Chris Barwick
Associate
Areas of Focus
- Disputes & Investigations
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Class Actions
- Securities Enforcement & Litigation
- Consumer Protection
- Investment Funds Litigation
- Lobbying & Public Policy
- Pro Bono
- Handles high-profile business disputes and investigations.
- Provides detailed risk analysis and general corporate advice to major public and private companies.
- Former U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein staffer who draws on his public sector experience to help clients address challenging policy and regulatory concerns.
Chris handles high-profile business disputes and investigations for clients across various industries. He also provides detailed risk analysis, general corporate advice, and strategic policy recommendations to major public and private companies.
Prior to earning his J.D., Chris served in the office of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, in which he acted as a key liaison to the Southern California businesses community and worked closely with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on a wide range of issues impacting California and the country. Chris draws on this public sector experience to help clients address challenging policy and regulatory concerns.
At Akin, Chris maintains a robust pro bono practice. He was named the firm's 2024 Los Angeles Pro Bono Attorney of the Year and previously served as its 2020 Pro Bono Scholar. He currently sits on the firm’s California Pro Bono Committee.
Chris earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He was a legal writing and advocacy fellow, a public interest scholar and a member of the Hale Moot Court Honors Program.
- Representing an investment fund in a securities class action brought in federal district court relating to its investment in an oral vaccine manufacturer. Chris is a core member of the trial team and he second-chaired nearly a dozen depositions. Chris also helped draft key motions and played a critical role during discovery.
- Advising a major asset management firm regarding subrogation claims and other potential investment opportunities.
- Representing a software company in connection with an SEC investigation. Chris played a key role during several witness interviews.
- Representing a wrongly incarcerated individual petitioning the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office for compensation for the time he was wrongly incarcerated. Chris will play a leading role during oral argument.
- Represented an SEC Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) filing agent in connection with a DOJ investigation regarding a cybersecurity breach of the client’s computer systems and the resulting alleged insider trading based on material nonpublic information (MNPI) associated with the client’s customers. The alleged hacker/trader was indicted and ultimately sentenced. No charges were filed against the client, which was identified as a principal victim of the hack, and the client was not named in the public action taken by the government.
EducationJ.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law, 2022
B.A., Brown University, 2016
J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law, 2022
B.A., Brown University, 2016
Bar AdmissionsCalifornia
California
- Akin, Los Angeles Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2024.
- Akin, Pro Bono Scholar, 2020.
- Public Counsel, Leadership Council.
- Former Field Representative, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.
- Member, Akin’s California Pro Bono Committee.
