); economic sanctions administered by the Department of the Treasury; and import and licensing requirements imposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). She also frequently advises on trade control issues in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Damara also has represented clients in federal court litigation on international and antitrust issues. The following is a list of representative matters in which Damara has worked, including some occurring prior to joining Vinson & Elkins.