Biography

Prior to joining Weil, Mr. Cooley was a partner at another international law firm. Prior to that, he served for nine years as the Director of Foreign Investment Risk Management at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and advised the Assistant Secretary for Policy, the General Counsel, the Deputy Secretary, and the Secretary within DHS, spanning three administrations, on all matters pertaining to foreign investment in the United States. In that role, Mr. Cooley managed the review and disposition of over 1,000 CFIUS cases and hundreds of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) telecommunications license applications before Team Telecom.
Shawn is recognized as a leading lawyer for International Trade: CFIUS Experts by Chambers Global and Nationwide International Trade: CFIUS Experts by Chambers USA, where clients note “he is very thoughtful of the business aspects," “he is knowledgeable" and "can think behind the scenes on how the government works on these transactions."
Mr. Cooley received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the Columbus School of Law, where he was a member of the Catholic University Law Review, and his B.S., with distinction and honors, from Pennsylvania State University.
Awards and Recognition, Speaking Engagements, Guides and Resources, Firm News & Announcements, Latest Thinking
Awards and Recognition
- Shawn Cooley Named a “Leading” Lawyer for International Trade: CFIUS Experts Award Brief — Chambers Global 2023
- Shawn Cooley Named a “Leading” Lawyer for Nationwide International Trade: CFIUS Experts Award Brief — Chambers USA 2022
Speaking Engagements
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10th National Conference on CFIUS
Speaker(s):
Shawn B. Cooley
April 13, 2023 — Washington, D.C. — Weil Corporate partner Shawn B. Cooley spoke on a panel titled “Non-Notified Transactions: Unpacking How the Committee is Now Approaching Reviews and Approvals – and the Timelines” as part of American Conference Institute’s 10th National Conference on CFIUS.
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8th National Conference on CFIUS
Speaker(s):
Shawn B. Cooley
April 27, 2022 — Washington, D.C. — Weil Corporate partner Shawn B. Cooley spoke on a panel titled “The Present and Future of CFIUS Scrutiny for Non-Notified Sectors: New Technology Sectors Under the Microscope – From Bio Tech to Dating Apps” as part of American Conference Institute’s 8th National Conference on CFIUS.
Firm News & Announcements
- Weil Advises Px3 Partners on the Acquisition of the Filtration Division of Celeros Flow Technology Deal Brief — May 10, 2023
- Weil-Led Sale of BPEA EQT Portfolio Company HCP Packaging to Carlyle Named 2022 Cross-Border Deal of the Year by China Business Law Journal Firm Announcement — February 09, 2023
Latest Thinking
- CFIUS Seeks to Expand its Jurisdiction Over Real Estate Transactions via Proposed New Rule Alert — Foreign Investment & Trade — By Shawn B. Cooley, Nathan Cunningham, Christina Carone and William Looney — PDF — May 15, 2023
- U.S. Implements New Export Controls on Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Manufacturing Items Restricting Chinese Access and Updates BIS’s Unverified List Alert — Foreign Investment & Trade — By Shawn B. Cooley, Timothy C. Welch and Nathan Cunningham — PDF — November 08, 2022
- From the Bully Pulpit: President Biden Orders CFIUS to Strengthen Its Reviews in Light of Evolving National Security Risks Alert — Foreign Investment & Trade — By Shawn B. Cooley, Nathan Cunningham, Timothy C. Welch, Christina Carone and William Looney — PDF — October 03, 2022
- The 2021 Annual CFIUS Report Shows the Committee’s Ability to Review More Transactions with Improved Timelines Alert — Foreign Investment & Trade — By Shawn B. Cooley, Nathan Cunningham and Christina Carone — PDF — August 08, 2022
- OFAC Issues Sanctions Compliance Guidelines for Virtual Currency Industry Alert — Global Private Equity Watch — By Shawn B. Cooley and Timothy C. Welch — PDF — October 25, 2021