Shanika Cooper

About Shanika Cooper

Shanika Cooper is an attorney in the Antitrust & International Competition practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. She advises deal teams on antitrust considerations in mergers and acquisitions, including Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) reporting strategy, regulatory timelines, and clearance risk assessments. She conducts due diligence to evaluate competitive risks in U.S. transactions and collaborates with M&A and financial restructuring counsel to align legal strategy. Shanika also supports clients responding to government investigations and agency inquiries, applying strong analytical and research skills in high-stakes, time-sensitive matters.Shanika earned her JD/MBA through the University of Pennsylvania’s joint program, receiving her Juris Doctor from Penn Carey Law and her MBA from The Wharton School. Her dual training enables her to navigate the intersection of law, finance, and corporate strategy, particularly in matters involving high-stakes transactions and regulatory risk.Prior to law school, Shanika worked at Ernst & Young LLP in the Forensic & Integrity Services practice, partnering with attorneys, accountants, and consultants on corporate governance and compliance initiatives, internal investigations, and global policy and procedure transformations.She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Villanova University, where she majored in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Peace and Justice.

Experience

1. Associate

   Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

   Oct 2025 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Advise deal teams on antitrust considerations in mergers and acquisitions, including Hart-Scott Rodino (HSR) reporting, regulatory strategy, filing preparation, and clearance forecasts. Conduct transaction-related due diligence and competitive risk assessments for U.S. acquisitions and restructurings. Draft dispositive briefs related to alleged violations of the antitrust laws in civil litigation. Coordinate with corporate and financial restructuring counsel to align deal strategy. Prepare clients for government investigations and agency inquiries, drafting submissions, managing document productions, and developing strong analytical and research skills in high-stake matters.

Education

• Villanova University

  Villanova School of Business | Majors: Finance and Accounting | Minor: Peace & Justice

  2015 — 2019

• West Catholic Preparatory High School

  Honors, AP Programs

  2011 — 2015

• Saint Joseph's University

  Dual Enrollment, Dual Enrollment

  2014 — 2015

• University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

  Carey JD/MBA Program | Penn Carey Law School and the Wharton School

• The Wharton School

  Carey JD/MBA Program | Penn Carey Law School and the Wharton School, Business Analytics; Strategic Management

Skills

• Leadership
• Microsoft Word
• Public Speaking
• Management
• Microsoft Excel
• Powerpoint
• Teamwork
• Event Planning
• Customer Service
• Time Management
• Research
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Microsoft Office
• Strategic Planning
• Social Media