Wanda M. Akin, was formerly the Managing Attorney for Chubb & Son, Inc.’s, New Jersey House Counsel law firm, Scanlon & Akin, and a Senior Trial Attorney and Of Counsel to Podvey, Sachs, Meanor, Catenacci, Hildner & Cocoziello from November 1994 through January 1998. For 24 years, Ms. Akin has maintained her solo practice known as Wanda M. Akin & Associates in Newark, NJ. For over 20 years, she has taught as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University School of Law and at Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy And International Relations.
Akin has over 39 years of experience as a trial lawyer in a wide variety of cases, including criminal defense (in the United States and International Tribunals), complex product liability, property claims, construction accident litigation, catastrophic personal injury, employment/labor, trademark and copyright, and other complex litigation (representing three New Jersey Municipalities and their respective Police Departments and personnel, in complex employment and personal injury litigation). She has been trial counsel in numerous cases in New Jersey State and Federal Courts, New York State and Federal Courts, Maryland State Courts, and in many other Federal Court actions throughout the United States. She served as counsel to an accused at the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. She is currently included in the list of counsel eligible for appointment to represent accused and victims before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and represents victims of the Darfur Crisis in the case against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir before the ICC.
She was a 15 year member of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Committee on the Rules of Evidence, for 18 years was a Trustee of the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey, formerly a Master in the Seton Hall Law School Alumni Association Inn of Court and served as a Presidential Appointee to the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Committee on Judicial Administration. In 1999 she served as the President of the Seton Hall Law School Alumni Association.
Akin has taught International Criminal Law in the Seton Hall Law/American University in Cairo summer program in Cairo, Egypt and taught International Criminal Law and Peacemaking in addition to Peacekeeping In Contemporary World at the Seton Hall University School of Diplomacy And International Relations where she was 2005 Adjunct Faculty Of The Year. For several years she taught Criminal Trial Practice at Seton Hall Law School and has lectured and presented widely in the areas of trial advocacy, international law, human rights, media and persuasion, publishing/literary ventures and criminal trial preparation to lawyers, students, bar groups and to a wide variety of businesses and other citizens on various topics.
Ms. Akin has been a periodic guest commentator on Court TV, MSNBC, Inside The Law,(PBS) NJN (New Jersey Network); UPN 9 News and CN8 It’s Your Call. She covered the delivery of the acquittal of O.J. Simpson for America’s Talking and discussed the reaction of African American Women to the verdict on Rivera Live. She was MSNBC’s political commentator during the 2000 Republican and Democratic National Conventions and the 2000 Presidential Election. She is a frequent panelist/lecturer and seminar producer on issues concerning the trial bar and in particular, International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. Wanda is also counsel to three publishing houses as well as authors and writers in literary matters. She has appeared on TODAY, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Entertainment Tonight and New York’s NewsChannel 4 with respect to cases and with clients on literary matters.
Do you like this post?
