Sergio Acosta is Co-Chair of Akerman's White Collar Crime and Government Investigations Practice. A former federal prosecutor and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers with over 70 jury trials to his credit, he has extensive experience defending companies and individuals in criminal and…

Matthew Allee focuses his practice on land use and zoning matters, including land use entitlements, development incentives, and zoning and concurrency issues. Matthew has experience representing property owners, developers, and business owners in obtaining land use approvals, including…

Jeffrey Armstrong prepares and prosecutes patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), litigates patent matters in federal district courts, and represents clients in ex parte reexaminations at the USPTO and inter partes reviews at the Patent Trial and Appeals Board…

Mark Bernstein serves as managing partner of Akerman's Chicago office. He represents business interests in complex disputes with a focus on financial services and manufacturing companies. Mark is often retained to resolve disputes that are a threat to a company’s existence or that could have a…

A highly skilled civil, criminal, and appellate litigator, Joel Bertocchi handles appeals in state and federal courts and represents clients in connection with criminal and regulatory investigations and proceedings, providing counsel on compliance policies and related issues. He has argued cases in…

Brian Bianco is a registered patent lawyer and intellectual property litigator. He has represented clients in U.S. federal courts across the country in complex patent, trademark and trade dress disputes. With a degree and extensive background in electrical engineering, he has successfully…

Ranked by Chambers USA for both taxation and tax controversy, The Legal 500, and Best Lawyers in America, David Blum provides transactional, tax planning, and tax litigation counsel to local and multinational businesses throughout the United States. His practice serves a variety of sectors including…

Michael Borovik draws on his more than 20 years of practical energy and sustainability experience to advise leaders and teams through major business initiatives and economic evaluation matters. Michael's clients include energy suppliers, municipalities, universities, and businesses. He also…

John Buckun focuses his practice on federal, state and local, and international tax matters. John represents closely held companies, middle market clients, private equity funds, and multinational corporations on all aspects of taxation including, the formation, operation and liquidation of…

Jessica L. Dagley focuses her practice on business and commercial litigation matters. She represents public and private companies, small businesses, and individuals in business transactions and disputes, professional liability/malpractice matters, contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty matters,…

Julian is a trial attorney, commercial litigator, and legal counselor with more than 15 years of experience operating in the full gamut of high-stakes legal domains. With a focus on emerging technologies and other dynamic environments, Julian combines well-honed legal judgment with robust risk…

A skillful trial attorney, Amy Doehring represents clients in a wide variety of complex litigation matters in federal and state courts across the country as well as in arbitration. Her legal practice focuses on the defense of clients in several industries such as healthcare, food and beverage,…

With a practice devoted to M&A, private equity and venture capital investments, and investment fund formation, Max Drake counsels business entities and their owners through all stages of development, from startup, to growth financing, to ultimate sale. Clients rely on Max's practical general…

Lawrence Eiben focuses his practice on a range of transactional matters for commercial real estate clients. He represents REITs, real estate funds, real estate joint ventures, and developers in connection with acquisitions, sales, developments and financing of office buildings, shopping centers,…

Lauren Ferrante focuses her practice on state and local taxation. She represents clients at all stages of state and local controversy disputes at the audit, administrative and judicial levels. In particular, Lauren has extensive experience defending clients against qui tam (False Claims Act) claims…

Tom Fullerton represents financial institutions in all facets of the loan cycle from origination to refinance to workouts and bankruptcy proceedings, including complex commercial litigation. He also represents clients in financings and other commercial transactions.  In his bankruptcy practice,…

With over 25 years of experience, Amy Moor Gaylord focuses her practice on traditional labor matters and employment litigation for both public and private sector employers with an emphasis on National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proceedings, union organizing drives, NLRB-conducted elections,…

Having served as a former Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois and Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, Jack George is a valued leader who possesses a deep knowledge of real estate law. Jack focuses his practice on real estate, land use, and zoning matters. He is…

Meg George has experience with real estate and municipal law matters, including the acquisition, and sale and development of real estate, land use and zoning, licensing, permitting, subdivision, and other real estate matters. In addition to her thriving practice, Meg is a member of Akerman’s…

Ronald Gilbert is an associate in Akerman’s Consumer Financial Services Data and Technology (CFS+) Practice Group. Ronald represents a wide array of financial services companies in state and federal litigation including class actions. He regularly defends financial services providers against…

A former federal prosecutor with a focus on national security and public corruption, Lauren Goddard is part of Akerman’s Litigation and White Collar Crime and Government Investigations practice. Lauren has extensive experience conducting complex investigations and litigating matters in U.S. district…

Jamel focuses his practice on representing clients in the higher education and collegiate athletics sector. His experience includes representing higher education institutions in matters involving regulatory and compliance issues at the local, state and federal level, in conducting training for board…

A former vice president and senior legal counsel for the credit card and retail services division of HSBC, Eric Gribbin possesses deep knowledge of the financial services sector. He represents banks, finance companies, securities broker-dealers, insurance brokers, investment advisors, and other…

Megan Hussey is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. Her practice is focused on commercial litigation and complex transactions. She routinely works on all stages of the litigation process, including discovery, motion briefing, and trial preparation. In addition to her litigation work, she…

Gregory Kubly is a commercial litigator with experience in all aspects of litigation, trial, and appellate work. His practice focuses upon real estate, construction, and commercial litigation. He has assisted a broad range of commercial clients involving application of complex state and federal…

Elpitha Lambros focuses her practice on a wide range of complex matters, including high-stakes commercial disputes and white collar investigations. Elpitha represents clients in both federal and state courts through all phases of litigation and across  various industries including aerospace,…

Sara Langan focuses her practice on tax equity financed transactions, including securing tax benefits from federal and state low-income housing, historic rehabilitation, and renewable energy tax credits. She has several years of experience representing investors, syndicators, and developers in…

With more than two decades of experience in zoning and land use matters, Chris Leach represents property owners, developers, and business owners in obtaining approvals of planned developments, zoning changes, special uses, variations, subdivisions, vacations, and dedications. Chris also works with…

Julia Lissner loves partnering with clients to navigate and tackle complex business problems through litigation. Julia represents public and private companies and individuals in a wide range of business disputes in state and federal courts nationwide. She has extensive experience in preparing cases…

Eddie Lowry focuses his practice on real estate law and real estate finance, counseling clients on the full spectrum of their corporate real estate needs across an array of industries and asset classes, including investment, development, operations and divestiture of properties used for data…

Edward Machado focuses his practice on securing patent protection for client innovations. He has facilitated hundreds of patent applications from drafting, through office actions and examiner interviews, to issuance. He has handled patent applications across various industries, including related to:…

Tom Mandler represents employers on a nationwide basis in the full spectrum of issues dealing with their employees, whether or not they are employed at-will, pursuant to an employment agreement, or represented by a union. A substantial portion of his practice is devoted to advising employers on how…

Gabe Marinaro focuses his practice on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation. He regularly counsels publicly traded and privately held companies, tax-exempt organizations, and governmental entities on a variety of employee benefits and executive compensation matters. Gabe…

LaKeisha Marsh serves as the chair of Akerman’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Practice Group. She leads a bipartisan team of professionals providing strategic counsel on policy and regulatory issues in the United States. With a comprehensive legal background serving the higher education…

A business litigator, Jeff has litigated hundreds of disputes, including complex collective and class actions throughout the country. Jeff represents clients in real estate, software, complex scientific and technical contract matters, as well as in select employment litigation. He serves as lead…

Scott Meyers serves as Akerman’s Chairman and CEO, leading the strategic direction and growth of the firm. Working within the firm’s collaborative, inclusive, and high-trust culture, Scott drives initiatives that empower Akerman’s lawyers and professionals to deliver effective, creative, and sound…

Jani Mikel focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation. She represents a wide array of corporate and individual clients in a range of matters, including toxic torts, antitrust and trade regulation, products liability, restrictive covenant violations, and other commercial matters in both…

Cathy Miller focuses her practice on business and employment litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts and arbitrations. Her experience includes representing clients in employment, Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)…

Kourtney Mulcahy focuses her practice on managing domestic and international trademark portfolios. She regularly implements cost-effective trademark clearance, procurement, and protection strategies for her clients. Kourtney has experience in all areas of trademark law, including: domain name…

Ambrosia O'Connor is an associate in Akerman’s Consumer Financial Services Data and Technology (CFS+) Practice Group. Ambrosia represents a wide array of financial services companies in state and federal litigation including class actions. She regularly defends financial services providers against…

Paul Quinn serves as co-chair of Akerman’s M&A and Private Equity Practice. With more than three decades of experience, Paul represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies in leveraged acquisitions and dispositions, corporate governance, and restructurings. Paul also represents…

John Roache focuses his practice on employment law and class action litigation. He represents employers in numerous wage and hour issues arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Illinois wage statutes, including collective and class actions involving claims for off-the-clock work,…

Bernardo Rocha focuses his practice on commercial leasing and general real estate transactional matters. Bernardo has experience in multijurisdictional transactions involving the acquisition, sale, leasing, and development of renewable energy projects, retail, office, and industrial buildings. He…

Paul Russo focuses his practice on commercial real estate matters. He has experience in multi-jurisdictional transactions involving the acquisition, sale, financing, leasing, and development of retail, office, and industrial properties. Paul represents REITS, real estate funds, real estate joint…

With more than 20 years of experience, Mary Samsa, chair of Akerman's Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice, focuses her practice on executive compensation matters and tax-qualified retirement programs for a wide range of organizations. Her clients include Fortune 500 companies,…

Jay Schafer helps clients protect current and future product lines by identifying and mitigating intellectual property risks, securing and protecting intellectual property rights, and resolving intellectual property disputes. Having worked with a diverse group of clients ranging from start-ups to…

Kimberly focuses her practice on real estate acquisitions and sales, commercial leasing, and real estate financing. Kimberly previously served as counsel for a mortgage company, where she advised the business on the interpretation, application, and compliance of applicable regulatory requirements,…

Timothy Sendek is an experienced trial lawyer focusing on patent, trademark, and copyright disputes in U.S. District Courts, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His experience includes numerous Section 337 trials at…

Sommer Sharpe focuses her practice on representing clients in the higher education sector with regard to regulatory and compliance issues at the local, state, and federal level. She also has experience handling collegiate sports and NCAA compliance-related matters, including working on issues…

Shawn Taylor is a litigator and trial attorney who represents companies, private equity firms, and individuals on matters both big and small. His practice focuses on complex commercial and securities litigation and class action defense.  He represents clients in federal and state courts,…

Chelsea Valente is an associate in Akerman’s Consumer Financial Services, Data and Technology (CFS+) Practice Group. Chelsea represents a wide array of financial services companies in state and federal litigation including class actions. She regularly defends financial services providers…

A complex commercial litigator with experience in all aspects of litigation, trial, and appellate work, Ryan Williams represents Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals. Ryan focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation matters involving contract disputes, tortious…

Robert Winner focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate and finance, venture capital, private securities offerings, and general commercial transactions. Robert has more than twenty years of transactional experience working with startups, developers, established privately-held…