Law firm Akin Gump has elected 10 new partners, effective 1 January 2017.
The 10 individuals and their respective office locations are Gerald Brant (New York), Olivia Chung (New York), Olivier De Moor (New York), Sophie Donnithorne-Tait (London), Mahmoud (Mac) Baki Fadlallah (Dubai/Washington, DC), Jaisohn Jungbin Im (New York), Allison P Miller (New York), Daniel L. Moffett (San Antonio), Alexander Specht (New York) and Annisah Iman Um’rani (Washington, DC)
“The lawyers promoted to partner this year are a very talented and diverse group of individuals,” says Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith (pictured). “I know they will continue to work tirelessly every day on behalf of our clients, and I am thrilled to welcome them to the partnership.”
Brant is a member of the firm’s corporate practice focusing on merger and acquisition transactions, including leveraged buy-out, carve-out and other private equity transactions. He also represents both financial and strategic clients on a variety of corporate matters, including corporate governance, fiduciary and securities issues. Brant plays a key role in the firm’s shareholder activism practice.
A member of the firm’s investment management practice, Chung assists private fund sponsors on matters involving the formation, structuring and ongoing operation of domestic and offshore private equity funds and hedge funds. She represents some of the most prominent private equity, hedge fund and fund of funds sponsors in connection with matters, including fund formation, regulatory compliance, complex fund restructurings and co-investment arrangements. She also represents institutional investors acquiring and selling investments in private equity and hedge funds.
De Moor is part of Akin Gump’s tax practice, concentrating on the US federal tax and tax treaty aspects of corporate and financial transactions involving hedge and private equity funds, the structuring and restructuring of investments in the US, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he regularly advises on the US and international tax aspects of foreign investments by US investors, advises on a broad range of US withholding issues and has extensive experience handling Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act issues.
Also a member of the firm’s tax practice, Donnithorne-Tait advises on all aspects of UK corporate tax, with a focus on financial restructurings, group reorganisations, structured finance arrangements and value added tax. She has particular experience in the tax implications of restructuring UK oil and gas companies. She also works closely with her counterparts in the firm’s US offices and frequently advises US funds on the tax-efficient structuring of their investments into Europe.
Fadlallah leads the firm’s international trade practice in Dubai. He focuses his practice on the application of US law to non-US entities and operations, particularly with respect to global investigations and compliance with international sanctions, export controls and anticorruption laws. Fadlallah counsels clients across a variety of sectors, including aerospace and defence, satellite, logistics and freight forwarding, communications and technology, financial, energy, automotive, healthcare, industrial and chemical industries, among others.
Im is a member of the firm’s corporate practice, focusing on corporate finance transactions. He provides counselling to private equity funds, hedge funds, institutional investors and portfolio companies on a variety of financing transactions, including in connection with leveraged buyouts, syndicated loan financings and other secured and unsecured debt facilities. He also represents debtors and creditors, including ad hoc creditor groups, in connection with restructurings, workouts, debtor-in-possession financings and exit financings.
Miller is also a member of the firm’s corporate practice, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and debt and equity financings, with a particular focus on transactions with distressed companies. She routinely advises hedge funds and private equity clients on matters related to business reorganisations, out-of-court restructurings, 363 sale transactions, rights offerings and exchange offers. She also advises clients on general corporate matters, US securities laws and corporate governance.
Moffett, a member of the firm’s intellectual property practice, works on all aspects of intellectual property procurement and protection, with a focus on complex patent, trade secret and trademark litigation. He has served as lead technical counsel in cases involving claims of patent infringement, antitrust violations and theft of trade secrets, and he has first chair experience representing clients before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in inter partes review proceedings.
A member of Akin Gump’s tax practice, Specht focuses his work on the US federal tax aspects of domestic and cross-border financial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships. Specht regularly advises private equity and hedge funds on matters related to the structuring of investments and operations within and outside of the US.
As part of the firm’s health practice, Um’rani focuses on regulatory and litigation matters affecting the health industry. She represents medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospital systems and other health care entities in governmental investigations, internal investigations and lawsuits involving alleged violations of the False Claims Act; Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; Anti-Kickback Statute; and the Stark Law. She also represents hospitals in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and enrolment litigation before administrative tribunals and in federal court.