Damara L. Chambers

Damara Chambers is a special counsel in the firm’s International practice group. Her practice focuses on national security law, cross-border investment issues and international trade controls.

Ms. Chambers has extensive experience handling complex regulatory matters relating to international investment and mergers, including advising foreign and domestic clients in successful national security reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and advising companies regarding the mitigation of foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) under national industrial security regulations administered by the Defense Security Service (DSS) and Department of Energy.

Ms. Chambers 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 matters, including Nexen Inc. in its $15.1 billion sale to CNOOC Ltd., Stanley, Inc. in its $1 billion acquisition by CGI Group, Temasek Holdings in its multi-billion dollar investment in Merrill Lynch, and the Carlyle Group in its $1.9 billion sale of Standard Aero and Landmark Aviation to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise.

In the international trade controls area, Ms. Chambers advises companies on compliance and enforcement matters relating to US export controls administered by the Departments of State, Commerce, and Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, economic sanctions administered by the Department of the Treasury, and import and licensing requirements imposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Ms. Chambers also has represented clients in federal court litigation on international and antitrust issues.

Pro Bono

* Representation of a Mexican family before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in connection with their applications for nonimmigrant visa status pursuant to the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000.
* Representation of victims of a terrorist bombing in litigation against Hamas, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iran’s Ministry of Information and Security.

Memberships and Affiliations

* Executive Committee of the Yale Law School Association, Term Member

Previous Employment

* U.S. Department of Energy, Special Assistant to the Secretary (2001)
* Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Headquarters, U.S. Naval Officer (1996-2000)
* U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Legislative Fellow (1995)