Maher M. Shomali

PARTNER

Phone: 410.539.6336
Email: maher@t-b.com

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Maher M. Shomali joined Thomsen and Burke in 2007 and concentrates on international trade and investment law, with emphasis on representing information technology companies in regulatory, legislative and enforcement matters. Maher leads the Firm’s Global Cryptography practice and assists companies’ filings of authorizations to export, import, use and supply encryption products with foreign governments, including:

• France’s Agence Nationale de la Sécurité des Systèmes d’Information
• Israel’s Ministry of Defense
• Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department
• Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation
• Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
• China’s State Encryption Management Bureau
• South Africa’s Department of Communications
• Poland’s Internal Security Agency

Recent matters include

• Assisted telecommunications, computer, software, semiconductor, medical equipment manufacturing, pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the filing of import and export-related documents with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
• Prepared and submitted export-related classification requests and license authorizations under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and OFAC sanctions programs.
• Advised technology companies on the economic sanctions programs implemented by OFAC, including the Cuban, Iranian, North Korean, Syrian, Sudanese and Ukraine-related sanctions programs.
• Conducted on-site compliance audits of telecommunications and software companies and assisted with implementation of export compliance programs under the EAR and ITAR.
• Advised technology companies in tariff classifications under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) of the United States.
• Represented an industrial company in a protest filing with CBP
• Represented technology companies in matters before CBP involving the seizure and detention of products.

Education

• J.D., University of Baltimore School of Law
• B.A., Loyola University Maryland

Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Maryland

Professional Memberships

• American Bar Association
• District of Columbia Bar
• Maryland State Bar Association

Did you know?

• Maher has presented at various conferences to international trade compliance professionals on the topic of encryption exports and imports.
• Maher speaks fluent Arabic and has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, including Israel, Jordan and Palestine.
• Maher resides in Maryland with his wife, Carolyn, and their three daughters. The family enjoys traveling together and spending time in the parks around Maryland.