Kara M. Bombach

Kara Bombach is Co-Chair of the firm’s International Trade Group and Chair of the firm’s Washington, D.C. International Trade Group. She assists companies and organizations to lawfully export goods, technology, and services around the globe, prioritizing practical, workable strategies for complex regulatory situations. Kara regularly advises on export control laws (EAR and ITAR), anti-boycott laws, and economic sanctions (embargoes) maintained by the U.S. government (OFAC and other agencies) against various entities, individuals, and countries (including Iran, Cuba and Russia). She also advises on anti-corruption and anti-bribery compliance, as well as best practices under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

In cases of foreign investment that might raise national security concerns, Kara represents companies before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and also assists clients in mitigating foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) as may be required by CFIUS or U.S. national industrial security regulations. Kara works closely with GT colleagues around the world advising on cross-border deals that may trigger national security review in multiple jurisdictions. Kara similarly advises clients on the U.S. Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP) implemented by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which prohibits certain outbound investment and imposes reporting requirements on others.

Kara regularly represents clients in matters before U.S. government agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, Treasury, and Defense. She has significant experience representing individuals and entities in export controls and economic sanctions licensing, enforcement, and delisting matters, and challenges to sanctions designations.

Kara is frequently sought out in exigent circumstances involving export control and sanctions crisis management, such as business disruptions caused by rapidly escalating sanctions laws and regulations, blocked property and asset freezes, and ransomware attacks involving potential sanctions compliance risks.

She advises national and multi-national companies (including Fortune 5) on best practices in the development and delivery of trade compliance policies and procedures, training, and risk assessments, as well as executing cross-border export, sanctions and anti-corruption due diligence in mergers and acquisitions, targeted internal risk assessments, and trade compliance investigations.

Kara is a member of the firm’s Tariff Task Force, a multidisciplinary initiative that draws on the firm’s global platform to guide our clients through what comes next in regards to tariffs, including tariff refund matters, tax, litigation, and M&A activity spurred by these global shifts.

Kara also counsels international not-for-profit and relief/aid organizations on best practices in economic sanctions, trade, and anti-corruption compliance issues that arise in their global operations, frequently in challenging and austere environments. She has provided legal services to organizations such as Save the Children (US), ONE Campaign, Mercy Corps, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Not on Our Watch/The Sentry, and The Enough Project.

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Shortlisted, The Legal Benchmarking Group, 'Women in Business Awards - North America International Trade Lawyer of the Year,” 2025
•Listed, Financier Worldwide
•“Power Players: Distinguished Advisers - Foreign Investment & National Security,” 2025
•“Power Players: Distinguished Advisers - International Trade & Sanctions,” 2021
•Selected, Euromoney, “Women in Business Law Awards Americas - International Trade Lawyer of the Year,” 2022
•Listed, Latin Lawyer, “Latin Lawyer 250 - Practice Recognition: Anti-Corruption Investigations and Compliance,” 2020-2022 and 2024-2026
•Co-Chair, Cuba Practice, Chambers Latin America Guide, Corporate/Commercial: International Firms, (Band 3), 2018
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2013
•Team Member, a Law360 'Real Estate Practice Group of the Year,” 2023
•Team Member, Global M&A Network’s Americas M&A Atlas Awards, “Latam Deal of the Year” for Quinto Andar acquires Navent Group, 2023
•Team Member, National Law Journal, “Washington, D.C. Litigation Department of the Year - White Collar Defense & Special Investigations,” 2022
•Team Member, “Corporate & Finance - International Counsel in Latin America (Florida-Based),” Chambers Latin America Awards, 2017