Buoyed in part by work stemming from the coronavirus pandemic and the upcoming presidential election, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld announced this week two new hires to its international trade and white-collar teams.

Matthew Nicely, formerly with Hughes Hubbard & Reed, rejoined Akin Gump on Tuesday as a partner in the firm's international trade practice in Washington, D.C. His hire comes a day after the addition of Katherine Goldstein, former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and chief of its securities and commodities fraud task force. Goldstein joined from Milbank.

Nicely said that while the pandemic has generated extra work for his practice—which is access- focused and centered on trade remedies, customs work and disputes before the World Trade Organization—international trade is a busy practice area across the board, and he felt Akin Gump was committed to growth, even as many firms have scaled back their financial expectations for the year and instituted cost-cutting measures.

"During the Trump administration, there's been a new use of areas of the [trade] law that has not seen much attention in prior years," Nicely said, referencing the Safeguards Agreement (Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974) that was used twice early in Donald Trump's presidency, and the administration's use of national security laws to impose duties on steel and aluminum imports.

"There's also this perception among domestic industries that the Trump administration is more aggressive with respect to restrictions on imports," he said. "There has been an increase in the number of petitions by U.S. industries against the import of many foreign products of various kinds. The laws have always been there, but now trade remedies have grown broader."

Nicely added that the pandemic has only added to his business.

"I don't expect any of this to change, even if President Trump is not elected to a second term," he said. "Particularly, in living through is pandemic, U.S. industries will be looking for ways out of the difficulties that have been created. Imports are a scapegoat, and some will look for a way to shore up market share during difficult times."

Nicely said all of his clients are moving with him to Akin Gump, including the Solar Energy Industries Association; Swedish home appliance company Electrolux AB; and others including governments, importers and exporters of goods and services, and producers and users from various sectors.

He noted that his fit with the firm was aided by his previous tenure at Akin Gump as a summer and early-career associates, as well as the fact that some of his former students as an adjunct professor at The American University Washington College of Law are now his colleagues at the firm.

Representatives at Hughes Hubbard did not immediately respond to a request for comment about his departure.

For Goldstein, who joined Akin Gump's white-collar defense and government investigations practice as a partner in New York, the opportunity to combine the expertise she gained at the Southern District and her experience at Milbank made the move a good fit. She represents companies and their senior executives in government and corporate investigations, criminal and regulatory enforcement proceedings and related private litigation.

Representatives at Milbank did not immediately respond to a request for comment about her departure.

"Akin Gump's white-collar practice is incredibly well-regarded, and I've held it in high regard for a long time," Goldstein said.

Goldstein said the pandemic has added logistical challenges as well as substantive changes to her practice.

On one hand, as courts have resumed sessions, working totally virtually has been a challenge. She said she conducted an investigation entirely via telephone and has also had to prepare witnesses for testimony differently. On the other hand, she's prepared for an uptick in work in her practice due to the pandemic and the potential for enforcement priorities to change after November's presidential election.

"The pandemic impacts not only how we all work, but also what government regulators and prosecutors focus on in terms of conduct they find worthy of investigation," Goldstein said. "The SEC is keeping their finger on COVID-related issues, and my practice is being impacted both practically and substantively by the virus."