Shade leads all growth initiatives, marketing, communications and business development efforts by the firm. He works closely with firm management and lawyers to develop and execute the firm’s growth strategy.

A member of Akin’s senior leadership team, Shade identifies key platforms to drive revenue growth and operations, and to support global expansion efforts. He leverages data-driven insights and advanced technology to identify new opportunities for growth and to position the firm at the forefront of market and client intelligence.

Shade plays a key role in developing new offerings by leveraging leading-edge technologies. Spearheading numerous initiatives, Shade engineered the introduction of a new revenue technology stack and other marketing automation tools, including the use of AI in business development. Shade leads a team of professionals across disciplines, including business development, brand marketing, communications, client development and market intelligence.

Shade has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of marketing, communications and business development roles across professional services industries. A hallmark of Shade’s approach to leadership is his commitment to creating a collaborative culture that inspires high-performing and dynamic teams.

Prior to joining Akin, he served as the Chief Growth and Communications Officer at another large international law firm. Before that, he served as Chief Marketing Officer, North America at multinational technology company Capgemini, building a business development team with a highly integrated approach to marketing and sales. Earlier in his career he was the Global Head of Marketing and Communications at SapientRazorfish (now Publicis Sapient) developing the strategic and brand position of the network of digital transformation agencies.