WAQAS AKMAL focuses his practice on defending corporate and individual clients in government enforcement actions, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation matters. He has represented clients in connection with investigations and enforcement actions brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Waqas conducts internal investigations and represents clients facing civil and criminal investigations. He also handles a broad range of cases at all stages of civil litigation and was most recently a member of two trial teams, which earned him recognition in the 2022 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in the area of Commercial Litigation. Waqas also has extensive experience in fact development and discovery including drafting and responding to written discovery, preparing fact and expert witnesses for depositions, taking depositions, and resolving various discovery disputes.
At the firm, Waqas is actively involved in the firm’s recruiting efforts both on and off campus and serves on the Recruiting Committee. In addition, Waqas is a member of the Greater Los Angeles Pro Bono Committee where he serves as a liaison between the firm and various pro bono organizations. He is also a leader in various firm-sponsored diversity initiatives, including the 1L Diversity Mentorship Program.
Prior to joining Sidley, Waqas was a law clerk at the Civil Fraud Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. He participated in Sidley’s summer associate program in 2016 and Sidley’s Pro Bono Fellowship Program, where he worked for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.