Bruce McLean retired from partnership in 2015. He was a senior executive and is the former chairman of Akin. Under his leadership, the firm grew to rank among the largest law firms in the United States.

Prior to taking the helm at the firm, Bruce spent more than 20 years litigating complex business cases in federal court, particularly those involving federal regulatory programs, energy issues, natural resources law and antitrust matters.

From 1971 to 1973, prior to entering private practice, he was a lawyer with the appellate court branch of the National Labor Relations Board. While at the Board, Bruce argued more than 30 cases in the federal circuit courts and had primary responsibility for several landmark cases involving the availability of injunctive relief from government action.

Bruce has handled a number of the largest cases ever litigated between American businesses and the federal government. He was lead counsel for one of the world’s largest petroleum companies in an action that enjoined and overturned the $100 million conclusion of the Crude Oil Entitlements Program implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy. The decision saved the refining industry more than a half-billion dollars.

He served as lead counsel and negotiator for the U.S. refining industry in In Re: Department of Energy Stripper Well Litigation. The matter concluded with a multibillion-dollar settlement among the U.S. government, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and seven classes of petroleum product users. He also separately represented several of the world’s largest oil companies and a number of small refineries in the litigation and settlement of claims of regulatory violations brought by the U.S. Department of Energy. Bruce has also represented numerous Fortune 500 clients in complex litigation and has significant experience in alternative dispute resolution, including minitrials, arbitrations and mediations.

In his role as litigation counsel, Bruce has helped boards of directors analyze the risk of litigation in significant cases requiring board participation in decision-making. He is a frequent speaker on the resolution of complex business disputes.

Bruce chaired the firm’s Washington, D.C., litigation practice from 1982 to 1994, during which time it grew from eight to more than 60 full-time litigators. He then headed the litigation practice, which grew to 170 lawyers during his tenure. He has been a member of the firm’s management committee since 1979.