Akin Gump Takes Leading Role at 2019 Leukemia Ball Charity Event

Akin Gump international trade practice head Tom McCarthy recently served as co-chair of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) annual Leukemia Ball, which took place in Washington, D.C. on March 16. The event raised nearly $3.25 million for patient treatment and blood cancer research.

Akin Gump had a notable presence at the event: in addition to McCarthy's role as event co-chair, counsel Joshua Sekoski, a lymphoma survivor, sang the U.S. national anthem.

Speaking with WashingtonExec, McCarthy said that he tries to connect his philanthropic work to his personal or professional interests in order to make it more meaningful, citing as an example his work for The Center for Civilians in Conflict. He said, “[It’s] a leader in civilian harm mitigation in conflict zones [and] was a natural fit for me professionally, where I focus on national security and foreign policy issues as an international trade attorney.”

Discussing the 2019 Leukemia Ball, McCarthy said, “I’m amazed at what good the organization is doing: It had another record–breaking year of funding 21 Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs and therapies, which can be used for not only blood cancers but a variety of other cancers and diseases. The Leukemia Ball is a celebration of the progress that LLS and its donors have made and an opportunity to bring in more funds and support to continue this important mission.”

On his interest in this particular charity, McCarthy shared the story of his mother, who died 26 years ago of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). He said, “Just a few years after she passed away, LLS helped fund research for a drug called Gleevec, which has turned CML into a manageable disease for most people affected by it. I can’t think of a better way to give back and honor her than trying to help an organization doing so much good for so many people.”