Multi-million dollar settlements, including BNP Paribas, Weatherford, JPMorgan, Flowserve, Credit Suisse, Lloyds and HSBC are stark reminders of the heavy price of violating U.S. sanctions and the U.S. Government’s resolve to aggressively prosecute OFAC violations by US and non-US entities. Such enforcement activity will undoubtedly continue and underscores the importance of having an effective risk-based sanctions compliance program. Happening for the very first time in San Diego, ACI’s Economic Sanctions West Coast Forum was designed to provide the most comprehensive, practical insights into the latest economic sanctions developments and what exporters must do to keep their compliance program up to date. This one-day event will feature government officials, seasoned in-house representatives and expert outside counsel. The program deals with current issues and will be updated as new sanctions restrictions are added or reduced. Expand your knowledge with the latest guidance on economic sanctions restrictions. Topics will include:

• Take-aways from the big settlements – common features and elements of BNP Paribas, Schlumberger, and other recent cases
• Key elements of effective internal self-assessments, and who should conduct them
• Evaluating your screening filter - how to measure the functionality, effectiveness and user friendliness of available systems
• Spotting connections to related compliance issues such as FCPA, BSA/AML, Export Controls, or CFIUS

WilmerHale Senior Counsel Ron Meltzer is a principal speaker on the panel "What an Optimal OFAC Screening Program Should Look Like – Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Systems and Filters, and What to Do Upon Discovering a Potential 'Hit.'"