John Gilliland

John Gilliland serves as senior counsel to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. His practice includes all matters affecting international trade, health care and tax policy. He advises clients on a wide range of matters, including trade agreements, legislation and international disputes. Prior to his work in private practice, Mr. Gilliland served as international trade counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. He was responsible for oversight of U.S. international trade policy, with a particular focus on trade negotiations including the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Doha Development Agenda, U.S. agriculture trade and several major trade disputes. He also organized and staffed trade missions to China, Japan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Cuba. Mr. Gilliland is a former legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), who is a member of the Senate Agriculture and Finance Committees. He advised Senator Lincoln on all agriculture and trade matters. Mr. Gilliland received his J.D. from the University of Alabama and his B.A. from Vanderbilt University. Briefs he co-wrote in law school won top prize at the Jessup International Law Moot Court world championships. He also attended the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) and the Moscow (Russia) Institute for International Relations.