Akin Gump Promotes 12 to Partnership

(New York) – Akin Gump today announced the election of 12 new partners, effective January 1. The 12 individuals and their respective office locations are John A. Bain (Dallas), Daniel L. Cohen (Hong Kong), Sophie Jermine (London), Brad M. Kahn (New York), Andrew B. Lehman (Houston), Rubén H. Muñoz (Philadelphia), Rosemarie Paul (London), Dennis P. Pereira (New York), Ivana K. Rouse (Houston), Elizabeth M. Scott (Dallas), David N. Sewell (London) and James E. Tysse (Washington, D.C.).

“With a true passion for our clients and the law, these 12 talented lawyers represent the very best of the legal profession,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “I am delighted to welcome them to the Akin Gump partnership and look forward to many significant contributions by them in the years ahead.”

Mr. Bain is a member of the firm’s real estate/real estate finance practice. He focuses on representing purchasers, sellers, landlords and tenants in a variety of real estate transactions, including the financing, refinancing, purchase, sale, management and leasing of hotels, office buildings, multifamily projects, restaurants, industrial properties, manufacturing facilities and raw land. Mr. Bain received his J.D., magna cum laude, from SMU Dedman School of Law and his B.S., magna cum laude, from Texas Christian University.

As a member of the firm’s litigation practice, Mr. Cohen represents, among others, international investment funds and financial institutions in complex cross-border contentious matters, including bondholder disputes, restructurings, distressed debt investments, and securities law and regulatory matters. He has significant experience litigating before the English and Hong Kong courts and coordinating proceedings before the courts in other jurisdictions and is admitted to practice in England and Wales and in Hong Kong. Mr. Cohen received his L.P.C. and P.G.D.L. qualifications from BPP Law School in London and his M.A. and B.A. from the University of Cambridge.

As a member of the firm’s cross-border transactions practice, Ms. Jermine focuses on U.K. and international corporate finance, including equity and debt offerings, financial restructurings, offshore investment funds and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. She also advises hedge, private equity and other funds on structuring, monitoring and exiting from investments as well as on shareholder activism matters and tactics. Ms. Jermine received her L.P.C. from BPP Law School and her B.A. from Durham University.

Mr. Kahn is a member of the firm’s financial restructuring practice, with an emphasis on creditors’ committees and bondholder committees in large, complex chapter 11 cases. He represents institutional investors, hedge funds and other interested parties across a variety of industries, including telecommunications, energy and printing. Mr. Kahn received his J.D. from New York University School of Law and his B.A. from Yale University.

Mr. Lehman is part of the firm’s global energy transactions practice, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and private equity investments across the energy space and in a variety of other industries. Prior to entering the legal profession, he was an investment banker with Wachovia Securities. Mr. Lehman received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Texas School of Law, his M.A. from the University of Chicago and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University.

Mr. Muñoz is a member of the firm’s intellectual property practice, focusing on patent infringement litigation. He has represented companies in lawsuits, proceedings and investigations involving a wide array of technologies, including medical devices, automotive, electronics and software. Mr. Muñoz received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his M.S. and B.S. degrees in engineering from Louisiana State University.

Ms. Paul, part of the firm’s litigation practice, advises clients on U.K. financial regulatory matters, with a particular focus on regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings. As part of her work, she assists clients dealing with the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. She is a former member of the Enforcement and Financial Crime Department at the Financial Services Authority. Ms. Paul received her LL.B. from the University of Waikato.

Mr. Pereira is in the firm’s investment funds practice in New York, working on all aspects of corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on private equity matters and investment management. He represents private equity fund sponsors in the formation, structuring and operation of domestic and offshore private equity funds that employ a variety of investment strategies. Mr. Pereira received his J.D., with honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law and his B.A. from Bates College.

A member of the firm’s investment funds practice, Ms. Rouse advises management companies in connection with fundraising, registration, investment activities, marketing and ongoing compliance and operational issues as well as on internal structuring issues such as mergers, spin-offs, profit-sharing arrangements and seeding transactions. She has developed a particular skillset in hybrid funds, energy funds and compensation structures for employees of fund management entities. Ms. Rouse received her J.D., cum laude, from SMU Dedman School of Law. She received B.B.A. and B.A. degrees, both summa cum laude, also from Southern Methodist University.

Ms. Scott is a member of the firm’s litigation practice focusing on complex civil litigation matters, with an emphasis on defending lawsuits filed under the False Claims Act and representing public companies and their officers and directors in securities and privacy litigation, internal investigations, and regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings. Prior to joining Akin Gump, she clerked for the Hon. Leslie H. Southwick of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and for the Hon. Daniel P. Jordan III of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Ms. Scott received her J.D., with high honors, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Hendrix College.

Mr. Sewell is part of the firm’s cross-border transactions practice, where he focuses on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as private equity transactions. He has played a key role in complex and high-profile matters involving multinational corporations in various industries. Mr. Sewell received his LL.B. from Queen Mary University of London.

As a member of the firm’s Supreme Court and appellate practice, Mr. Tysse has extensive experience handling complex matters, including developing strategy and authoring briefs, both on appeal and in high-stakes trial litigation. He has prepared more than 50 briefs in cases at every appellate level, with more than 25 at the merits and certiorari stages at the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Tysse received his J.D. and his B.A. from the University of Virginia.

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.

 # # #