Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has developed a unique team and a singular approach to help our clients respond to the challenges they face when confronted with a congressional investigation. Our congressional investigations practice is led by a former general counsel of the House of Representatives and a former senior counsel for oversight and investigations for both the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (where he served as chief counsel) and the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Our congressional investigations team—networked with Akin Gump lawyers from a powerful combination of practices, including government relations, litigation, white collar criminal defense and others—provides our clients with the qualifications and experience to navigate the congressional investigations process and avoid the legal and political pitfalls with which such proceedings are replete. We have deep and broad experience representing clients from virtually every sector of the economy before a broad range of House and Senate committees. Our team further comprises both Democrats and Republicans who have extensive legislative and executive branch experience.
The legal proceedings involved in congressional investigations are distinct from those in any other forum, and our lawyers are experienced in managing those proceedings to protect our clients’ legal interests, both with respect to the congressional proceedings and to those in other judicial and regulatory venues.
The ramifications of congressional hearings and investigations often extend beyond a company’s legal standing, to threaten its reputation in a way that can seriously harm its brand or negatively impact investor confidence. The guidance we provide to our clients is advised by our understanding of the congressional motivation for, and objectives of, the investigation and the spectrum of risk that the investigation may pose for our client.
Congress often uses the investigatory process as a precursor to legislative action. As one of Washington’s pre-eminent public policy advocacy firms, we are practiced and proficient in affecting the legislative process to our clients’ benefit. Our experience stems from decades of representing clients’ interests irrespective of the political party in power.
Akin Gump lawyers have advised a wide array of individuals and corporations in connection with congressional investigations. We have handled a number of high-profile investigations for clients in the financial services, mortgage and lending sectors on a number of issues. We have also worked with a number of clients on investigations related to financial markets, executive compensation, corporate governance, securities and antitrust issues.