In the export controls, antiboycott and sanctions arenas, Mr. Jackson concentrates on compliance and enforcement defense. He establishes and audits clients' corporate compliance programs to help companies and executives operate in accordance with the complex and evolving regulatory landscape. As the government's export control enforcement and prosecution efforts continue to intensify, and with greater consequences, Mr. Jackson defends corporations and individuals facing civil administrative actions and criminal indictments. Mr. Jackson regularly interacts with the federal agencies that have regulatory, enforcement and prosecutorial authority for export controls, antiboycott and sanctions, including the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) National Security Division, U.S. Attorneys Offices nationwide, the U.S. Department of Commerce's BIS, the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for export enforcement at the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, Mr. Jackson served as the nation's leading federal official responsible for the enforcement of the laws and regulations governing the export of dual-use goods and technology, as well as the antiboycott laws. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2005, after being nominated for this post by President George W. Bush.
As Assistant Secretary, Mr. Jackson was responsible for protecting and advancing the national security, foreign policy and economic interests of the United States. He was also responsible for developing and implementing export enforcement policy at BIS. In addition to managing the enforcement staff at the Commerce Department's headquarters in Washington, D.C., he oversaw nine field offices located throughout the United States, as well as five overseas attaches stationed in Moscow, New Delhi, Beijing, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi.
During his tenure as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Jackson authorized the charges and settlements in all BIS export enforcement and antiboycott civil administrative cases and coordinated the criminal prosecution of BIS's export controls cases with U.S. Attorneys nationwide. Mr. Jackson worked with the DOJ's National Security Division to develop and implement its Export Enforcement Initiative, which was launched in 2007 and resulted in a significant increase in export controls criminal prosecutions. He also developed the principles that BIS applies in its civil administrative cases to determine whether export controls compliance programs are effective. In addition, following the enactment of the International Emergency Economic Powers Enhancement Act by Congress in 2007, which provides significantly higher penalties for export violations, Mr. Jackson developed the charging and penalty policies that BIS now applies in its administrative cases.
Under Mr. Jackson's leadership, BIS’s Office of Export Enforcement investigations resulted in a number of significant cases including:
- Criminal indictment brought against various entities and individuals for alleged conspiracy involving exports to Iran of electronic components capable of use in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against Coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Successful criminal prosecutions and administrative cases involving the terrorist organizations Hezbollah and Hamas.
- Criminal conviction involving false statements in connection with exports of graphite products having potential nuclear and military applications to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.
- Successful global resolution of criminal prosecution and administrative case brought against a company involving efforts to illegally export dual-use goods having nuclear end-uses to India.
- Criminal conviction of a corporate executive involving illegal exports to a proliferation entity of concern in China.
- Temporary denial orders suspending the export privileges of entities and individuals engaged in illegal exports of aircraft and aircraft parts to Iran.
Mr. Jackson also previously served for more than a decade as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the largest U.S. Attorney's Office in the nation. He tried a broad array of criminal jury trials and subsequently rose through the supervisory ranks to become third in command of the Office as executive assistant U.S. Attorney for operations.
Memberships & Associations
American Law InstituteDistrict of Columbia Bar, Board of Governors, former secretary
Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Criminal Law Committee, former chair
American Bar Association, White Collar Crime Committee, former vice-chair; Section of Litigation, former division director
Professional Activities
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, distinguished lecturer in lawJudicial Conference of the United States, Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules, former member, appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Committee on Nonappropriated Funds, member; Committee on Grievances, former chair
