Akin Hired Former Goldman Sachs Executive as Partner
The law firm added a corporate partner who spent over nine years at the investment banking institution.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in People
Akin has appointed Neil DuChez as a corporate partner in its New York office. DuChez returns to the firm after previously serving as a vice president and senior legal director at Goldman Sachs.
Why it matters
Law firms frequently recruit senior legal talent from major financial institutions to strengthen their corporate practice and client advisory capabilities. This hire marks a homecoming for DuChez, who began his career at Akin as an intellectual property associate.
Neil DuChez brings more than nine years of experience from his tenure as a vice president and senior legal director at Goldman Sachs. He joins Akin as a corporate partner, building on his prior history at the firm as an intellectual property associate.
The players
Neil DuChez
A former vice president and senior legal director at Goldman Sachs who rejoined Akin as a corporate partner.
Akin
A global law firm providing legal services to corporate and individual clients across complex regulatory and transactional matters.
Goldman Sachs
A global investment banking and financial services firm that serves as a major training ground for high-level corporate legal talent.
The details
The firm announced the appointment of Neil DuChez on Thursday, marking his return to the partnership level. His move consolidates experience from both the intellectual property sector and large-scale investment banking legal operations. This shift enables Akin to leverage his decade of financial sector perspective for corporate clients navigating complex regulatory and transactional environments.
Timeline
September 24, 2026: Akin announced the hiring of Neil DuChez.
Market Landscape
This move follows a well-documented industry trend where elite law firms recruit internal counsel from major financial institutions to manage sophisticated corporate transactions. Such lateral hires are a standard practice for firms seeking to bridge technical legal expertise with investment banking operational experience.
Business operators should monitor such lateral moves as signals for shifts in a firm's capacity to handle specific types of complex corporate finance or intellectual property work. Reevaluating external legal counsel after high-level leadership changes can help ensure your firm's expertise aligns with new firm capabilities.
The takeaway
The return of a former associate to a partner role highlights the value of deep institutional knowledge in legal recruiting. Operators should evaluate their own talent retention strategies, specifically how they track and maintain relationships with alumni who leave for major industry competitors.
Further reading
For more on high-level executive movements and firm strategy, visit the People section.
