Latham & Watkins announced that Cate Behles has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as counsel in its CFIUS & US National Security Practice within the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice. Behles most recently served as Senior Counsel and CFIUS Co-Lead Counsel at the US Department of the Treasury, where she advised on foreign investment reviews and national security matters.
During nearly seven years at Treasury, Behles led teams conducting legal reviews for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and handled jurisdictional assessments, non-notified transaction reviews, mitigation agreement negotiations, and compliance and enforcement matters. She also worked on international development issues and spent time in the Treasury General Counsel’s front office managing matters requiring consideration by senior department leadership.
At Latham, Behles will advise corporate and private equity clients on cross-border transactions, foreign investment reviews, and other national security regulatory matters. Her arrival marks the fifth former government lawyer to join the firm’s CFIUS & US National Security and Economic Sanctions & Export Controls practices over the past 16 months.
Behles follows several recent additions from government agencies, including former Assistant Secretary for Investment Security Paul Rosen, former Senior Counsel and Lead Counsel for Trade Adam Schupak, former CFIUS Policy Advisor Stephen Keith, and former Bureau of Industry and Security Information Technology Controls Division Director Aaron Amundson.
Latham & Watkins said the continued expansion of its national security capabilities reflects growing demand from clients navigating increasingly complex regulatory and cross-border investment environments.
Behles earned her law degree from Notre Dame Law School and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are delighted to welcome Cate to Latham and our Washington, D.C. office. Cate brings vast experience with CFIUS and national security regulatory regimes, and her experience at Treasury further strengthens our extraordinary roster of former senior government lawyers at the firm.”
Mandy Reeves, Washington, D.C. Office Managing Partner, Latham & Watkins
“Cate is the fifth former government lawyer in the past 16 months to join our premier CFIUS & US National Security and Economic Sanctions & Export Controls Practices, and her hire underscores our team’s continued growth to match strong demand.”
Damara Chambers, Co-Leader, CFIUS & US National Security Practice, Latham & Watkins
“Cate is an exceptional lawyer with extensive CFIUS experience working at Treasury across multiple administrations. In Cate’s nearly seven years at Treasury, she’s been at the center of the most high-profile and consequential CFIUS matters, and I am thrilled to once again work alongside her at Latham to address our clients’ most challenging national security and cross-border investment matters.”
Paul Rosen, Partner, CFIUS & US National Security Practice, Latham & Watkins
“I am excited to join Latham’s market-leading CFIUS and national security team. I look forward to helping clients navigate evolving regulatory challenges, manage risk, and achieve their strategic objectives alongside such a talented and collaborative team.”
Cate Behles, Counsel, Latham & Watkins
