A New Latitude - Charting a Course for Cuba
2:00p.m. – 3:00pm Eastern
J. Scott Maberry is a partner in the Washington DC office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP. He has 20 years of experience counseling clients on commercial and legal aspects of international business. He is co-Chair of the American Bar Association National Institute on Economic Sanctions, past Chair of the ABA Committee on Export Controls and Economic Sanctions. Mr. Maberry earned his JD and Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and his Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University.
President Barack Obama’s historic speech on Cuba December 17 set forth a stunning agenda to reduce U.S. sanctions against Cuba. Easing Cuban sanctions reverses five decades of policy intended to isolate the island nation, dating back to the Castro revolution. The announcement outlines three main categories of changes to U.S. policy toward Cuba, as follows:
Reestablish diplomatic relations. At the President’s direction, Secretary of State John Kerry will initiate discussions with Cuba to reestablish diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the United States plans to establish a U.S. Embassy in Havana.
- Review Cuba’s designation as “state sponsor of terrorism,” which has been in place since 1982.
- Set new policies to authorize travel and commercial transactions in Cuba.
Our webinar will explore the practical, legal, and commercial opportunities and pitfalls of the new U.S.-Cuba relationship. Our expert panelists will conduct an interactive exploration of the following issues, and a robust Q&A exchange will be encouraged:
- What is the current law on travel and transactions regarding Cuba?
- What business sectors will benefit from the new opening with Cuba?
- When will the President’s new policies take effect, and what steps will there be along the way?
- Doesn’t Congress have to change statutes to lift the embargo?
- What practical steps must be taken prior to attempting to do business in Cuba?
We look forward to a lively discussion of these issues with our panel of experts.