Z.W. Julius Chen
Partner
Areas of Focus
- Supreme Court & Appellate
- Supreme Court & Appellate: Bankruptcy
- Supreme Court & Appellate: IP
- Supreme Court & Appellate: Indian Tribes
- Administrative & Regulatory Litigation
- Disputes & Investigations
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Financial Restructuring
- Labor & Employment
- Intellectual Property
- Health Care & Life Sciences
- Pro Bono
- Health Care Litigation & Investigations
- Antitrust & International Competition
- U.S. Territories & Freely Associated States
- Indian Water Rights
- Climate Change
- Technology
- Consumer Protection
- Restructuring Litigation
- Private Capital
- Focuses his practice on federal and state appellate litigation.
- Has particular experience relating to administrative and constitutional law, financial restructuring, intellectual property and Native American tribes.
Julius represents clients at all stages of appellate litigation. He is the principal drafter of more than 150 briefs filed in the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeals, and he has argued cases in the 6th, 9th, 11th, D.C., and Federal Circuits, as well as the Florida Supreme Court. He has also counseled clients on numerous briefs filed in trial courts nationwide.
Julius’s practice spans the range of the firm’s complex litigation and regulatory matters. In particular, he has been involved in many of the firm’s most significant matters concerning constitutional and Administrative Procedure Act challenges; high-stakes bankruptcy appeals on behalf of debtors and creditors; patent-related appeals arising out of both district court and inter partes review proceedings; and litigation relating to an array of Indian law issues.
In addition, Julius maintains a broad appellate pro bono practice in which he has represented major trade associations, national nonprofit organizations, local governments, academics and incarcerated individuals.
Previously, Julius served as editor-in-chief of the Columbia Law Review. He clerked for Judge Judith W. Rogers on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and for Judge T.S. Ellis III on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Julius is the Hiring Partner for Akin’s Washington, D.C. office.
Administrative and Constitutional Law
- Representing an aerospace company in D.C. Circuit appeals defending Federal Communications Commission satellite license modification order.
- Successfully briefed and argued D.C. Circuit appeal finding that the Federal Aviation Administration had constructively denied a pilot’s application.
- Successfully briefed and argued 9th Circuit appeal defending the Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule on behalf of a coalition of tribes and stakeholders.
Financial Restructuring
- Represented FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. in a dozen 6th Circuit appeals arising out of rejection of FERC-regulated power purchase agreements and plan confirmation.
- Successfully defended judgment and opposed petition for certiorari in a restructuring proceeding involving bankruptcy claims worth more than $500 million.
EducationJ.D., Columbia Law School, with highest honors, 2009
B.A., Princeton University, magna cum laude, 2005
J.D., Columbia Law School, with highest honors, 2009
B.A., Princeton University, magna cum laude, 2005
ClerkshipsU.S.C.A., D.C. Circuit
U.S.D.C., Eastern District of Virginia
U.S.C.A., D.C. Circuit
U.S.D.C., Eastern District of Virginia
Bar AdmissionsDistrict of Columbia
New York
District of Columbia
New York
- Washington Business Journal, Diversity in Business, 2023.
- The National Law Journal, Legal Awards: DC Rising Star, 2022.
- Bloomberg Law, They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40, 2022.
- Diversity Journal, Asian Leaders Worth Watching, 2022.
- Washington Business Journal, 40 Under 40, 2020.
- The Legal 500 US, Appellate: Supreme Courts (States and Federal), 2020-2022; Appellate: Courts of Appeals / Supreme Courts (States and Federal), 2023-2024; Patents: Litigation (Full Coverage), 2021 and 2023-2024.
- Euromoney, Expert Guides, Rising Stars, United States: Litigation, 2020-2022.
- Akin, Stark Ritchie Pro Bono Counsel Award.
- Columbia Law School, Charles Bathgate Beck Prize.
- LexisNexis, James William Moore Federal Practice Award.
- Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund, Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition Award.
- Princeton University, Prize in American History.
- Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court.
- Georgetown Supreme Court Institute Moot Court Program.
- Federal Circuit Bar Association, Amicus Committee Vice Chair.
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
- “2019 Supreme Court Term: A Conversation About (Surprising) Decisions Promoting Diversity and Inclusion,” Akin Webinar, September 16, 2020.
- “Who Counts? The 2020 Census and the Citizenship Question,” National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Convention, Austin, November 9, 2019.