Akin Gump coordinates operations for 24-hour handling of international deals

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld is tackling the time zone challenge head-on by boosting its efforts to maintain a 24-hour operation.

The firm has begun to increase the coordination of its 24-hour services between its offices in Houston, London, Washington and Dubai in order to meet the demands of being an international law firm.

Key partners at each of these offices will be used to synchronise the firm's work as it responds to an increasing number of international deals by clients.

Akin Gump is also ensuring it has enough staff - from lawyers to security personnel - to man its offices during the more antisocial business hours.

The move has been designed to help the firm's international energy practice, which has grown rapidly over the last few years. In 2004 the firm poached 12 lawyers from King & Spalding, including the current chairman of its global energy practice, John Cogan.

Akin Gump has 822 lawyers spread across 15 offices with five of its operations situated outside the US: Brussels, Dubai, London, Moscow and Tapei.