Marcus Childress, Former Senior Advisor to U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Joins Akin as Co-Head of Congressional Investigations Practice

(Washington, D.C.) – Akin announced today that Marcus Childress—former senior advisor and special counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee—has joined the firm in Washington, D.C. as a partner and co-head of the congressional investigations practice. Abigail (Abby) Kohlman, a congressional investigations partner who previously served as chief of staff and special counsel to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Legislative Affairs, has also been named a co-head of the group. Childress and Kohlman expand Akin’s premier platform for guiding clients through the escalating convergence of congressional inquiries, parallel DOJ investigations and high‑stakes civil litigation.

“The demand for sophisticated oversight counsel is only growing. By combining Marcus’s recent experiences leading sensitive investigations on Capitol Hill with Abby’s DOJ background, our clients will have the benefit of extraordinary insights from different sides of the investigative ecosystem,” said Akin co-chair Abid Qureshi. “This strategy continues to differentiate both our congressional investigations practice and our broader investigations, litigation and regulatory capabilities.”

Childress joins the firm as one of the most respected congressional investigations practitioners on Capitol Hill. At the House Judiciary Committee, he served as senior advisor to Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and as special counsel, overseeing complex investigations involving the Department of Justice, higher education, big tech, health care and antitrust. He has received significant industry honors, including The American Lawyer’s Industry Award for Young Lawyer of the Year and recognition on Washingtonian’s list of the 500 Most Influential People. Marcus previously served as an Air Force Assistant Staff Judge Advocate and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, where he first-chaired felony criminal trials and advised senior military officers on criminal investigations. Outside of government, he has also represented companies and executives involved in high-stakes congressional investigations before the House and Senate, including preparing senior executives for public hearings. Marcus’s practice spans congressional investigations, state attorney general (AG) matters, criminal defense and complex civil litigation.

Kohlman has established herself as a leading congressional investigations advisor since returning to the firm in 2025. She advises corporations, institutions and individuals facing complex and politically sensitive oversight matters and has represented numerous CEOs in headline‑making congressional investigations. She draws on extensive experience preparing witnesses for congressional appearances before the House and the Senate. As former chief of staff and special counsel for the DOJ’s Office of Legislative Affairs, she guides clients through high‑stakes inquiries and related criminal, civil and regulatory proceedings.

“Marcus brings strong bipartisan relationships from the Hill and recent frontline committee experience that will be invaluable as clients confront more assertive and faster‑moving oversight initiatives,” said Chuck Connolly, head of Akin’s white collar practice. “He and Abby are both widely respected across government and the investigations bar. With their leadership of congressional investigations, we are exceptionally well‑positioned to advise clients at the intersection of congressional scrutiny, white‑collar enforcement and complex litigation.”

“Congressional investigations have rapidly evolved over the last five years. Abby and I have led investigations, prepared high-ranking officials for interviews and hearings, and helped clients navigate closely watched proceedings.” said Marcus. “Together, and with the combined strengths of the firm’s broader investigations, regulatory and public policy capabilities, our practice is in a leading position to deliver integrated, decisive guidance, advising clients on every dimension of congressional scrutiny.”

“Marcus brings our clients remarkable fresh perspective at a time when congressional oversight is evolving and the pace of it is intensifying. I look forward to working with Marcus to continue to grow a congressional investigations practice that delivers clear‑eyed strategy grounded in real‑world experience,” said Abby.

About Akin’s Congressional Investigations Practice

Akin’s Congressional Investigations practice has supported a wide range of high-profile and complex congressional investigations in recent years. We have developed a singular approach to respond to the challenges inherent in congressional investigations and parallel matters.

Our guidance is informed by a clear understanding of the congressional motivations and investigative objectives, allowing us to anticipate the legal, reputational and legislative risks our clients may face. Working closely with our premier lobbying & public policy practice, we draw on decades of experience supporting clients’ interests irrespective of the political party in power.

About Akin’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice

Ranked by Chambers USA Nationwide for Corporate Crime & Investigations: The Elite, Akin assists clients in navigating complex internal and government investigations and related enforcement actions and has been at the forefront of white collar defense for more than 30 years. The team includes former federal prosecutors from the premier U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the District of Columbia, the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of California; former senior officials from the Department of Justice’s National Security and Criminal Divisions, the former chief counsels of both the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and lawyers who served in the SEC’s Enforcement Division, as well as the first director of the Division of Enforcement at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

Akin is a leading international law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers and advisors in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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