Throughout its history, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has helped trade associations and membership-based organizations become recognized leaders in their industries while still meeting the needs and demands of organization members. As a full-service law firm, we offer clients not only a core group of lawyers that focuses on providing legal services to associations and other tax-exempt organizations, but also the knowledge and experience of more than 800 lawyers working worldwide in virtually every area of law.
As a firm, Akin Gump is nationally known for its representation of clients at the intersection of law and public policy. Drawing on this strength, our trade association practice has developed an impressive track record of successfully representing our clients before Congress and executive branch departments and agencies, advocating for them in federal and state courts and providing them with legal counsel on a wide variety of issues.
Our trade association and membership-based organization clients are active in a variety of business arenas, including industries as diverse as agriculture, health care, nuclear energy, publicly owned utilities, military services, thoroughbred racing, fisheries and aquaculture, private equity and professional sports. We also represent a number of prominent business coalitions that work to improve international trade and commerce, as well as membership-based organizations that focus on issues ranging from civil and human rights to food safety and increased use of public-private partnerships.
Our work representing such a diverse group of clients has allowed us to develop the skills and knowledge to help our clients resolve both discrete legal issues and more complex transactions and litigation matters in a cost-effective and timely manner. Indeed, Akin Gump lawyers are experienced in all facets of association law and routinely provide a full range of legal services to our association and membership-based organization clients, including—
- outside general counsel services, including specific advice on corporate governance and regulatory compliance matters
- contract drafting and negotiation, including executive and third-party contracts, hotel and convention contracts and cause-related marketing agreements
- lobbying and legislative advice, including lobbying registration and reporting, and legislative drafting
- federal election law compliance, such as PAC establishment and maintenance, and representation before federal government agencies such as the Federal Election Commission and Department of Justice
- compliance advice regarding ethics rules, gifts to elected officials and other interactions with government officials
- litigation and advocacy services in federal and state court and before administrative agencies, foreign governments and multilateral organizations
- antitrust counseling
- tax and corporate structuring advice, including assistance with mergers and acquisitions, state and federal tax issues and use of supporting organizations
- labor and employment counseling, including counseling on labor-relations issues, and employee pension and welfare plans
- intellectual property protection, and use of online technologies
- certification, accreditation and standards-setting services.
With offices throughout the United States and around the world, we are well-positioned to help association and membership-based organizations with their local, national and international legal needs.