Overview
(September 19, 2024, Washington, DC) — Steptoe LLP has announced the continued growth of its SEC Enforcement practice with the addition of Akita Adkins, who joins the firm after 14 years with the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement, as of counsel in Washington, DC.
Akita joined the SEC in 2010, and has investigated the full range of matters before the Commission, including serving as lead attorney on investigations involving public companies, accounting firms, and investment advisers. She also served as one of the longest serving members of the FCPA unit, and led investigations of multi-national companies, often working closely with the Department of Justice and foreign regulators. While at the SEC, Akita also wrote commentaries for the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Before joining the Division of Enforcement, Akita spent seven years at international law firms where she represented respondents in high-stakes SEC investigations.
"We are thrilled to welcome an attorney with Akita's record as a leader in high-stakes SEC enforcement matters," commented Steptoe partner and co-chair, Investigations and White-Collar group, Wendy Wysong. "Her experience working with sensitive and complex securities enforcement matters complements our already strong bench of attorneys and we look forward to the contributions she will make."
"I have known and trusted Akita for more than 20 years, and am thrilled that we are reuniting to work together again after her many years of service to the Commission," said Steptoe partner Sandra Hanna, SEC Enforcement practice lead. "Her invaluable experience across the wide array of enforcement matters our clients face is a great addition to our team, and reflects Steptoe's ongoing commitment to provide clients with best-in-class advice for SEC Enforcement matters."
Akita added: "I'm excited to bring my experience to Steptoe’s excellent SEC Enforcement and Investigations and White-Collar practices and look forward to collaborating with this talented group of attorneys to deliver exceptional service and results for our clients."
Over the past two years, Steptoe's Investigations and White-Collar Defense practice (IWC) has handled a number of significant matters, including securing a not-guilty jury verdict on behalf of client and former CEO of Autonomy, Dr. Mike Lynch after an 11-week criminal trial in Federal Court, the representation of Volkswagen AG in a diesel emissions case, and successful negotiation of the largest corporate criminal and regulatory settlement in recent history. Steptoe's IWC practice acts for both corporations and individuals and was recently named by Global Investigations Review to its GIR 30, an independent guide to the world's top firms for international investigations for the 8th year running, in addition to rankings in Chambers USA, Legal 500 and Chambers Asia Pacific.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
