Wiley Announces Partner and Counsel Promotions for 2023

December 7, 2022

Washington, DC – Wiley Rein LLP, a preeminent DC law firm, is pleased to announce the election of new partners – Lukman S. Azeez, Sara M. Baxenberg, Daniel P. Brooks, Ashley E. Eiler, Michael D. Faucette, Joshua B. Simmons, and Joan Stewart, effective January 1, 2023. In addition, the firm has promoted J. Ryan Frazee and George E. Petel to of counsel, and Jake Frischknecht to special counsel.

The promotions range across several of the firm’s key practice areas, including Global Disputes, Government Contracts, Insurance, International Trade, Issues and Appeals, Litigation, and Telecom, Media & Technology (TMT).

“Congratulations to these excellent lawyers on their well‐deserved promotions, which reflect their notable achievements, outstanding contributions, and firm citizenship,” said Wiley Managing Partner Peter D. Shields. “We all appreciate their many years of hard work and dedication to their clients, colleagues, and the firm.”

The Firm’s Newest Partners:

• Lukman Azeez, formerly an associate, is a member of Wiley’s Litigation, Issues and Appeals, and Global Disputes practices. He represents clients in commercial disputes, constitutional and civil rights law, and Supreme Court and appellate litigation. He litigates a wide array of commercial cases, ranging from contract, fraud, and misappropriation disputes to shareholder and derivative actions. He also represents clients in international litigations and arbitrations and litigates before courts and various administrative agencies. Lukman has an active pro bono practice and has represented individuals seeking to stay their removal proceedings before the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Lukman is also the immediate past president of the Capital Area Muslim Bar Association.
• Sara Baxenberg, formerly an associate, is a member of the Telecom, Media & Technology Practice. She counsels companies engaged in telecommunications, mass media, uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), and emerging technologies on a variety of regulatory, litigation, transactional, and compliance matters. Her areas of focus include UAS law and policy, wireless infrastructure siting, and legal obligations related to making technology accessible to persons with disabilities. Sara’s litigation work spans state and federal courts at all levels from trials to appellate advocacy.
• Daniel Brooks, formerly of counsel, is a member of the TMT Practice. He advises U.S. and multinational companies on a wide range of telecommunications, national security, economic sanctions, and export control issues. Dan frequently represents clients before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the U.S. Treasury, State, Commerce, and Defense Departments. Prior to joining Wiley, Dan practiced corporate M&A, telecommunications, and national security law at another major international law firm.
• Ashley Eiler, formerly of counsel, is a member of the Insurance Practice. She represents professional liability insurers in coverage disputes involving claims against attorneys, accountants, real estate appraisers, and other professionals. She also serves as defense counsel for lawyers and accountants in pending professional liability lawsuits, threatened claims, and disciplinary proceedings. She previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, where she was lead counsel defending the federal government in civil lawsuits alleging employment discrimination, personal injury, medical malpractice, constitutional violations, and administrative procedure errors.
• Michael Faucette, formerly an associate, is a member of the International Trade Practice. He counsels clients on regulatory compliance matters related to export controls, including the ITAR and EAR; sanctions; federal firearms law; ATF regulatory compliance; and national security policy. He has extensive experience assisting clients with the import and export of weapons systems and technology to over 80 countries, classification requests, export agreements, compliance audits, and lobbying strategies. He is well-versed in military technology and geopolitical affairs, and also serves as Executive Director of the Firearms and Ammunition Import/Export Roundtable (F.A.I.R.) Trade Group.
• Josh Simmons, formerly of counsel, is a member of Wiley’s Global Disputes and Litigation practices. He represents clients in high-stakes international arbitration proceedings. He has represented foreign sovereigns and international investors across a broad range of industries, including energy, natural resources, technology, and financial services. He also counsels clients on national security law, public international law, and transnational litigation in U.S. courts. He teaches international arbitration as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, and previously served as Senior Adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State.
• Joan Stewart, formerly of counsel, is a member of the TMT Practice. She focuses on privacy, data governance and media regulatory compliance counseling for a diverse group of clients, including those in broadcast media, telecommunications, and technology sectors. She helps clients create and monitor global privacy compliance programs, and counsels on strategies to implement data governance plans that comply with privacy laws. Joan also counsels media companies on compliance with federal regulations.

The Firm’s Newest Of Counsel:

• Ryan Frazee, formerly an associate, is a member of the Government Contracts Practice. He represents government contractors and subcontractors on a range of issues including contract claims and disputes, bid protests, government and internal investigations, ethics compliance, suspension and debarment, and terminations. He has extensive experience counseling contractors holding Department of Defense contracts, including prime vendor, supply chain and logistics, life-support and security, and IT contracts. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the ABA Section of Public Contract Law’s (PCLS) Legislative and Regulatory Coordinating Committee.
• George Petel, formerly an associate, is a member of the Government Contracts Practice. He represents federal, state, and local government contractors, subcontractors, and grant recipients on issues including claims and disputes, bid protests, civil and criminal investigations and audits, and defective pricing and cost accounting matters. He counsels government contractors on compliance with SBA and other agency regulations, with mandatory disclosure obligations, incurred cost submissions, and other reporting requirements. He is an Adjunct Professor of Government Contracts at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, and also serves as Co-Chair of the ABA PCLS’s Legislative and Regulatory Coordinating Committee and Vice-Chair of the Small Business and Socioeconomic Programs Committee.

The Firm’s Newest Special Counsel:

• Jake Frischknecht, formerly an associate, is a member of the International Trade Practice. He handles all aspects of international trade and trade remedy proceedings, including representing clients in complex antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings before the Department of Commerce, the International Trade Commission, the Court of International Trade, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Jake counsels manufacturing industries and technology firms on supply chain vulnerabilities and government incentives to onshore production. Jake has provided analysis and advice on World Trade Organization matters to clients and government counsel. He also advises clients on compliance, investigations, and audits relating to export controls, economic sanctions compliance and customs.