backLOS ANGELES, Apr. 6, 2017 — King & Spalding announced today that Joseph Akrotirianakis has joined as a partner in the business litigation practice. He will be based in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
“Joe is a former federal prosecutor and accomplished trial lawyer, with an impressive background in commercial litigation,” said Robert E. Meadows, head of the firm’s national business litigation practice. “He adds important depth to our national trial practice and his strong entrepreneurial bent makes him a great fit for our expanding litigation platform in Los Angeles. We are delighted to welcome him to the firm.”
Akrotirianakis has significant trial and arbitration experience focusing on business litigation, white-collar and regulatory investigations, and labor matters. In November 2016, Law360 honored Mr. Akrotirianakis with its “MVP” Award, naming him one of the top five transportation industry attorneys in the United States. In January 2017, Super Lawyers named Akrotirianakis one of the Top 100 attorneys in Southern California, across all practice areas.
Akrotirianakis previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, where he received the Director’s Award for Superior Performance from the United States Attorney General and the Excellence in Law Enforcement Award from the Director of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He trained federal prosecutors from across the nation in trial advocacy as a faculty member at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center. Akrotirianakis received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Whittier College and his J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Loyola Law School.
Akrotirianakis was previously a partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, where he was firm-wide chair of the White Collar & Regulatory Defense and Investigations. He is also a former clerk for The Honorable Harry Pregerson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
“Los Angeles is a significant venue for business, life sciences, and media and entertainment litigation,” said Peter Strotz, lead partner of the Los Angeles office. “Clients of the firm with interests on the West Coast will benefit from Joe’s expertise. With his arrival, the office is almost 20 lawyers strong, providing on the ground support on tort & environmental, FDA, healthcare and IP matters.”
“King & Spalding’s litigation practice has a stellar global reputation and a deep bench of litigation talent unrivaled by others in this market,” said Akrotirianakis. “I am thrilled to be at K&S and look forward to working with my new colleagues.”
King & Spalding’s Los Angeles office is the firm’s 19th globally and third in California. Along with the firm’s San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices, the Los Angeles office anchors King & Spalding’s Life Sciences, Healthcare and Litigation practices on the West Coast which follows the firm’s clients’ growing interests in the region. The firm has had a presence in Los Angeles since 2011. The office is located at the US Bank Tower at 633 West Fifth Street, Suite 1700.
About King & Spalding
Celebrating more than 130 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 1,000 lawyers in 19 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.