On Sept. 1, Taft partner Sohan Dasgupta, Ph.D., addressed world leaders gathered at the British Parliament. His lecture was titled “The Free World Stands Together.” Dasgupta’s remarks concerned critical questions of national security, international trade, and the rule of law.

Through the lens of adversarial foreign investments, Dasgupta analyzed sanctions, export controls, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Team Telecom, President Biden’s recent executive order setting up an investment outflow review mechanism, enforcement actions, and other measures taken by various governments.

Dasgupta’s audience included members of the U.K. House of Commons and of the House of Lords, U.S. senators, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, prime ministers, cabinet members, ambassadors, members of the European Parliament, members of national parliaments and congresses, other senior governmental officials, and top business executives. Several of the aforementioned also spoke at this intelligence summit, which was held at Central Hall Westminster in London.

Dasgupta remarked, “[G]lobal leadership is a fragile and ethereal trust. Even a powerhouse counts as a leader in the community of nations only when it is a legal, economic, and technological ally to other nations who share its fundamental commitment to freedom. In our era, our alliances in preserving the free world’s prowess will determine whether the free world itself can endure. All this is undergirded by the Rule of Law; and by the need for transformational cooperation in the free world.”

Urging greater cooperation among nations that share fundamental values, Dasgupta noted, “The free world must engage in greater cooperation, exchange of ideas, and intelligence sharing in order to engage with adversarial investments, investment in-flow or out-flow, and much more. Our governments, organizations, and people have an immense amount to impart to one another, thereby sharing ideas and intelligence and devising effective reforms. Ordinarily, the best relationship among nations is that which exists among their peoples, and such exchanges also reinforce trust in each other and faith in our institutions.”

He also stated, “By preserving the free world, we safeguard freedom. We safeguard the rule of law. We safeguard civilization. And we safeguard truth itself. It is the perennial quest for truth that sets the free world apart and elevates us to more than just a sum of our distinct parts. … That is why international cooperation to preserve the free world is so crucial.”

Dasgupta is a strategic and experienced problem-solver representing clients before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state appellate and trial courts, government agencies, and Congress. His practice includes trial and appellate litigation, public law, investigations (including congressional, regulatory, and internal), regulatory and compliance matters, and international disputes (including international trade and international arbitration). He previously served as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Special Counsel of the U.S. Department of Education.