ABA International Section Has New Top Dog

Arnall Golden Gregory (USA)? Partner Michael E. Burke is the new chair of the American Bar Association Section of International Law.

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Mr. Burke will oversee the activities of 25,000 section members representing more than 90 countries. The 78-year-old section is the only branch of the ABA that addresses global legal issues.

Mr. Burke works in the rapidly growing Washington, D.C., office of Atlanta-based Arnall Golden Gregory and is a member of the Corporate Practice Team. He is an editor and co-author of the Corporate Counsel’s Guide to Doing Business in China, 3d ed., and is the U.S. Country Councillor for LAWASIA, the international organization that focuses on legal issues in the Asia Pacific region.

“The Section of International Law is a terrific organization because of its great members,” Mr. Burke said. “We are the preeminent U.S.-based international legal organization and I am honored to be the chair.”

In his practice, Mr. Burke is involved in cross-border transactions, including joint ventures, strategic alliances, private equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, distribution and reseller networks, and technology licensing. He counsels clients on compliance with U.S. export controls regulations, U.S. economic sanctions programs, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and U.S. anti-boycott regulations. Mr. Burke also advises on U.S. and international privacy, data protection and information security issues.

Mr. Burke recently traveled to Amsterdam in his first overseas trip as International Section chair, where he spoke on managing law firms in challenging times.

Mr. Burke was in Moscow Sept. 10-13, along with Arnall Golden Gregory Managing Partner Glenn P. Hendrix and Of Counsel Gene Burd, attending the “Third Annual Conference on the Resolution of CIS-Related Business Disputes.” The conference addresses legal challenges in the Commonwealth of Independent States, made up of former Soviet republics. Mr. Burke gave the welcome speech at the opening session.

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP is a mid-size law firm in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., that serves the business needs of growing public and private companies. Through mergers and acquisitions, capital markets financing, strategic alliances, joint ventures, regulatory compliance, litigation and other business-related guidance, the firm helps clients across a broad range of industries turn legal challenges into business opportunities.