kim koopersmith

Birthday: 1960

Primary residence: NYC, NY

Current role: Chairman Emeritus & partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (2013-April 2025)

Net worth: At least $20M (WealthX)

Education:

• JD from Fordham University School of Law (1984)

• BA from University of Pennsylvania (1981) 

Board memberships, affiliations, and roles:

• Member of New York State Bar Association

• Director of Her Justice

• Committee Member of Pro Bono Institute

• Director of Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

• Co-Chair of NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

• Director of Equal Justice Works

• Board Member for the TEAK Fellowship

Past roles: 

• Board Member for Her Justice

• Partner at Akin Gump et al (1994-2013)

Fun facts: 

Kim Koopersmith was the first woman to become Chairperson at Akin Gump et al.

• Kim Koopersmith is the Chairman Emeritus & partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, having worked as a Partner at the firm from 1994-2013, and as Chairman from 2013-2025. In 2023, Akin Gump was dubbed as the worst law firm offender for receiving significant compensation for lobbying for fossil fuel interests. During that year, the firm received $7.12M from fossil fuel companies, which is roughly 20x more than the average law firm. Akin Gump reportedly earned $6.78M from fossil fuel clients from 2016-2020. In 2025, Law Students for Climate Accountability found that Akin Gump was compensated 26x more than the average law firm. 

• According to the firm’s Environmental Sustainability Practice, Akin’s “dedication to the firm’s own sustainability is matched by our clients themselves, many of whom are on a journey to greater transparency and carbon reduction.” The firm has been retained by numerous fossil fuel groups over the years, including EQT Corp, Exxon Mobil, Koch Industries, Partnership to Address Global Emissions, and the Pipe Line Contractors Association. Despite their Sustainability Practice claim, Akin’s fossil fuel clients are continuing to invest in and produce oil & gas. 

• Akin Gump also received $2.85M from the UAE embassy in Washington DC for informing democratic & republican politicians about UAE hosting COP28. 

Legal Representation

• Akin Gump’s legal representation of fossil fuel clients has influenced oil & gas trade. Akin Gump has provided legal support for numerous investment mergers in the fossil fuel industry

• In June, 2025, Akin Gump advised EOG Resources Inc. in an agreement to acquire Encino Acquisition Partners for $5.6B. 

• In 2024, the firm advised Tellurian Inc. in its $260M sale of upstream assets in the Louisiana Haynesville and Bossier shale basins to Aethon Energy Management LLC. Both companies entered an agreement for Aethon to purchase 2M tons per annum of LNG from Tellurian’s plant. 

• In 2023, Akin Gump supported EQT Corporation in an agreement with Commonwealth LNG, resulting in the production of 1 million tons per annum of LNG for 15 years. 

• In 2022, the firm provided legal support for New Fortress Energy Inc. 's (NFE) joint venture with Apollo Global Management Inc. involving the purchase of NFE’s 11 liquid natural gas (LNG) infrastructure vessels, valued at roughly $2B. 

• In 2017, Akin Gump advised EOG Resources Inc. in an agreement with The Carlyle Group, where The Group will fund $400M to EOG’s oil and gas assets in Oklahoma over the span of four years. 

• In 2016, Akin Gump advised Shell Midstream Partners during its plan to acquire 20% equity in Mars Oil Pipeline Company and 49% equity in Odyssey Pipeline LLC, totalling $350M. 

• In 2014, the firm advised El Paso Pipeline GP CO. LLC in an acquisition valued at $2B of 50% of Kinder Morgan Inc’s Ruby Pipeline, 50% stake in Gulf LNG, and 47.5% state in Young Gas Storage. 

Kim Koopersmith has received numerous awards for her role as Akin Gump’s Chair. 

• In 2024, Koopersmith was named The American Lawyer’s 2024 Distinguished Law Firm Leader. 

• In 2023, Koopersmith earned the Spirit of Service Award by the Ferrick Center for Social Justice.

• In 2020, Koopersmith was listed on the Financial Times list of American Innovative Lawyers and Law Firm Leaders. 

• In 2019, the Fordham Law Alumni Association awarded Koopersmith the Medal of Achievement, which is the Association’s highest honor. 

  • In 2019, Koopersmith also received the Annual Law & Society Award from the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. 

• In 2018, Koopersmith earned the Flex Leader Award by the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. 

• In 2015, Koopersmith was featured on The Lawyer’s Hot 100 list.

During Kim Koopersmith’s time as Chair, Akin Gump’s revenue grew by 65.3% from 2013-2023. According to WealthX, Koopersmith’s net worth is at least $20M. 

• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a law firm that has worked for numerous fossil fuel clients. The firm has “empowered” domestic and international oil & gas companies to “fuel the world” for over 75 years, providing them with legal counsel and support on mergers & acquisitions, investments, and finance transactions. According to their website, Akin Gump provides support for the “full value chain” of the fossil fuel industry, including upstream oil & gas, midstream oil & gas, liquified natural gas (LNG), oilfield services, refining, petrochemicals & processing, and commodities, trading & derivatives. 

• The law firm has an environmental sustainability program called “Always Green”, where it aims to assess the firm's environmental footprint and reduce its emissions (although specific goals/data measurements aren’t mentioned). The firm is a member of the Law Firm Sustainability Network and reportedly earned a gold rating by the American Legal Industry Sustainability Standard for the current state of their operations emissions. 

• Akin Gump’s sustainability practice outlines the firm’s general stance on sustainability across all sectors and the role it plays in business decisions. The firm has a Sustainability Legislation & Regulation Monitor, which monitors sustainability and policy developments across the US. 

• Law Students for Climate Accountability (LSCA) has given Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld a climate score of F each year from 2021-2025 due to their long list of fossil fuel clients. 

• In 2024, climate activists from Lawyers Are Responsible (LAR) and Fossil Free London protested outside of Akin Gump and A&O Shearman offices. A spokesperson from LAR described both firms as “fossil fuel industry enablers”, and one protestor held a sign that said “Akin profits from climate doom.”

• In 2021, LA Times mentioned Akin Gump in a newsletter titled “Meet the Law Firms Helping Fossil Fuel Companies Heat the Planet”, citing LSCA’s report. 

Government ties 

Kim Koopersmith’s Political Donations (>$5,000)

• $25,000 to Future Forward USA on 7/23/2024

• $15,000 to DNC Services Corp (D) on 9/4/2012

• $11,800 to DNC Services Corp (D) on 10/15/2016

• $10,000 to Robert Orourke (D) on 6/9/2022

• $10,000 to Antonio Delgado (D) on 6/12/2022

• $5,800 to Antonio Delgado (D) on 2/10/2021

• $5,100 to Raymond J McGuire (D) on 2/26/2021

On May 5th, 2025, Akin, Gump, et al. announced that Kelly Ann Shaw, former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economics, would be joining Akin as a lobbying and public policy partner. Shaw served under President Donald Trump’s first term. 

PR firms 

• In 2007, Akin, Gump, et al., and Publicis Worldwide announced a “cross-border alliance”, where the two firms would create a Global Issues Response Management Team. According to Clean Creatives, Publicis served 40 oil and gas clients in 2023-2024, with their most notable clients being Chevron, ConocoPhilips, Saudi Aramco, and TotalEnergies.

Lobbying 

• Akin, Gump, et al., was hired by 269 clients in 2024 for a total of $56,610,000. Of the 74 lobbyists that represented Akin in 2024, 41 (or 55.4%) of lobbyists hired have held a position in the government, 3 of which were former members of Congress. The top three issues that Akin was hired to lobby for were Taxes, Health Issues, and Trade. 

• Akin Gump lobbied on several environmental issues in 2024. The firm lobbied on the issue of Energy & Nuclear Power, resulting in 38 reports by 22 lobbyists across 13 clients. The firm also lobbied on Environment & Superfund, wrestling in 28 reports by 19 lobbyists across 10 clients, and on Fuel, Gas, & Oil, resulting in 8 reports by 8 lobbyists across 2 clients. 

• Akin Gump was hired by a number of notable clients in 2024, including fossil fuel companies and right-winged think tanks. 

  • ExxonMobil retained Akin Gump in 2024 for $190,000, EQT Corp retained the firm for $150,000, Koch Inc for $130,000, and Pipe Line Contractors Association for $200,000. 

  • Americans for Prosperity, a conservative think tank founded by David Koch, retained the firm for $20,000 and Center for a Free Economy, a right-winged pro-deregulation think tank, retained the firm for $130,000. 

External Lobbying

• From 2023-present, Akin, Gump, et al., has hired Center Road solutions as their lobbying firm. Akin, Gump, et al., spent $30,000 on lobbying in 2023, $110,000 in 2024, and $40,000 as of 9/9/2025. The primary issues being lobbied are health related. There are no records on OpenSecrets of the law firm’s lobbying from 2015-2022.

• In 2014, Akin, Gump, et al., spent $165,000 on lobbying expenditures and hired two companies: Gramm Partners and Grant Consulting Group. The law firm spent $135,000 on Gramm Partners and its lobbyist Mike J Solon. Solon is the former Policy Director for Senator Mitch McConnell from 2003-2007 (Sen. McConnell’s lifetime environmental score: 9%). Solon lobbied for Akin, Gump, et al., from 2008-2014, during which he also lobbied for ExxonMobil. There were no notable lobbyists hired by Akin, Gump, et al from Grant Consulting Group. 

Think tanks / think tank networks / policy institutes / research centers 

• In 2024, Americans for Prosperity, a conservative think tank founded by David Koch, retained Akin Gump for $20,000 and Center for a Free Economy, a right-winged pro-deregulation think tank, retained the firm for $130,000. 

Trade groups / industry associations 

• Akin Gump is a member of the Satellite Industry Association. The firm is a member of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA). 

• Akin Gump has represented the US Chamber of Commerce in the past. InfluenceMap has assigned the US Chamber of Commerce a score of E for their Climate Policy Engagement.  

Private foundations

• Kim Koopersmith is the Director of Equal Justice Works, Co-Chair of NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Director of Her Justice, and a Board Member for the TEAK Fellowship.

• Akin Gump has provided legal support for the Rockefeller Foundation’s urban infrastructure program. 

• Akin Gump has provided pro-bono legal work for KIPP Public Charter Schools, pro-bono services to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy & Nationals Foundation, and pro-bono work for the Support Center for Child Advocates.