Chandler S. Leonard

Overview

Chandler S. Leonard is a counsel in in Crowell & Moring's International Trade Group in Washington, D.C., where she advises U.S. and international companies—including defense contractors, technology companies, IT services providers, aerospace and manufacturing companies, and private equity sponsors—on the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and economic sanctions programs administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Her practice focuses on voluntary self-disclosures and enforcement proceedings before the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and OFAC; export compliance program design and risk assessments; export jurisdiction and classification determinations; and trade regulatory diligence in M&A and CFIUS matters. She brings this perspective from prior service at OFAC and DDTC, as well as in-house compliance experience at a major defense contractor—enabling her to anticipate regulatory expectations and deliver strategically informed, practical guidance at every stage of a client engagement.

Prior to joining Crowell, Chandler served as a Sanctions Compliance Officer at OFAC and as a Senior Compliance Specialist at DDTC, where she led complex enforcement investigations, utilized administrative subpoena authority, and presented enforcement recommendations to senior agency leadership. At DDTC, she managed enforcement matters through the full consent agreement lifecycle—from conducting the underlying investigations to overseeing compliance and monitoring obligations during active consent agreements. She also coordinated the close-out process, confirming that the company's remedial actions and engagement with the designated Special Compliance Officer (SCO) satisfied DDTC's outstanding concerns. Before entering government service, Chandler served as a Senior Export Compliance Analyst at a major defense contractor, where she managed day-to-day compliance operations across multiple regulatory programs.

At Crowell, Chandler leads complex internal investigations of potential ITAR, EAR, and OFAC violations and prepares Voluntary Self-Disclosures before DDTC, BIS, and OFAC. Matters she has led have been resolved with warning letters on multiple occasions. She regularly conducts export classification determinations (including Commodity Jurisdiction (CJ) requests and Commerce Classification (CCATS) requests) across a broad range of items and activities, including hardware, software, technical data, controlled technology, and defense services.

Chandler also designs and implements tailored compliance programs, conducts risk assessments, and delivers targeted training on regulatory developments and enforcement priorities. She conducts trade-related due diligence in M&A transactions—including assessment of target company compliance posture, preparation and management of time-sensitive regulatory notifications such as ITAR Registration amendments, 5-day notifications, and 60-day prenotifications—and counsels foreign investors and U.S. target companies on matters implicating CFIUS, including mandatory and voluntary filing obligations and critical technology assessments.

Prior to joining Crowell, Chandler served as a Sanctions Compliance Officer at OFAC and as a Senior Compliance Specialist at DDTC, where she led complex enforcement investigations, utilized administrative subpoena authority, and presented enforcement recommendations to senior agency leadership. At DDTC, she managed enforcement matters through the full consent agreement lifecycle—from conducting the underlying investigations to overseeing compliance and monitoring obligations during active consent agreements. She also coordinated the close-out process, confirming that the company's remedial actions and engagement with the designated Special Compliance Officer (SCO) satisfied DDTC's outstanding concerns. Before entering government service, Chandler served as a Senior Export Compliance Analyst at a major defense contractor, where she managed day-to-day compliance operations across multiple regulatory programs.

At Crowell, Chandler leads complex internal investigations of potential ITAR, EAR, and OFAC violations and prepares Voluntary Self-Disclosures before DDTC, BIS, and OFAC. Matters she has led have been resolved with warning letters on multiple occasions. She regularly conducts export classification determinations (including Commodity Jurisdiction (CJ) requests and Commerce Classification (CCATS) requests) across a broad range of items and activities, including hardware, software, technical data, controlled technology, and defense services.

Chandler also designs and implements tailored compliance programs, conducts risk assessments, and delivers targeted training on regulatory developments and enforcement priorities. She conducts trade-related due diligence in M&A transactions—including assessment of target company compliance posture, preparation and management of time-sensitive regulatory notifications such as ITAR Registration amendments, 5-day notifications, and 60-day prenotifications—and counsels foreign investors and U.S. target companies on matters implicating CFIUS, including mandatory and voluntary filing obligations and critical technology assessments.

Career & Education

Department of State
Senior Compliance Specialist, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, 2016–2018
Department of the Treasury
Sanctions Compliance Officer, Office of Foreign Assets Control, 2018–2020
- Department of State
  Senior Compliance Specialist, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, 2016–2018
- Department of the Treasury
  Sanctions Compliance Officer, Office of Foreign Assets Control, 2018–2020
Midwestern State University, B.A., magna cum laude, international studies and political science, 2008
George Mason University School of Law, J.D., 2013
- Midwestern State University, B.A., magna cum laude, international studies and political science, 2008
- George Mason University School of Law, J.D., 2013
District of Columbia
Maryland
- District of Columbia
- Maryland

Chandler's Insights

Blog Post | 03.01.26

BIS Fines Teledyne FLIR $1 Million for Unlicensed China-Related Thermal Camera Exports and De Minimis Miscalculations

Client Alert | 2 min read | 02.12.26
Treasury Seeks Public Input on CFIUS Known Investor Program and Streamlining of Foreign Investment Reviews
Blog Post | 02.12.26
Treasury Seeks Public Input on CFIUS Known Investor Program and Streamlining of Foreign Investment Reviews
Firm News | 7 min read | 01.09.26
Crowell & Moring Elects 15 New Partners, Promotes One to Senior Counsel and 26 to Counsel

View All Insights

Representative Matters

Led international trade regulatory diligence in connection with the $175 million acquisition of a leading manufacturer of mission-critical personal protective equipment and tactical gear for military and law enforcement globally, identifying and mitigating export control and sanctions compliance risks that informed deal terms; the transaction closed in February 2026.
Served as lead investigative counsel for an internal investigation of potential unauthorized exports of ITAR-controlled technical data during a $1 billion divestiture of a group of defense cable assembly manufacturers. Managed all aspects of the investigation, including e-discovery, document review, witness interviews, and coordination with deal counsel and company leadership; prepared the resulting Voluntary Self-Disclosure to DDTC.
Led a large-scale export controls risk assessment and prepared a comprehensive tailored compliance program for a U.S.-based global IT services company supporting prime defense contractors, covering seconded employees, ECI hosted on U.S. and overseas networks, incidental access to customer systems, and international operations in Australia and the UK; and advised on client’s ITAR registration that included more than 20 global affiliates.
Prepared formal self-classification memoranda for multiple software products and platforms for a space domain awareness software start-up company, enabling the client to pursue international partnerships; developed tailored export compliance policies and procedures; and provided ongoing counsel, including conducting export control due diligence on prospective foreign investors during series funding rounds.
Led a year-long internal investigation spanning ITAR and EAR involving potential violations related to non-U.S. person employee access to controlled technical information, including classification analysis for more than 30 unique product formulations; prepared Voluntary Self-Disclosures to BIS and DDTC, both of which were resolved with warning letters.