Lukman Azeez

Lukman is a trial and appellate litigator. He represents clients in commercial disputes, constitutional and civil rights law, and Supreme Court and appellate litigation. He litigates a wide array of commercial cases, ranging from contract, fraud, and misappropriation disputes to shareholder and derivative actions, and intellectual property and trademark disputes. He also represents clients in international litigations and arbitrations and litigates before courts and various administrative agencies.

Lukman has successfully represented clients before several U.S. Courts of Appeals and U.S. District Courts as well as state courts. He recently secured a landmark victory for a clean-energy company in a shareholder derivative action in Delaware Chancery Court, as part of a wide-ranging dispute with an international energy company. He also successfully defended a client in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case involving issues of first impression, including whether a federal contractor is considered an agency under FOIA.

Lukman is committed to pro bono work, representing clients at all levels of the federal legal system. He has litigated civil rights and constitutional issues before the Supreme Court, including advocating for military veterans’ employment rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. He has also represented survivors of domestic violence in asylum cases before U.S. Courts of Appeals, and represented tenants in landlord-tenant disputes before state and federal district courts.

Lukman has served as President (2021-2022) and Treasurer (2020-2021) of the Capital Area Muslim Bar Association, and is a current member of the D.C. Bar Board of Governors. He speaks or reads, with varying degrees of proficiency, English, French, Italian, and Yoruba, and frequently works with lawyers in foreign jurisdictions.

Representative Matters

• Represents a Guinean-American company in international arbitration against global aluminum companies over bauxite loading and shipping rights. 
• Represents one of the nation’s largest Medicare contractors in litigation disputes before federal courts and various administrative agencies.
• Represented an energy company in a shareholder derivative action before the Delaware Court of Chancery.
• Represented an energy company in parallel arbitrations against an international energy company regarding exclusive licensing rights.
• Represented one of the nation’s largest health insurers with respect to formulary development.
• Represented foreign sovereign in multidistrict litigation before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Represented large consulting firm on issues involving interpretations the Bankruptcy Code before a federal bankruptcy court, district court, court of appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Represented individuals in U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation involving price-fixing in the international freight shipping industry.

• Represents and advises health care companies in disputes with major pharmacy benefit managers regarding breaches of PBM agreements. Provides strategic input to relationship continuation or dissolution, including advising on potential dispute resolution avenues or engaging in settlement discussions with PBM.

Professional Experience

• Associate, Private law practice (2016-2019)
• Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2014-2016)

Affiliations

• Member, District of Columbia Bar Board of Governors (2023)
• President (2021-2022) and Treasurer (2020-2021), Capital Area Muslim Bar Association
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)
  • Fellow (2024)
  • Pathfinder (2020)

Recognitions

• Included in The Best Lawyers in America directory of “Ones to Watch” for Appellate Law (2022), Appellate Practice (2023-2025), Commercial Litigation (2023-2025), and Criminal Defense: White Collar (2023-2025)
• Included in Benchmark Litigation guide as a "Future Star" (2024-2025)