Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Name	Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Founded	1945
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Offices	Multiple international
Num attorneys	Large
Practice areas	Litigation; transactional; regulatory; public policy

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld is a multinational law firm founded in 1945 with headquarters in Washington, D.C. The firm operates across numerous jurisdictions and is known for litigation, transactional work, lobbying, and regulatory matters involving high-profile clients, institutions, and public figures. Its attorneys frequently engage with matters touching on federal courts, international arbitration, and legislative processes involving prominent organizations and governments.

History

The firm traces roots to lawyers who worked in post-World War II legal environments connected to figures such as Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and institutions like the United States Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States. Early decades saw interactions with entities including the Department of State, Department of Justice, and regulatory bodies linked to the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Communications Commission. Expansion in the late 20th century paralleled global events like the Cold War thaw, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the post-1991 reshaping of markets in Eastern Europe and Russia, fostering offices that engaged with matters involving the European Union and multinational corporations such as General Electric and ExxonMobil. The 21st century brought work related to crises and reforms tied to episodes like the 2008 financial crisis and regulatory responses involving the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Practice areas and services

Practice groups span litigation, corporate mergers and acquisitions, securities, energy and infrastructure, healthcare, intellectual property, tax, and international arbitration. The firm represents clients before tribunals and institutions including the International Court of Arbitration, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, and national appellate courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. In transactional work, attorneys advise on deals involving corporations like Chevron Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Siemens, and on cross-border matters implicating trade agreements such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and World Trade Organization disputes. Lobbying and public policy practices engage with legislative and executive actors associated with the White House, congressional committees like the Senate Judiciary Committee, and regulatory agencies including the Federal Trade Commission. The firm’s regulatory counsel often intersects with sectors overseen by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Organizational structure and leadership

Leadership has included senior partners with experience in roles connected to the United States Senate, the House of Representatives, and federal executive offices including the Treasury Department and the State Department. Governance typically combines partner-managed committees and executive leadership responsible for finance, risk management, and global strategy, interacting with professional networks such as the American Bar Association and bar associations in jurisdictions like New York (state) and Texas. The firm’s senior counsel roster has included alumni from institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and judicial clerks from circuits including the Second Circuit and the Ninth Circuit.

Notable cases and clients

The firm has litigated matters in venues including the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and international arbitration panels arising from investor-state disputes involving countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, and Ukraine. It has represented corporations, financial institutions, and governments in disputes touching on antitrust issues under the Sherman Antitrust Act and securities litigation under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Clients have included multinational firms in sectors represented by names like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, BP, and technology companies interacting with policy debates involving Federal Communications Commission rulemakings. The firm’s lobbying practice has worked for corporations, trade associations, and sovereign clients engaging with officials associated with the United Nations and bilateral relations with countries such as China and Saudi Arabia.

Offices and global presence

The firm maintains offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, positioning teams to operate within legal systems of jurisdictions including England and Wales, Hong Kong, Singapore, and United Arab Emirates. Regional hubs allow collaboration with local counsel on matters under the laws of Germany, France, India, and Brazil, and engagement with multilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Pro bono, diversity, and firm culture

Pro bono efforts have included representation before immigration tribunals like Executive Office for Immigration Review matters, civil rights litigation in venues such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and advocacy with nonprofit organizations including American Civil Liberties Union affiliates and legal aid societies. Diversity initiatives often reference partnerships with organizations such as the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, pipeline programs linked to law schools including Georgetown University Law Center and George Washington University Law School, and involvement with bar groups like the National Bar Association. The firm’s culture emphasizes professional development, continuing legal education connected to institutions like the Practising Law Institute, and internal committees addressing ethics, compliance, and wellness.

Category:Law firms