Akin Gump's EEO Practice

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP’s employment discrimination and civil rights attorneys specialize in class litigation and significant EEOC “pattern or practice” investigations across the full spectrum of discrimination claims and in industries ranging from retail and railroads to utilities and insurance.

At the head of our EEO practice is a former general counsel to the EEOC who literally wrote the book on dealing with, and litigating against, the EEOC (EEOC Litigation and Charge Resolution (Bloomberg BNA)). He has been routinely highly ranked in Chambers USA and has been praised by clients for his knowledge of procedures and practices within the EEOC—“he is a great lawyer, listener and litigator. In addition, he’s an excellent strategic thinker who is always on the cutting edge.” (Chambers USA 2011). Our staff also includes a former EEOC appellate attorney who has been “praised for his expertise in discrimination class actions” and has been described as a “fabulous litigator” who is “great on his feet and incredibly fearless.” (Chambers 2010)

We are frequently called upon because of our “sophisticated understanding of the issues,” our “ability to understand the needs and motivation of clients,” our “insight into the workings of government” and our “creative approach.” (Chambers 2007, 2008, 2010)

We have never allowed a client to suffer an adverse class judgment in an EEO case. In most cases, our attorneys have been successful in defeating class certification, and, in one of the few EEO cases nationwide where a class was certified and the case went to trial, we obtained a defense verdict following an eight-week jury trial of race and national origin discrimination claims. In another case—a gender discrimination class case—The Washington Post described our work on the client’s behalf as “the EEOC’s greatest defeat.”