Congressional Investigations
Akin lawyers have handled some of the most closely watched congressional investigations in recent history, including proceedings of substantial public interest that have been covered by international media.
Our lawyers are frequently called upon to defend corporations, asset managers, institutions, nonprofits and individuals facing congressional investigations, inquiries, subpoenas and hearings. We provide clients with the qualifications and experience necessary to navigate the congressional investigations process and to avoid the legal, commercial, reputational and political pitfalls that commonly occur in such proceedings.
We are the first call for clients confronting congressional inquiries, and we help analyze and assess risk before they escalate into a formal investigation or enforcement action. Our team has a proven track record of success in headline-making, highly sensitive congressional investigations, often involving parallel proceedings and multiple agencies. Akin is one of the few firms with premier capabilities across congressional investigations defense and public policy advocacy.
Our firm represents public & private companies and individuals across industries, including investment management & private equity, financial services, energy & infrastructure, technology, health care & life sciences, manufacturing and defense.
As private sector businesses and individuals across sectors face increasing political scrutiny, our team helps evaluate and mitigate political risks before an investigation is launched. We advise on the political risks in pending deals/transactions and investments, including providing analyses to assess pre-closing risk, as well as a company’s potential exposure to risk down the line.
Why Clients Choose Akin
We offer support to clients on all fronts. Our dedicated congressional investigations team is an integrated group of white collar defense, litigation and policy experts highly skilled and experienced in controlling outcomes at every stage of a congressional investigation.
Clients engage us to advise on a variety of matters, including, but not limited to:
- Pre-subpoena inquiries and early-stage congressional risk assessments.
- Congressional subpoenas and document requests.
- House and Senate committee investigations.
- Congressional hearing and testimony preparation, including for C-suite level executives and corporate board directors.
- Crisis management.
- Politically driven and high-profile oversight inquiries.
- Parallel investigations and enforcement defense in coordination with Congress, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), state attorneys general (AGs) and other regulatory bodies.
Congressional Access & Insight
Akin’s team is composed of former members of Congress and other lawyers and professionals with considerable government experience across House and Senate committees, leadership offices and investigative staff. Our practice is led by attorneys who have been involved in some of the most high-profile congressional investigations. Those include investigations that have shaped the framework and approach for numerous subsequent committee hearings. Our lawyers also advised on the hearings examining the actions and testimony of cabinet members and industry leaders.
Our team includes the former special counsel for investigations on the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, who led all aspects of ongoing investigations, as well as coordinated with the House Democratic leadership and other key House committees on the oversight agenda and served as a senior advisor for U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary; and a former DOJ special counsel for oversight and chief of staff for the Office of Legislative Affairs who also served as a federal prosecutor in the DOJ’s Fraud Section. Our team members also have extensive experience in private practice.
As state AGs continue to expand their enforcement efforts through a growing number of investigations and inquiries, clients may find themselves facing state AG investigations while simultaneously responding to Congress. Our practice also encompasses state AG investigations and our team includes a former state AG.
Bringing this 360-degree perspective to each matter, we work closely with key decisionmakers on Capitol Hill, leveraging our deep understanding of the inner workings of Congress to benefit our clients.
Representative Work
- Represented one of the largest financial institutions in response to multiple federal agencies, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Small Business Administration (SBA) and others, following recent executive orders.
- Represented a CEO and president at a hearing before the Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee in connection with a review of funding.
- Represented a former government official in a deposition before the Committee on House Oversight.
- Represented a CEO of a public company in a Committee on House Oversight hearing regarding data privacy.
- Represented a leading special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsor in connection with congressional investigations of the industry.
- Represented a global pharmaceutical manufacturer in multiple congressional investigations concerning drug pricing issues.
- Represented a leading oil & gas company in connection with climate-related congressional investigations.
- Represented an iconic U.S. company in connection with congressional and other investigations related to its pursuit of a loan through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. This included co-leading an extensive investigation on behalf of a special committee of the board.
- Represented a special committee of a board of a public company in an independent investigation and related state, federal and congressional governmental inquiries.
