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On this episode R&G Tech StudioLitigation and enforcement partner Emma Adams, managing partner of Ropes & Gray’s Washington, DC office, sits down with data, privacy and cybersecurity partner Fran Fairclose to discuss how she can help clients bridge the gap between ongoing national security threats and fast-moving problems. The technological landscape.
Transcript:
Fran Fairclose: Hi, I’m Fran Fairclose, a partner in the data, privacy and cyber security practice at Ropes & Gray. I would like to welcome everyone to the latest edition R&G Tech Studio Podcast. In this issue we have my friend and partner, Amma Adams. Ama is the managing partner of our office here in DC, and her practice focuses on international trade and national security. Amma, thank you so much for joining the podcast today. I’m excited to talk to you about your internship, but before we dive in, can you tell us a little more about yourself and your background?
Emma Adams: Thank you so much for inviting me to be a guest on the podcast and for that fun introduction. A little bit of my practice, as you mentioned, is focused on international trade and national security. And what I like to tell people when they ask me what it means is when you take it. New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Or The Washington Post And you’re reading about many of the geopolitical events that are happening around the world, with respect to Russia, China, Venezuela, or Iran. My practice involves the intersection of those geopolitical issues and trade and investment regulations.
Fran Fairclose: Wow. So, never super boring, interesting, or relevant stuff. This sounds like a very interesting area of law. Now, can you tell me a little bit about how technology is impacting your customers, for better or for worse?
Emma Adams: One way, or a prominent way, to think about how technology is affecting my clients is that there is a race to be the leader of the technology game in terms of national security. My practice includes semiconductors, AI, machine learning, manufacturing, gene editing, gene testing, you name it, and many of the types of technology that are becoming embedded in national security issues. I’m not a technical expert, I’m not an electrical or mechanical engineer by any means, but many of my clients and company clients are involved in those innovations, and that’s how I come in. To help them as they try to move their vision forward.
Fran Fairclose: This is striking when you look at the difference between technicality and these issues of national security. How do you help your customers overcome that gap and solve these issues?
Emma Adams: There are two key ways we can help our clients resolve these issues. First there is helping them have a good foundation or understanding of what these rules mean. There are many technical aspects to these regulations, for example, whether a type of technology can be controlled for export control purposes to different parts of the world or if it is downloaded on a server outside of the United States. States so helping our customers understand what those road rules look like. And then, trying to help them evaluate some of the soft issues—so, not the hard issues—in terms of the reputational or geopolitical risks that they might experience with some of the technologies that they might collaborate with overseas. with others to create or produce. I think I said “softly”, but those intangibles can sometimes be hard to really understand, but they can help drive strategy, and in many ways, help avoid situations where a client breaks some technical rule.
Fran Fairclose: With this environment being driven by things in the world that are rapidly changing, if you look into your crystal ball over the next five to 10 years, what do you see as the emerging issues?
Emma Adams: If we look into a crystal ball or read a tea leaf in the next five to 10 years, one of the things that will be seen is the competition between the United States and many of our allies and adversaries, what we call “concern countries” in my world: the race to stay on top. Being a leader in technology is not just about being able to deliver to our customers, it is also clear that the government will deliver new innovations and potentially game-changing technologies. It also means that our clients find themselves increasingly involved in these matters that are out of their control. And so, as we look forward to the next five to 10 years, what companies are creating and growing, who they’re doing it with, what the impact of these laws are, and being able to find ways to grow and grow where the government doesn’t say they “threaten or harm our national security interests.”
Fran Fairclose: With a lot of this, really, like you said, out of your customers’ control and out of their needs, in the national security environment and any country being a more powerful technological power right now, I guess how do you help customers prepare. Unknown for that kind of future?
Emma Adams: That’s a great question, Fran, I think we’re still putting the playbook together, but I think the bottom line is that we have an amazing knowledge and understanding of these rules. We have incredible resources and relationships in DC with other professionals and peers we work with, as well as government officials we’ve met over the past five, 10, and 15 years. And so, that combination allows us to be exposed to our customers, to try to identify issues as they arise. If you look at the situation with Russia, with China, 15-20 years ago, would we have thought that we would be where we are? Maybe some will, but we have to be flexible and flexible for our customers. That’s how we help them stay on top of these issues, because they pop up and they pop up, and they can be very dramatic and very material in their impact, and it’s up to us to make sure we’re mindful and on top of it. Pay attention to these issues.
Fran Fairclose: With your extensive experience and knowledge in this area, you seem to give your clients a lot of brainpower – it’s amazing. I could talk about this for a long time, but I know we’re running out of time and I want to make sure we get to my favorite part of the podcast, which really has nothing to do with law, but it does. We’ll have a chance to get to know you a little. So, it’s going to be pretty quick questions and quick answers – a little lightning round. First, tell me a little about where you live and your family.
Emma Adams: I live in a town about 10 miles outside of Washington DC. Alexandria is the name of the city where I live with my husband and 17-year-old son, who, as I often joke with people who know me well, think he’s 27 and should be able to make all the decisions. in the family.
Fran Fairclose: Impressed with your excellent work on these major national security questions?
Emma Adams: Not at all – never surprised. “Mommy, you won’t believe the day I’m having, your day doesn’t compare to what I’ve had,” he said many times. Therefore, he is never surprised.
Fran Fairclose: It’s hard to impress our own children, isn’t it?
Emma Adams: so true.
Fran Fairclose: Do you have a favorite movie?
Emma Adams: I have many favorite movies. I have a unique taste, but I love old, classic movies. I especially like Alfred Hitchcock’s films: North in the northwest It’s one of my favorites, too To catch a thief. I just love the stories of some classic movies, and the visuals and cinematography are things that are near and dear to my heart.
Fran Fairclose: i like this. Alfred Hitchcock is one of my favorites. North in the northwest Kind of makes sense to you. So, have you figured it all out with Eva Marie Saint’s character—all the global intrigue and fabulous costumes?
Emma Adams: do you know? I’ve never thought about that, but maybe that’s one of the reasons why I love certain movies, and I love certain clothes and looks and classic lines. So, maybe you did a little psychoanalysis on me, Fran, that I didn’t think about. But, yeah, that would definitely make sense for that movie.
Fran Fairclose: Great, breaking news here on this podcast. I’ll end with a question that’s often asked on this podcast: Which do you think is more important in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the peanut butter or the jelly?
Emma Adams: For me it’s jelly: 60% jelly, 40% peanut butter. Beautiful Grape Jelly – You should have some oozing jelly from a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Well, that’s my answer and it’s the right answer.
Fran Fairclose: I have a different answer to this if you listen back, but I’m not sure if you’ve convinced me. Grapes or strawberries?
Emma Adams: Wine. I love strawberries, but grapes are my first choice.
Fran Fairclose: all right. I’m not sure – I’m not sure – we might have to disagree on that. Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us today. It was great chatting with you. And for our listeners, again, this is cable and gray. R&G Tech Studio Podcast. Available on the Ropes & Gray website, at R&G Tech Studio Page It’s also connected and available wherever you find your podcasts. thank you so much.
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