C. Akin Blitz ablitz@bullardlaw.com Practice Area State and Federal Regulation of Employment Collective Bargaining Public Sector Labor Law Employment Advice and Litigation Risk Management Personnel Policies and Practices Police Misconduct and Civil Liability Municipal Law Bar Admission Oregon, 1975 Washington, 2003 Education LL.M. (Labor and Employment Law), Georgetown University Law Center, 1979 J.D., Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark, 1975 B.A., Willamette University, 1972

A shareholder with Bullard Law, Akin Blitz has practiced labor and employment law for more than thirty years. He counsels both private and public employers in the Pacific Northwest, handling labor relations and providing employment advice to a number of the firm’s longtime clients.

Among public sector leaders, Akin Blitz is considered one of the region’s top labor lawyers. He represents cities, counties, and special districts throughout Oregon and Washington in all labor and employment matters, including related municipal law issues. Akin’s practice emphasizes bargaining, labor contract administration, employee relations, discipline and discharge, practice before state and federal agencies, preventive law/risk management, and policy review and implementation. He works with associations and risk pools, and provides pre-loss legal services and defense. He also serves as legal advisor to several police agencies, fire departments, and associations of public safety executives.

Akin has helped employers improve operations and avoid legal missteps by presenting seminars on numerous employment-related topics. He leads in-house training sessions for clients, speaks to statewide associations, and lectures at the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Command College.

Clients are quick to praise Akin’s work ethic, loyalty, and “24/7” availability. Fellow lawyers have recognized his effectiveness and dedication to clients, as well. Based on attorney polling, Akin has been selected repeatedly for inclusion in Oregon Super Lawyers, an honor limited to the top five percent of attorneys in the state. In a feature story about Akin in the 2008 edition of Oregon Super Lawyers, firm founder Garry Bullard described, "Akin is a client's lawyer, as opposed to a lawyer's lawyer. He's interested in solving clients' problems and keeping them out of trouble, rather than making a test case out of it and grandstanding. He's outgoing, gregarious -- a bulldog kind of guy."

Before joining Bullard Law in 1998, Akin practiced in the private and public arenas. He was a partner in the employment law group at Portland-based Lane Powell PC, where, for several years, he acted as county counsel for Columbia County, Oregon. Akin gained invaluable insight as to the inner workings of state agencies during his time as assistant attorney general in the Oregon Department of Justice Labor Relations Section. Akin also served as a Marine Corps lawyer in Washington, D.C. at Headquarters Marine Corps and in the Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy. He later commanded a Marine Corps Reserve unit while starting in private law practice in Eugene, Oregon.

Akin distinguished himself at Lewis & Clark Law School as a legal writing honors student, legal research and writing teaching assistant, moot court board member, and awards recipient for best overall advocacy and best written brief.  He earned his master’s degree in labor and employment law from Georgetown University. Prior to obtaining his law degrees, Akin worked as a police officer and in the Oregon Legislative Assembly during the sessions that coincided with his years at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Drawing on his background in legislative politics, Akin has lobbied successfully for clients on various employment and law enforcement issues.