Akin Gump Promotes 18 to Partnership

The firm’s largest partner promotions class in nearly two decades includes accomplished lawyers from seven offices and a wide range of practices across the firm

(New York) - Akin Gump today announced the election of 18 new partners, effective January 1, 2022. The lawyers who have been promoted (along with their respective office locations) are: Jon Boben (Houston); Desireé Busching (New York); Timothy Clark (New York); John Clayton (Dallas); Jeff Cohen (Los Angeles); Menachem Danishefsky (New York); Michael DiLernia (New York); Inderveer Hothi (London); Serena Lee (London); Brennan Meier (Dallas); Brandon Morris (Washington, D.C.); Kim Myers (Washington, D.C.); Margaret Parker-Yavuz (Washington, D.C.); Scott Pettifor (London); Hans Rickhoff (Washington, D.C.); Kimberly Rowe (Los Angeles); Steve Rowings (Washington, D.C.); and Laura Warrick (Dallas).

“I am thrilled to welcome this stellar group of lawyers to the Akin Gump partnership,” stated firm chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Each of our newest partners has proven that they will be outstanding additions to our partnership. They all possess critical experience and have demonstrated the highest levels of client service. They are ready to meet our clients’ needs today and anticipate what lies ahead in our rapidly changing world. They also represent the best of our profession, serving as mentors and counsellors to the junior lawyers, making exceptional commitments to pro bono and focusing intensely on enhancing the diversity of our firm and the profession. They are poised to be the next generation of leaders at Akin Gump and across our profession, and I congratulate them on this achievement.”

Mr. Boben represents financial and strategic buyers, sellers, investors and companies in mergers, acquisitions and investments up and down the capital stack. He has substantial experience advising private equity sponsors, venture capital funds and companies in transactions spanning a broad array of industries. Mr. Boben received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center, his M.S. from the London School of Economics and Political Science, with merit, and his B.B.A. from Texas A&M University. Watch the video to meet Mr. Boben.

Ms. Busching’s practice focuses on devising and executing labor strategies and guiding clients through labor and employment matters in the context of restructuring, M&A and special situations transactions. She also regularly provides advice and counsel to alternative investment managers and their portfolio companies on labor- and employment-related issues. Ms. Busching received her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law, cum laude, and her B.A. from the University at Albany, State University of New York, magna cum laude. Watch the video to meet Ms. Busching.

Mr. Clark’s practice focuses on public and private mergers and acquisitions, investment funds and complex corporate transactions. He has extensive experience representing private equity sponsors and portfolio companies in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, unorthodox restructurings, recapitalizations and transformative strategic transactions, as well as fund managers and lead investors in fund secondary transactions (including GP-led fund restructurings) involving direct and indirect dispositions and restructurings of single and multi-asset portfolios. His representations have included clients in the media, insurance, marketing, hedge fund and private equity sectors. Mr. Clark received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, magna cum laude, and his B.A. from Harvard University. Watch the video to meet Mr. Clark.

Mr. Clayton advises on complex capital markets transactions, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure issues and corporate governance matters. He has represented issuers and private equity sponsors in a wide variety of securities offerings, including initial public offerings, follow-on and secondary offerings, high-yield debt offerings and PIPE financings. He also regularly provides SEC counsel to clients in connection with going-private transactions, spin-offs, tender offers, de-SPACs and other public M&A deals. He received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, his M.A. from New York University, and his B.M. from the University of North Texas. Watch the video to meet Mr. Clayton.

Mr. Cohen represents lenders, developers and investors in the development, financing, acquisition and disposition of large-scale infrastructure and energy projects. He maintains a focus on the renewable energy sector, including advising on all stages of wind, solar and hydrogen projects, which is of particular interest to firm clients focused on energy transition. Mr. Cohen is a certified public accountant, and he received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and his B.B.A. from the University of Michigan. Watch the video to meet Mr. Cohen.

Mr. Danishefsky’s practice spans a broad array of tax matters, primarily within the private investment fund space. He advises both sponsors and limited partners on the tax aspects of investment structures, including fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, international tax and financial restructuring. Mr. Danishefsky received his LL.B. from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his B.A. from Yeshiva University. Watch the video to meet Mr. Danishefsky.

Mr. DiLernia maintains a practice focused on the domestic and international fund industry. He represents fund sponsors, including one of the most prominent private equity and hedge fund sponsors, in the formation, structuring and operation of private investment funds that employ innovative structures and investment strategies. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and his B.A. from St. John's University, summa cum laude. Watch the video to meet Mr. DiLernia.

Ms. Hothi focuses on debt finance transactions across the credit spectrum covering a wide variety of industries and jurisdictions, particularly in emerging markets. Through her practice, she represents corporate borrowers, funds, institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals and financial institutions on a broad range of financing arrangements, including corporate loans, private placements, direct lending, pre-export finance, leveraged finance, acquisition finance, project finance, Eurobonds and restructurings. Ms. Hothi received her L.P.C. from The College of Law, London, and her LL.B. (Hons) from the University of Sheffield, with honors. Watch the video to meet Ms. Hothi.

Ms. Lee is an English lawyer who advises clients on a broad range of corporate tax matters, including domestic and international corporate and finance transactions, financial restructurings and corporate reorganizations. She regularly assists fund managers on fund formation and separately managed account arrangements, remuneration structures, secondary transactions, and structuring and restructuring investments. Ms. Lee received her L.P.C. from The College of Law, London, and her B.A. from the University of Oxford.

Mr. Meier’s practice focuses on class action and complex commercial litigation, including high-stakes cases for many firm clients. He is a skilled trial lawyer who has first-chaired more than eight jury trials to verdict. Mr. Meier received his J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, magna cum laude, his M.Ed. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and his B.A. from Duke University, cum laude. Prior to joining Akin Gump, he served as a judicial law clerk in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and was a Teach for America Corps member. Watch the video to meet Mr. Meier.

Mr. Morris focuses on tax structuring and planning for complex commercial transactions. He advises companies, creditor groups and investment funds on the tax aspects of in-court and out-of-court restructurings, public and private M&A, private equity, distressed transactions and corporate finance. Mr. Morris received his LL.M. from New York University School of Law, his J.D. from Tulane University Law School, magna cum laude, and his B.A. from Mississippi State University, summa cum laude. Watch the video to meet Mr. Morris.

Ms. Myers advises clients on export controls and economic sanctions, including representing clients in complex engagements arising from government monitorships. Through her practice, she helps multinational clients conduct internal investigations, obtain required authorizations and navigate the complex and rapidly evolving U.S. trade regulatory environment. In addition, she works closely with clients to identify opportunities to deliver innovative and semi-automated compliance solutions that enhance and operationalize trade compliance programs. Ms. Myers received her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, magna cum laude, and her B.A. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Watch the video to meet Ms. Myers.

Ms. Parker-Yavuz’s practice is focused on new money debt financing transactions, including a variety of complex cross-border and U.S. domestic transactions. She advises insurance companies and other institutional investors in secured and unsecured private placements and credit facilities involving issuers and borrowers across the globe in a wide range of industries. She has particular experience advising on transactions in Latin America and Europe. Ms. Parker-Yavuz received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, and her A.B. from Brown University, magna cum laude. Watch the video to meet Ms. Parker-Yavuz.

Mr. Pettifor maintains a practice focused on advising clients, including major financial institutions and large corporations, on international (ex-U.S.) transactional antitrust matters at an EU, U.K. and multijurisdictional level. This includes advising clients on international transactional antitrust matters, representing them in antitrust review processes and counseling financial institutions on the antitrust aspects of strategic investments. His work spans a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, food retail, energy services, media, forestry products, oil and gas, shipping products and insurance. He received his L.P.C. from BPP Law School, England, his LL.M. from School of Law, King's College London, and his LL.B. from School of Law, King's College London. Watch the video to meet Mr. Pettifor.

Mr. Rickhoff represents clients on legislative, regulatory and administrative policy matters, ranging from technology and immigration to health care, federal funding and tax, at the federal, state and local levels. He also advises international clients on U.S. foreign policy issues before the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government to enhance their relationships and advocate their policy objectives. Mr. Rickhoff received his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Watch the video to meet Mr. Rickhoff.

Ms. Rowe represents private equity funds and public and private companies across a wide variety of industries on a broad range of strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, carve-out transactions, cross-border transactions, minority investments and other complex corporate matters. Ms. Rowe received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, and her B.S.M. from Tulane University, magna cum laude. Watch the video to meet Ms. Rowe.

Mr. Rowings advises public and private technology and telecommunications companies, trade associations and investment funds on foreign and domestic communications matters, including on matters before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Department of Defense. He brings firsthand experience from the FCC that gives him valuable insight and knowledge regarding wireless, satellite, media and emerging technology policy, regulations and transactions. Mr. Rowings received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, his M.S. from Syracuse University, and his B.A. from Loyola University of Maryland, summa cum laude. Watch the video to meet Mr. Rowings.

Ms. Warrick focuses on financial restructuring litigation along with high-stakes complex commercial litigation and pre-litigation counseling. She has significant first-chair experience in a variety of matters, with nationally recognized experience in financial restructuring litigation matters, as well as oil & gas and telecommunications matters. Ms. Warrick received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and her B.S. from the University of Virginia. Watch the video to meet Ms. Warrick.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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