Education
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Columbia Law School, J.D., 1996
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American University, M.A., 1994
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Brown University, A.B., 1989
Bar Admissions
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Kristin Wells uses her notable foreign policy experience and insight into international politics to help clients further their domestic and foreign business opportunities. Working closely with other members of the Firm’s public policy and international law teams, she helps a variety of businesses in their dealings with foreign governments and legal systems, as well as international markets.
Ms. Wells provides lobbying services on a range of matters within the jurisdiction of Congress’ foreign affairs and judiciary committees, leveraging her knowledge of foreign policy to advise both foreign sovereigns and business entities. She plays an integral role on the Firm’s Brazil team expanding opportunities for U.S. investment and partnership in the following sectors: tourism, infrastructure, energy, transportation, aviation, agriculture, oil and gas.
A Capitol Hill veteran, Ms. Wells previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel to Chairmen Howard Berman (D-CA) and the late Tom Lantos (D-CA) on the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs. In that role she provided counsel to the Committee Chairman and other Democratic Committee members regarding legislative and foreign policy matters, with an emphasis on international refugee policy and immigration matters, as well as legislation related to Africa, Latin American, the Caribbean, international women’s issues and consular affairs matters. She also worked for the House Committee on the Judiciary as counsel to Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), where she advised and briefed Democratic Committee members on matters including immigration, homeland security, antitrust and civil liberties issues.
In her time in public service, Ms. Wells was involved in numerous pieces of historic legislation, including the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004, the REAL ID Act of 2005, historic House and Senate resolutions declaring genocide in Darfur in 2005, Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Department of State Reauthorization Act of 2009.
Ms. Wells’ experience also includes tenures as a litigation associate at a prominent international law firm, a clerk for the Constitutional Court of South Africa and time at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. She also worked at the U.S.-Catholic Conference, TransAfrica and an Afro-Brazilian women’s organization in Brazil.
Representative Matters:
- Advises foreign sovereigns on interfacing with Congress on matters related to their bilateral relationships with the U.S.
- Serves as the principal advisor on Brazil market entry for U.S. real estate investment trust in the hotel industry.
- Provided a major union and a telecommunications organization with unparalleled access to key members of Congress and congressional staff; secured opportunities for officials to testify on a large communications merger.
- Represents clients with complicated immigration needs.
- Oxfam America (pro bono): Advises on policy matters related to foreign assistance and Congress.
- Legal Momentum’s Immigrant Women Program (pro bono): Provides legal and policy advice on the reauthorization of battered immigrant women protections in the Violence Against Women Act.
- Tahirih Justice Center (pro bono): Provides legal and policy advice on immigration, asylum and protection of female victims of violence around the world, including the International Child Marriage Act of 2010.
Professional Affiliations:
- Member, Board of Directors, Women’s Refugee Commission
- Member, Brazil-U.S. Council
- Member, Brazil-U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Tahirih Justice Center Policy Council
- Member, African American Women on the Hill
- Member, Advisory Board, G!RLS EMPOWERED
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