National law firm Akerman officially moved into its Uptown Charlotte office this week, joining many peers that have expanded into the Queen City over the past two decades.
While Cadawalder, Wickersham & Taft, K&L Gates and other entrants have focused heavily on financial services, Akerman’s Charlotte presence is largely geared to renewable energy projects and data centers, says Josh DeBottis, who is the office leader. He joined Akerman in November after working for the Moore & Van Allen and Hunton & Williams law firms since 2012.
Akerman started in Florida and now has more than 700 lawyers in 26 offices, including a Winston-Salem site that opened in 2019. The firm has revenue of about $555 million in the 2023 fiscal year, having grown for 14 consecutive years, according to its website.
The Charlotte expansion advances the firm’s strategy tied to strong demand for clients involved in renewable energy, infrastructure and digital technology, officials said. Charlotte’s increased national prominence sparked Akerman’s desire to open a three-lawyer office that is expected to grow, says DeBottis. He grew up in High Point and has a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a law degree from Columbia University.
“I saw this as a chance to take my practice to a larger national firm, while working in a community that I love,’” he says.
Another former Moore & Van Allen lawyer joining Akerman is tax partner John McCaffrey, who focuses on investment tax structures. He previously worked for Brighthouse Financial and MetLiife.
During his first week in office, President Donald Trump criticized renewable energy and issued an executive order temporarily halting federal approvals for lease sales of offshore wind projects in federal waters. He also restricted federal agencies from issuing new permits or loans for onshore or offshore wind projects.
DeBottis notes that many energy projects take lengthy periods to develop, often longer than presidential terms, and that technologies go in and out of favor. “[Renewable energy] is an unstoppable trend,” he says.