Grace Elizabeth Welborn

How Grace Helps Clients

Grace Welborn assists clients with international trade, national security, and export control compliance related needs at Buchanan’s Washington, D.C. office. Grace’s practice includes advising clients on issues related to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Arms Regulations (EAR) and ensuring clients are in compliance with those regulations. Grace has vast experience assisting clients in preparing disclosures for submission to the US Departments of State and Commerce and investigating the compliance matters leading up to those submissions. Grace also assists clients with preparing export classification and jurisdiction analyses, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) licenses and agreements, and Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) licenses. Grace leverages her years of experience dealing with the various federal agencies to ensure her clients goals are accomplished. Ensuring clients have well rounded export compliance policies and procedures is a cornerstone of Grace’s practice.

Grace further assists clients by providing guidance and advice on US economic sanctions regulations and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) compliance. Making certain her clients’ contemplated transactions do not involve any sanctioned or designated parties is one of her top concerns. Grace also practices in several niche areas of US national security law such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Foreign Ownership Control and Influence (FOCI) mitigation, Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) filings, and US anti-boycott compliance.

Grace has experience in representing US manufacturers in a range of international trade issues such as antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, sunset reviews, administrative reviews, and enforcement concerns before the US Departments of Commerce and Customs and the US International Trade Commission. She has represented clients in a variety of industries, including metals, consumer goods, and agriculture. Grace advocates for her clients by coordinating with members of Congress on key international trade issues related to her clients’ cases.

Prior to joining Buchanan, Grace centered her practice on ITAR and EAR issues and has assisted many large companies with maintaining ITAR and EAR compliance by keeping abreast of changes to the regulations and bridging communication between clients and the Departments of State and Commerce. Grace served as a judicial clerk for Judge Rossie Alston, Jr. on the Court of Appeals of Virginia.

What Clients Can Expect

Grace is thorough in her research and writing and is dedicated to ensuring clients are compliant with current regulations. Grace always keeps the client's big picture goals in mind when providing legal advice. She takes pride in regular client communication and attention to detail.

Proof Points

• Advised U.S. and foreign companies on export control laws and applicable sanctions.
• Assisted U.S. and foreign companies on disclosing matters of non-compliance with the ITAR and EAR to the Department of State and Department of Commerce.
• Represented US manufacturers in injury investigations at the US International Trade Commission and less-than-fair-value investigations before the US Department of Commerce.
• Advised companies on other organizations on compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
• Successfully defended antidumping and countervailing duty orders for scope ruling challenges.
• Served as the primary drafter for Enforce and Protect Act allegations regarding transshipment of merchandise through third countries.
• Advised companies on compliance with economic sanctions regulations and transactions with potentially sanctioned foreign parties.
• Presented and advocated for clients’ issues before members of Congress.
• Represented clients before the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) through submission of anti-money laundering whistleblower complaints.

Outside the Office 

Grace is a native of New Zealand and proudly became a dual-U.S. citizen nearly two decades ago. She enjoys international travel, cooking, running around DC, and spending time with her two children. Grace is on a personal quest to run all 6 world marathon majors.