Akhil Sheth is an attorney in the firm’s Antitrust & Competition and Commercial Litigation groups. He provides responsive and insightful counsel to individual and corporate clients across a range of industries.
Akhil is particularly passionate about federal court practice. He has been through several federal trials in cases involving antitrust, intellectual property, environmental, and health care issues. Akhil’s pro bono practice also extends to federal court: there, he has represented imprisoned transgender individuals and victims of revenge porn, and he volunteers virtually every month at Orange County's Federal Pro Se Clinic. Before joining the firm, Akhil spent nearly four years working for federal judges, including serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Andrew J. Guilford of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
As someone committed to increasing access to justice in his community and improving diversity in the legal profession, Akhil is a member of the firm’s Diversity Council and Public Service Committee. He is also a leader in several community organizations, including:
Akhil is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Akhil remains heavily involved with his alma mater, the UC Irvine School of Law. Among other things, he is a regular speaker at events for law students and as part of UC Irvine School of Law’s Pre-law Outreach Program. He also serves as a judge for the school’s mock trial and moot court competitions and mentors UC Irvine law students.
Before law school, Akhil earned a B.S. in biochemistry from UC Riverside. He also taught for and eventually co-ran the Southern California LSAT program for a national standardized test preparation company.
When he’s not working, Akhil enjoys playing fetch with his deaf dog Otter, customizing his electric vehicle, and working to address animal welfare and cruelty issues. He is also an avid basketball player and fan and aspires to attend a game in every NBA city.
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: California, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Speeches & Presentations
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"Handling the Hoopla(w): The Dimensions and Determination of Professional Sports Disputes." AthletesTouch OC-I Team Meeting
(February 11, 2020).
Speaker: Akhil Sheth.
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"Resolving Competitor Disputes Generally and in the NBA: A Focus on NBA Game Protests." OCBA Young Lawyers Division HoopLaw CLE & Clippers Game Night
(December 1, 2019).
Speakers: John S. Gibson, and Akhil Sheth.
Publications
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"Antitrust Analysis of Vertical Health Care Mergers," Practical Law
(April/May 2020).
Authors: Alexis J. Gilman and Akhil Sheth.
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"Digital Competition Reports and Merger Enforcement," CPI Antitrust Chronicle
(December 2019).
Authors: Alexis J. Gilman, Akhil Sheth, Angel Prado, and Eric Fanchiang.
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"INSIGHT: The FTC Tech Task Force-Are Lawsuits On The Horizon?" Bloomberg Law
(September 13, 2019).
Authors: Alexis J. Gilman, and Akhil Sheth.
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"INSIGHT: The FTC Tech Task Force—Answers To Important Questions," Bloomberg Law
(September 10, 2019).
Authors: Alexis J. Gilman, and Akhil Sheth.
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"Supreme Court Weighs In On Protecting Trade Secrets and Confidential Information From FOIA Requests," Crowell & Moring's Trade Secrets Trends
(August 9, 2019).
Authors: Akhil Sheth and Julia Milewski.
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"To Cooperate, or Not To Cooperate?" Daily Journal
(June 28, 2019).
Authors: John S. Gibson, Christy Markos, and Akhil Sheth.
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"Conspiring Computers: Algorithmic Price-Setting, Artificial Intelligence, and the Antitrust Laws," ABTL Report, Orange County, Volume XXI No. 1
(Spring 2019).
Author: Akhil Sheth.
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"Multi-Agency Report Emphasizes Importance of Competition in Health Care," AHLA Antitrust Advisor, Vol. 2, Issue 1
(February 2019).
Authors: Alexis Victoria DeBernardis and Akhil Sheth.
Client Alerts & Newsletters
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"On the Rocks No More: FTC Approves $1 Billion Deal Between Low-Price Liquor Rivals With Unusual Remedy,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(January 7, 2021).
Contacts: Alexis J. Gilman, Olivier N. Antoine, Britton D. Davis, Akhil Sheth, Kate M. Watkins
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"Brotherly Love: Philadelphia Federal Court Allows Jefferson-Einstein Hospital Union to Move Forward Over Government Objections,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(December 9, 2020).
Contacts: Alexis J. Gilman, Alexis Victoria DeBernardis, Akhil Sheth
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"DOJ Antitrust Division Takes "Extraordinary Step" in Issuing Supplemental Business Review Letter to IEEE,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(September 29, 2020).
Contacts: Mark A. Klapow, Akhil Sheth
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"U.K. Supreme Court Affirms Global FRAND Rate-Setting Procedure in U.K. National Courts,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(August 28, 2020).
Contacts: Brian Paul Gearing, Ph.D., Judith Bussé, Akhil Sheth
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"FTC and DOJ Issue Draft of Long-Anticipated Vertical Merger Guidelines,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(January 15, 2020).
Contacts: Alexis J. Gilman, Shawn R. Johnson, Wm. Randolph Smith, Jeane A. Thomas, CIPP/E, Andrew I. Gavil, Akhil Sheth
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"District Court Decision in FTC v. Qualcomm Spawns Controversy: Four Issues to Watch on Appeal,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(June 3, 2019).
Contacts: Lisa Kimmel, Ph.D., Mark A. Klapow, Wm. Randolph Smith, Jeane A. Thomas, CIPP/E, Akhil Sheth, Kate M. Watkins
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"An App Store Set Up This Way Won’t Keep The Plaintiffs Away: Six Antitrust Takeaways from Last Week’s Apple v. Pepper Decision,"
Antitrust Law Alert
(May 23, 2019).
Contacts: Chahira Solh, Andrew I. Gavil, Akhil Sheth
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"Apple v. Pepper: Tearing Down the Illinois Brick Wall?—Who Can and Cannot Sue Online Platforms Under the Federal Antitrust Laws,"
(December 21, 2018).
Contacts: Chahira Solh, Andrew I. Gavil, Christy Markos, Akhil Sheth
Firm News & Announcements