John E. Turlais

Of Counsel

John E. Turlais

Of Counsel

John Turlais is a member of Foley & Lardner LLP’s Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations Practice Group. He has significant experience conducting international compliance risk assessments for domestic and foreign companies and, based on their specific risk profiles, designing and improving their international trade and anti-bribery/anti-corruption (ABC) compliance programs consistent with the expectations set forth by U.S. law enforcement agencies. He has worked with companies of all sizes —including publicly-traded companies and multinational corporations with established compliance programs, and small and mid-sized firms seeking to expand internationally — to improve or develop myriad policies, position-specific compliance training programs, third-party due diligence procedures, and internal controls tailored to the economic sanctions, export controls, customs, and ABC risks faced by his clients.

Relatedly, a substantial portion of John’s practice is devoted to counseling clients on international regulatory matters, including economic sanctions programs conducted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), export controls issues under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration

Regulations (EAR), ABC issues under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and import-related issues overseen by Customs & Border Protection (CBP). John’s experience includes conducting numerous internal investigations and defending corporate clients facing enforcement actions by the U.S. Department of Justice or other federal or state agencies.

John provides clients with practical, risk-based guidance and designs implementable international trade and ABC compliance solutions suited to clients’ needs and budgets. In recognition of his work developing ABC tools to help mid-sized companies assess corruption risks and respond to issues more efficiently and effectively, John has received the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Legal Innovator award and the Milwaukee BizTimes’ I.Q. (Innovation Quotient) award.

John understands that it is critically important to have a coordinated, multijurisdictional response to multinational enforcement actions. To that end, he helped establish an international defense alliance, the ConciliumTM Global Network, composed of compliance, investigations, and government enforcement defense attorneys located in countries around the world. John also serves as the FCPA advisor to a software firm developing online ABC modules specifically designed for training multinational companies operating in India.

John is a frequent writer and speaker on topics related to the international trade compliance, internal investigations, and cross-border government defense strategies. For a list of his publications, please see the Insights section below.

Before joining Foley, John co-founded ProjectLearn USA, Inc., an educational company that provided information and strategies on developing study practices and test-taking skills. John also played professional baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets organizations.

Awards and Recognition

  • State Bar of Wisconsin, Pro Bono Honor Society
  • State Bar of Wisconsin, Legal Innovator award
  • Milwaukee BizTimes, I.Q. (Innovation Quotient) award
  • Wisconsin Super Lawyers® – Rising Star (2011–2013)

Community Involvement

  • Member of the board of directors of Broadscope Disability Services
  • Past member of the board of directors of the Oak Creek Girls Youth Basketball Association
28 January 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

What Every Multinational Company Should Know About … Managing Import Risks Under the New Trump Administration (Part III): A 12-Step Plan for Coping with Tariff and Supply Chain Uncertainties

With potential tariff increases and USMCA renegotiations on the horizon, and with Customs already devoting considerable resources to blocking goods at the border that are the product of forced labor or human trafficking or that violate the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, we have put together a 12-step guide to preparing for and adapting to the rapidly shifting importing environment.
23 January 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

What Every Multinational Company Should Know About … Managing Import Risks Under the New Trump Administration (Part II): The Implications of President Trump’s “America First Trade Memorandum”

During his campaign, President Trump often stated that he would be implementing an “America First” international trade policy, which he said explicitly would include higher tariffs, potentially on imports from the entire world.
15 January 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

BIS Finalizes Rule Prohibiting Connected Vehicle Imports Linked to China and Russia: Key Compliance Requirements Announced

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has promulgated a Final Rule prohibiting the import and sale of connected vehicles and related components linked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia.
08 January 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

What Every Multinational Company Should Know About … Managing Import Risks Under the New Trump Administration (Part I): Identifying Risks and Opportunities

The expected focus on tariffs and supply chain issues by the Trump administration presents significant risks for frequent importers.
03 December 2024 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

Supply Chain Integrity: Essential Insights for Multinational Automotive Companies

The U.S. government has increasingly emphasized the importance of supply chain integrity, particularly in relation to eliminating forced labor.
23 October 2024 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

What Every Multinational Company Should Know About … Overseeing Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders

We have received requests to publish a comprehensive set of Customs and import compliance best practices that covers all aspects of importation and supply chain management. As part of this series, the topic this week is best practices for overseeing customs brokers and freight forwarders.