Three Akin Gump Matters Among The Hill’s Top Lobbying Wins of 2016

In its ranking of the top 10 lobbying victories of 2016, The Hill selected three matters in which Akin Gump helped clients score critical wins.

First, it featured the successful effort to transition oversight from the Department of Commerce of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) administration of its Internet governance functions to a private entity. The nonprofit ICANN is responsible for the maintenance and procedures of the Internet’s “phone book,” the databases related to the Web’s namespaces. The Akin Gump team featured advisors from both the public law and policy and congressional investigations practices who helped secure the victory for ICANN.

It then noted Internet Association’s legislative win with the passage of the Consumer Review Freedom Act, which protects consumers’ ability to write negative online reviews without facing reprisals. A team from Akin Gump’s public law and policy practice provided executive and legislative branch advocacy on behalf of TripAdvisor, an Internet Association member, that contributed to this favorable outcome.

The article also noted the 21st Century Cures Act, recently signed into law by President Obama, as among the top lobbying successes. The Act, among many other features, speeds up drug and device regulatory approval and approves money to help fight opioid addiction. An Akin Gump team was engaged on behalf of a broad range of entities, from device and drug companies to providers and nonprofits, in advocating on behalf of this successful effort.

Members of the firm’s public law and policy team have been the recipients of several recent industry recognitions. In November, practice head Donald Pongrace was selected by Law360 as among its 2016 “MVPs.” And in October, four members of the team—Joel Jankowsky, Scott Parven and Arshi Siddiqui and senior policy advisor Michael Drobac—were named by The Hill to its annual “Top Lobbyists” list.