Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and Deputy Solicitor General Martine Cicconi Join Akin to Co-Lead Nationwide State Attorneys General Practice

December 12, 2022 (New York) – Akin Gump today announced that two-term Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and former Virginia Deputy Solicitor General Martine Cicconi will co-lead the firm’s nationwide, dedicated state attorneys general practice. State attorneys general have increasingly been among the most proactive and aggressive of regulators, positioning Akin Gump as well suited to help clients navigate the corresponding investigative, litigation, political and reputational dimensions of these matters.

Mr. Herring served as Virginia attorney general from 2014-2022 and in the Virginia Senate from 2006-2014. As attorney general, he led large-scale investigations across various market sectors—including insurance, financial services, pharmaceuticals and technology—and has been a critical member of many nationally prominent multistate investigations as well as a key contributor to Virginia’s nationally recognized privacy legislation. Mr. Herring worked closely with state AGs on both sides of the aisle, played a prominent role in national attorney general organizations and is considered a national leader in the state attorneys general bar.

Of the move, Mr. Herring said, “Akin Gump is renowned for outstanding litigation, investigations, policy and regulatory practices and a deep bench in substantive areas where state AGs are often active. These differentiators, coupled with a roster of top talent that includes former government prosecutors and enforcement officials, make the firm a perfect and natural fit. I look forward to bringing my experience as a state attorney general to provide strategic guidance to our clients interacting with state AGs. I am also delighted to be reunited with Martine as we collaborate to lead this practice forward.”

Ms. Cicconi is rejoining the firm following her time as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel, where, since January 2021, she focused on congressional investigations and related controversies. Prior to joining the White House Counsel’s Office, she served as the deputy solicitor general in the Virginia attorney general’s office from 2019-2021. In that role, she worked closely with Herring on a number of high-profile matters, arguing major cases in the federal and state courts and authoring numerous Supreme Court briefs. In addition to her state and federal government experience, Ms. Cicconi clerked for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and for then-Circuit Judge Merrick Garland.

“I’m excited to rejoin Akin Gump and team up with Mark to expand and grow the firm’s AG practice,” said Ms. Cicconi. “Akin has a valuable understanding of how a national state AG practice aligns with the needs of clients to provide a comprehensive array of services.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Mark to the firm and welcome Martine back into our ranks,” said Kim Koopersmith, chair of Akin Gump. “Our focus is always on attracting the best talent to our firm to serve the needs of our clients. Mark joining and Martine returning fit squarely with our firm’s strategy of attracting market-differentiating talent.”

About Akin Gump’s State Attorneys General Practice

At the nexus of commerce, policy and the law, Akin Gump’s national state attorneys general practice represents and advises companies facing state-level investigations, litigation and regulatory matters, with wide-ranging implications for a number of industries. Our lawyers are knowledgeable and experienced in a wide array of disciplines and provide skilled guidance and strategic direction to clients throughout every stage of the process.

Founded in 1945, 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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