Akin Gump Names M. Scott Barnard Partner in Charge of Dallas Office
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(Dallas) – Akin Gump is pleased to announce that M. Scott Barnard has been named partner in charge of the firm’s Dallas office. Mr. Barnard takes over from J. Kenneth Menges Jr., a partner in the firm’s corporate practice who has stepped down from the partner in charge role after 17 years.
While under the leadership of Mr. Menges, Akin Gump’s Dallas office—the firm’s largest in Texas—saw growth across a number of practices, as well as the firm’s first-place ranking among all law firms in Texas for pro bono work. In addition to housing top-tier teams in practices such as litigation, investment funds and financial restructuring, the Dallas office is also home to a corporate team that regularly advises on some of the largest deals in Texas including, most recently, 7-Eleven, Inc.’s $3.3 billion convenience store purchase deal with Sunoco LP.
“After many successful years under Ken’s strong leadership, I am delighted that our Dallas office will remain in equally capable hands,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Scott is a very strong litigator and well respected throughout the Dallas legal community. He has served in a number of leadership roles at the firm, and I will rely on his wisdom and guidance as we continue to build on our seven-decade-old legacy in the city where we were founded.”
Mr. Barnard is a member of Akin Gump’s litigation practice, serving on the firmwide Litigation Steering Committee and the Dallas Practice Committee, as well as the Dallas office’s Diversity Committee. Mr. Barnard’s practice focuses on securities litigation and also includes a range of business litigation in both federal and state court. He represents public companies, directors and officers, broker-dealers and board committees in securities class actions, shareholder derivative lawsuits and securities arbitrations.
Mr. Menges remains a partner in the corporate practice at the firm, where he has more than 30 years of experience representing public companies, boards of directors and special committees with respect to corporate governance matters and domestic and international M&A transactions.
About Akin Gump’s Dallas office
With more than 100 lawyers and advisors, Akin Gump’s Dallas office is home to many of the firm’s key practices, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, investment funds, private equity, tax, litigation, intellectual property, financial restructuring, outsourcing and technology, real estate and finance and environmental.
Currently located at 1700 Pacific Avenue, Akin Gump recently announced its Dallas office will be moving to The Union tower complex in Uptown Dallas, at the intersection of Field Street and Cedar Springs Road, within the next two years.
Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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