Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Thad McBride provided insights on export control law related to technology and research in a recent article in Chemistry World. The article covers a recent settlement between Princeton University and the U.S. Commerce Department. Under the settlement, Princeton agreed to pay a fine for alleged export violations related to research sent to foreign facilities in 15 countries, including China and the UK.

“It is really easy, when talking to a colleague at your institution – who happens to be from a different country – about technical details, to not realize that the conversation could constitute an export violation,” Thad explained of risks associated with export control laws governing technology. “That is the easy miss for universities and other research institutions.”

Thad added: “The lesson for universities and research institutions is that lots of stuff that you are involved with, even those things that aim to assist humanity and cure disease, can still be subject to export license violations – even when doing business with our allies, with collaborators in countries with which we have very close trading relationships.”

The full article, “Princeton Fined for Export Violations Involving Controlled Pathogens,” was published March 1 by Chemistry World and is available online. For more detail on this topic, please see Thad’s GovCon & Trade blog post from February 9.