Professor Eakeley joined the law school in 2012 from Lowenstein Sandler
PC, where he specializes in complex commercial litigation, including
securities fraud, antitrust, consumer fraud, class actions, and
derivative litigation. He maintains an affiliation with the firm. He has
successfully tried numerous matters in federal and state courts, argued
many appeals in the federal and state appellate courts, and served as
lead counsel in cases in which new law was established. Professor
Eakeley is included in the 2008–2013 editions of The Best Lawyers in America for his work on "make or break" litigation. He has also been recognized every year since 2005 by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
A
former Rhodes Scholar and graduate of Yale Law School, Professor
Eakeley served as first assistant attorney general of the State of New
Jersey. In 1993 he was appointed by President Clinton to the board of
directors of the Legal Services Corporation, which he chaired until
April 2003. His current professional affiliations include serving as
chair of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, trustee of Legal Services of New Jersey,
member of the Legal Services Corporation Pro Bono Task Force, and member
of the Executive Advisory Committee of the International Institute for
Conflict Prevention and Resolution.
Professor Eakeley has
received numerous awards for his pro bono work and contributions to the
legal community, including the American Jewish Committee's Judge Learned
Hand Award, Thurgood Marshall College Fund Award of Excellence, John
Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award from the
Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, National Housing
Institute's Outstanding Service Award, Reynoso-Abascal Don Quixote Award
from California Rural Legal Assistance, League of Women Voters of New
Jersey Making Democracy Work Award, and the first Legal Services of New
Jersey/New Jersey State Bar Association's Pro Bono Publico Award
(renamed the Debevoise-Eakeley Award).
Professor Eakeley is the
first occupant of the Alan V. Lowenstein Chair in Corporate and Business
Law, which was established by the late Alan V. Lowenstein, founder of
Lowenstein Sandler and a major figure in the New Jersey legal and
nonprofit communities.
