Akin Gump Launches Expansive Retail Industry Initiative

(Philadelphia) – Akin Gump today announced the launch of an interdisciplinary retail industry initiative spanning multiple practices across the firm. The initiative brings together more than 100 lawyers with extensive industry knowledge and experience representing direct-to-consumer companies across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The initiative is led by litigation partners Meredith Slawe and Kathryn Deal in Philadelphia, labor and employment partner Gregory Knopp in Los Angeles and corporate partner Garrett DeVries in Dallas.

The team will focus on the representation of retail industry clients across the full suite of legal and regulatory matters that impact businesses in the retail sector. This includes more than a dozen distinct areas, including class action litigation, public law and policy, international trade, labor and employment, corporate and privacy and cybersecurity, among others.

“It is an exciting and challenging time for the retail industry,” stated Ms. Slawe. “On one hand, there are opportunities for innovation in areas such as new service offerings, data capture and cross-border expansion that provide great prospects for growth. At the same time, those same opportunities also come with significant challenges—regulatory compliance, cybersecurity and data protection, and litigation risk being just a few. We are excited to launch this initiative with a strong, integrated team and to support our clients as they navigate this dynamic industry.”

Members of the firm’s retail initiative have advised retailers in their largest domestic and international transactions, government investigations, significant litigation matters, and compliance issues under the General Data Protection Regulation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The team is also close partners with the Retail Industry Leaders Association and its associated Retail Litigation Center (RLC), working with the group and its members on high-stakes retail class action matters.

“We are delighted that Akin Gump was selected by the Retail Litigation Center Board of Directors to serve as one of only two Founding Members of the new RLC Defense Division. Akin Gump’s extraordinary expertise and practical approach to complex problems are essential to our ability to build this first-of-its kind program to help the retail industry defend against meritless mass action litigation,” said Deborah White, president, Retail Litigation Center and general counsel, Retail Industry Leaders Association. 

To read more about Akin Gump’s retail industry practice group, please 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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