Akin Partners Profiled in Diversity Journal for Black Leadership and Diverse Lawyers Making a Difference Awards
Akin international trade partner Nnedi Ifudu Nweke, disputes & investigations partner Dean Chapman and tax partner Matthew Durward-Thomas have all been profiled in Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2024 Fourth Quarter issue for their recent award recognitions.
Nnedi has been selected among Diversity Journal’s 2024 Black Leadership Award winners (read more here), and Dean and Matthew have both been named among the publication’s 2024 Diverse Lawyers Making a Difference Award winners (read more here).
In her profile, Nnedi reflects on the gratification she receives when her international trade practice intersects with her personal purpose – serving as a bridge for economic development in developing countries, particularly in Africa. Additionally, she emphasizes the “adrenaline jolt that comes from mastering the latest rules, regulations, rulings, and other twists and turns issued by Congress, the White House, regulators or the courts to address a myriad of trade, foreign policy and national security concerns.”
In Dean’s profile, Diversity Journal refers to Dean as a “lawyer at the top of his game” who “uses pro bono work to help those on the sidelines.” The publication notes Dean is leading a team alongside the ACLU and Lambda Legal in a lawsuit to enjoin enforcement of Tennessee SB1, a bill that bans all forms of gender-affirming care for transgender individuals under the age of 18. To learn more on Akin’s role in this landmark case, please click here.
In Matthew’s profile, he elaborates on being an advocate for social mobility initiatives in law, including his involvement in organizing social mobility internships at Akin for students interested in entering the legal profession. In addition to putting social mobility at the forefront of law firm outreach and recruitment initiatives, he would also encourage law firms to focus on developing and maintaining inclusive cultures where success is based exclusively on merit.
