Heather L. Peckham’s practice focuses on federal and state appellate and complex business litigation matters. Her litigation experience includes contract and business tort disputes; Sherman Act and state antitrust claims; and common law trademark and Lanham Act claims. Ms. Peckham’s practice also includes domestic and international arbitration and complex class actions.
Before joining Akin Gump, Ms. Peckham served as a briefing attorney for Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson and Justice Alberto Gonzales of the Texas Supreme Court from 2000-2001. She was the Tulsa, Oklahoma area Clean Cities Coordinator (an air quality and clean fuels program) before attending law school.
Ms. Peckham received her B.S. cum laude in environmental policy in 1995 from the University of Tulsa and her M.S. in environmental science in 1997 from Oklahoma State University. She received her J.D. cum laude in 2000 from the Southern Methodist University School of Law, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif and the SMU Law Review, and was co-editor of the SMU Corporate Counsel Symposium.
Representative Matters
Ms. Peckham’s engagements include representing:
an international oil and gas pipe company and its subsidiaries in various contract and construction matters, as well as in internal investigations
a leading telecommunications company in pre-merger integration planning and antitrust compliance
a Canadian oil and gas exploration company before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in a challenge to a $25 million contract, fraud, and tortious interference judgment for our client; Fifth Circuit affirmed the judgment
a leading asset management and financial planning firm in a putative class action and FLSA collective action; obtained summary judgment for our client
an international oil and gas pipe and connection manufacturer in a challenge to a merger by the United States Department of Justice
a health services provider before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in a False Claims Act suit; Court affirmed judgment for our client
a leading Texas energy company in multiple state and federal MDL putative antitrust class actions
a manufacturer of premium connections for the oil and gas industry in a suit against multiple industry defendants involving TENORM exposure claims; secured dismissal of our client from suit
a major European holding company specializing in oil and gas tubing in litigation involving claims of more than $1 billion in damages for alleged commercial tort and contract violations; summary judgment was granted for our client on all counts
Community Involvement
Ms. Peckham’s community, civic and charitable activities include:
member, State Bar of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Bar Association, the Dallas Bar Association, and its Appellate and Business Litigation sections
member, Texas Supreme Court Historical Society
member, Texas Pro Bono College
pro bono counsel of the year, Akin Gump Dallas office, 2009
former board member, Infant and Toddler Intervention Program of North Texas (now known as ReadyStart!), a nonprofit organization that provides therapy services to babies and toddlers with developmental delays
former contributing editor, Dallas Federal Casenotes
Awards & Accolades
Ms. Peckham was named a Texas Super Lawyer “Rising Star” (2005-2007)
