Douglas A. Rappaport > Akin > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Akin‘s offering in shareholder activism stands out for its breadth of expertise, being valued by clients for regulatory advice on activist campaigns, as well as the tax and corporate law aspects of matters. Clients include prominent domestic investors and the team’s recent workload has covered unseating recalcitrant directors and removing entrenched management, among other intricacies. Litigator Douglas Rappaport leads the department and draws on his regulatory and compliance expertise in assisting investment fund clients. Jason Koenig is the other key contact to note, a corporate partner who covers private equity transactions, M&A and shareholder activism. Both named lawyers are based in New York.

Akin frequently acts for private investment funds, broker dealers, and public accounting firms in private litigation under federal securities and commodities laws. It is well versed in both securities litigation and regulatory enforcement actions, often handling both in parallel for the same client. Stephen M. Baldini and Douglas Rappaport lead the practice from New York. Baldini and key partner Neal Marder in Los Angeles both played important roles in the defense of Eastman Kodak Company in multiple derivative and securities class actions. Scott Barnard, who recently handled a high-stakes matter for AB Energy Opportunity Fund, and Michelle Reed are the key partners in Dallas. New York-based Uri Itkin is a seasoned trial lawyer with substantial experience in cases involving structured finance and investment funds.