James Tysse Profiled as Law360 Rising Star

Akin Gump Supreme Court and appellate partner James Tysse is one of four Akin Gump practitioners recognized as Rising Stars by Law360 (learn more here).

In its profile of Tysse as a Rising Star, Law360 covered a range of topics, including:

• His biggest case: As lead brief writer for the Gun Lake Tribe, Tysse and his Akin Gump team scored a critical win for the tribe before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case that could have stopped their Gun Lake Casino’s development. Said Tysse, “It's not often that you get a second bite at the apple in the Supreme Court. The alternative theory of sovereign immunity that we developed ended up being the difference between losing and winning.”
• His proudest moment: Tysse selected a 4th Circuit reversal of earlier findings that his client had failed to meet the standard for asylum after her husband was believed murdered by a Central American gang. He again wrote the brief and also convincingly argued to the panel that the ALJ and Board of Immigration Appeals had read the law too narrowly. Tysse said, “I knew right away that she had a meritorious claim. For me and my team, the logic was clear. The only reason she was being threatened was because she was searching for her late husband. The trick was convincing the court.”
• His motivation: Tysse pointed to the diversity of work that appellate lawyers handle as both a draw and a motivator for him, noting, “I love the chance appellate work gives me to write — it’s my favorite part of being a lawyer, to think really deeply and craft the winning argument. Every day I get to explore a new area of law, a new challenge, or a new creative solution to a client’s problem.”
• His view of appellate law’s future: Tysse said, “There will be more and more pressure for appellate lawyers to deliver top-notch legal work as efficiently as possible, which will require staffing cases leanly and partnering with subject-matter experts. Luckily, I get to depend on a brilliant appellate team and fantastic colleagues and mentors throughout the firm.”