Practice 02
Licensing & Authorizations
Some activity is permitted only with a licence. We apply for and manage specific and general licences before OFAC, OFSI and EU authorities, and we handle frozen-funds release and payment authorizations — framed so they are actually granted.
Applicable regime & authority
Primary authorities: OFAC, OFSI (His Majesty’s Treasury) and EU National Competent Authorities. US measures rest on the IEEPA framework, 50 U.S.C. 1701.
Analysis
Full analysis is in preparation as part of the matrix build (Phase 2). This hub sets out the regime, the practical route and the FAQ; the detailed sub-topics — by authority, service and sector — link from here as they are published.
Practical steps
A decision-tree walkthrough of what to do, in order, will sit here. In the meantime, the FAQ below answers the questions clients ask first, and the Exposure Check gives a fast orientation.
Risk flags
Watch for secondary-sanctions reach, extraterritoriality across regimes, and fixed regulatory clocks. Where they apply, the time to act is measured in days, not weeks.
When to seek counsel
When a payment is held, a counterparty is newly designated, a deadline is running, or a position has to be defensible to a bank or regulator — a written assessment is the proportionate first step.
Cost & timeline framing
Most matters here start with a fixed-fee written position; larger engagements are scoped with a clear estimate. We do not charge success fees. See how we price.
Related practices
Sanctions Risk & Compliance
When exposure is uncertain, the first job is to see it clearly.
Read more →Related practiceDelisting & Designation Challenges
A designation is not always the end of the matter.
Read more →Related practiceExport Controls & Dual-Use
Controlled goods, software and technology move only within the rules.
Read more →FAQ
Questions clients ask first.
What is the difference between a general and a specific licence?
A general licence authorises a category of activity for anyone who meets its conditions; a specific licence is granted to a named applicant for a defined transaction. Reading the general licences first often avoids an unnecessary application.
Can blocked funds be released?
Sometimes — through a specific licence for a defined purpose, such as legal fees, basic needs or a wind-down. The application has to be framed against the licensing policy of the relevant authority.
How long does a licence application take?
It varies by authority and complexity. We frame the application to the published policy and keep it moving, but no adviser controls the regulator’s timetable, and we will not pretend otherwise.
What makes an application more likely to be granted?
A clear lawful purpose, complete and consistent facts, the right legal basis, and conditions the authority can supervise. Most refusals trace back to gaps in those four.
Get a written position you can defend.
For companies and financial institutions needing authorizations. A short call, then a fixed-fee written position — response within two hours in business hours.