Akin Gump Named "Corporate Team of the Year" at the Legal Business Awards 2012

(LONDON) – Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is pleased to announce that it has been named “Corporate Team of the Year” at the Legal Business Awards 2012.

The Legal Business Awards recognize “outstanding work from across the legal profession and acknowledge the accomplishments of the finest lawyers currently working in the UK and beyond.”

At the awards ceremony in London last night, the firm won the category from a shortlist of seven leading law firms. It is the first time a law firm that is not part of the U.K.’s “Magic Circle” has won the award in over a decade. This award follows the firm’s receipt of the “Emerging Markets Law Firm of the Year” award at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards 2011 in October.

Akin Gump was nominated for the award based on its successful advice to leading emerging market mobile telecoms operator VimpelCom in acquiring Wind Telecom. This acquisition created the world’s sixth-largest mobile telecommunications carrier by subscribers, operating in 20 countries. The acquisition closed in April 2011.

Akin Gump’s London-based team advising VimpelCom was led by corporate partner Dan Walsh and included partners Fred Heller, Sebastian Rice and Harry Keegan, counsel Lisa Hearn, Alexander Lemke and Vanessa Evans, and associates Katie Spencer and Francesca Rodd, with advice from New York-based corporate partners Bruce Mendelsohn and Pat Dooley. The team also included London-based litigation/arbitration partner Justin Williams and New York-based litigation/arbitration partners Steve Pesner and Bob Pees.

Jeff McGhie, General Counsel of VimpelCom Ltd commented: “This deal was transformational for VimpelCom. It takes the company to the next stage and positions us as a truly global company. To make this deal happen we needed support from a team that not only understood our business, but also had the creativity, skill and determination to get the job done under enormous pressure. We trusted Dan Walsh and his team at Akin Gump to deliver the result that we needed and they really came through for us. Our entire management team was very pleased with the service and professionalism of Dan and the Akin Gump team.”

Steven Blakeley, partner in charge of the London office, said: “We are delighted to have won this distinguished award. It illustrates how well-positioned the firm is to advise international clients in their emerging markets activities. Akin Gump remains committed to supporting its clients in these challenging economic times.”

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a leading international law firm, numbers more than 800 lawyers and advisors in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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