Akin houses a thriving national appellate practice, which is primarily recognized for its record in IP, American Indian law, financial restructuring and labor law cases. Additionally, the wider firm’s formidable regulatory offering marks it as a key player in administrative law and Administrative Procedure Act litigation, as recently evidenced by its wor on behalf of four importers challenging the Trump Administration’s trade war with China, which represents one of the largest cases in the Court of International Trade’s history. Spearheading the group is Washington DC-based Pratik Shah, who has argued seventeen cases before the US Supreme Court and sixty cases in other appellate courts across the country. Shah teamed up with fellow DC-based appellate specialists James E. Tysse and Julius Chen to lead the importer challenge appeal before the Federal Circuit. Aileen McGrath left the firm in July 2024.

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Key clients

  • Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Purdue Pharma LP
  • Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX)
  • The Seneca Nation of Indians
  • Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
  • National Football League (NFL)
  • AT&T Corporation
  • MediaNews Group
  • Inguran LLC
  • Michaels Stores
  • Green Thumb Industries
  • TAG Security Protective Services
  • Home Depot
  • Apollo Investment Corporation
  • Ardent Health Services
  • HMTX Industries LLC (Section 301 Client Group)
  • ACLU of Tennessee
  • Bolivian families
  • The Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan

Work highlights

  • Representing the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Purdue Pharma LP before the US Supreme Court in a landmark bankruptcy case.
  • Defending the Federal Communications Commission’s grant of market-altering licenses to SpaceX, over competitor challenges, in the DC Circuit.
  • Representing the Seneca Nation in the Second Circuit in a significant Indian law case challenging the legality of New York officials’ ongoing operation of the New York State Thruway across the Nation’s Cattaraugus Reservation.

Lawyers

Leading lawyers
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Pratik Shah

Other key lawyers

James E. Tysse, Julius Chen, Lide Paterno