Julius Chen Named to Bloomberg Law’s ’40 Under 40’
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(Washington, D.C.) – Akin Gump is pleased to share that Supreme Court and appellate partner Z. W. Julius Chen has been selected by Bloomberg Law for its second year of “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40.”
According to Bloomberg Law, this class of “stellar young lawyers…consistently solves issues for clients and anticipates the curves in the roads ahead. Leading by example, they’re also working to make the legal profession a better reflection of our world.”
Bloomberg Law published a Q&A with Mr. Chen. Following are highlights from that interview:
- Most substantial recent wins: “For six years, I quarterbacked roughly two dozen Federal Circuit appeals in which a competitor challenged the invalidation of patents underlying a $40-million-dollar-plus infringement verdict against my client. Earlier this year, the successful brief in opposition I filed in the Supreme Court brought all of the disputes between the parties to a close.”
- Success in your practice: “[O]ver time, I’ve realized that success in my practice comes down to client service. Successful representations require a full appreciation of, and responsiveness to, clients’ strategic goals. That’s especially important when the odds of prevailing are long. In those circumstances, the task is not just to provide the court with a potential pathway (however creative or narrow) to ruling in a client’s favor; a positive outcome might also involve extracting concessions, limiting losses or other solutions beyond litigation.”
- Proudest moments: “In more than a decade of private practice, I’ve worked on hundreds of matters. The experiences that have really stuck with me, though, come from the pro bono realm. Pro bono representations are often the most uphill, yet have the highest stakes—literally, at times, life and death. Unfortunately, the prospect (and reality) of defeat tends to loom larger than victory…When a client does prevail, pride doesn’t begin to describe the sense of accomplishment.”
- Greatest mentor: “As an aspiring appellate advocate, I’ve been grateful to learn my craft from Pratik Shah, the head of our practice and one of the best in the business. But the way Pratik combines brilliance with humility has been the true lesson. For those who write for a living, pride of authorship can come with the territory. What Pratik has taught me, however, is how to be truly open to feedback.”
Bloomberg Law quoted Robert Chang, professor of law and executive director of Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law, as saying, “Julius…has an astute legal mind, a keen ability to identify and extrapolate the crucial arguments in a case, and a passion for advocacy on issues of civil rights and racial justice that mirror the mission of the Korematsu Center. As we have seen this past year, we are at a critical moment in addressing centuries of racial injustice. Now more than ever, I rely on law firms like Akin Gump and exceptional lawyers in the private bar like Julius Chen to help our country achieve our highest ideals of justice and equality.”
To read the full Q&A, click here.
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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