Profile
Akiesha Gilcrist Sainvil focuses on complex and high-stakes product liability, commercial litigation, and business disputes. She has robust experience representing multinational corporations, manufacturers, financial institutions, and national retailers in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration. Her practice includes handling and advising on strategy in multidistrict product liability litigations, mass tort and single-plaintiff actions, breach of contract disputes, fraud claims, and transaction-related business conflicts.
Akiesha is equally adept at approaching disputes efficiently through negotiation and settlement, and works closely with clients to identify opportunities for resolution that align with their objectives. Beyond litigation, she provides guidance on risk management, dispute prevention, and product portfolio expansion. Her work involves helping clients assess risks, identify opportunities, and implement tailored strategies with the goal of minimizing exposure to costly and disruptive litigation.
Akiesha is deeply committed to community service. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Preeclampsia Foundation, and regularly serves as a mentor for young and aspiring lawyers nationwide.
Concentrations
- Pharmaceutical, medical device, and health care litigation
- Products Liability
- Multidistrict litigation
- Class and mass action litigation
Capabilities
Experience
- Represent and defend national retail and wholesale companies in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation pending in the Northern District of Ohio and in various state court actions throughout the United States.
- Provide counsel to a global consumer goods and industrial manufacturer in multidistrict hair relaxer litigation on risk assessment and defense strategy.
- Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of a medical device manufacturer against allegations concerning its pH monitoring capsules in a state court product liability lawsuit.
- Argued and won dismissal of a breach of warranty claim on behalf of medical device manufacturer of flush devices in state court product liability lawsuit.
- Key member of trial team that obtained a complete defense verdict following a two-week trial in a multimillion-dollar action involving cardiovascular intravascular device against our client, a medical device manufacturer of numerous life-saving devices and products.
- Represent manufacturer of flush medical devices against wrongful death suit involving product liability claims in state court.
- Defend medical device manufacturer of vascular devices against product liability claims in federal courts across the country.
- Represented and defended manufacturers of various products, including HVAC systems, fire extinguishers, engines, and pharmaceutical drugs, against product liability actions in state and federal courts around the country.°
- Secured dismissal and attorney fees in high-profile civil RICO conspiracy and respondeat superior/vicarious liability lawsuit on behalf of British intelligence agency in federal court.
- Obtained voluntary dismissal of a rideshare company in a personal injury matter pending in state court.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a multinational retailing corporation in real estate dispute in federal court.°
- Obtained dismissal on behalf of international banking and financial services institution in vehicle repossession class action in federal court.°
- Served as National Coordinating Counsel for Fortune 50 Transportation Company.°
°The above representations were handled by Akiesha Gilcrist Sainvil prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, P.A.
- Judicial Intern, Honorable David S. Cercone, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- Certified Legal Intern, Immigration Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Recognition & Leadership
- Team Member, BTI’s Most Recommended Law Firms, Big Pharma, 2025
- Listed, Benchmark Litigation, “40 & Under - U.S. Edition,” 2024
- Listed, The Legal 500 USA, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action- Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2023-2024
- Listed, “The Best Lawyers in America,” 2021-2025
- Commercial Litigation, 2024-2025
- Ones to Watch: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2023
- Ones to Watch: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, 2023
- Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation, 2021-2023
- Ones to Watch: Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2021-2023
- Recognized, The National Black Lawyers, “Top 40 Under 40” Attorney in Florida, 2020-2024
- Recognized, Daily Business Review, Florida Legal Awards, "Diversity & Inclusion Honoree," 2022
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Florida Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," 2021-2024
- Team Member, a Law360 “Product Liability Practice Group of the Year,” 2021-2022
- Recognized, Palm Beach Media Group’s Aventura Magazine, “Top Lawyer,” 2021-2024
- Recognized, Legacy Magazine, “40 Under 40: Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow,” 2020
- Selected, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Program, “Pathfinder,” 2017
- Board Member, Preeclampsia Foundation
- The Florida Bar
- Vice-Chair, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee "M," 2024-2027
- Member, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, 2022-2023
- Fellow, Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. (WRS) Leadership Academy, Class IX, 2021-2022
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)
- City Lead - Miami, Success in Law School Mentoring Program, 2020–2024
- City Lead – Miami, Alumni Group, 2020
- LCLD Pathfinder Program Participant, 2017
- Dade County Bar Association
- Member, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
- Member, Federal Court Committee
- Playmakers Young Professionals Support Group, Miami Children’s Museum
- Federal Bar Association
- Member, South Florida Chapter
- Member, Young Lawyers Division
- Museum Ambassadors, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
- Alumna, International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy, 2016
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- Council Member, Homer S. Brown Division, 2014–2017
- Diversity Committee Co-Chair, Young Lawyer’s Division, 2014–2015
Credentials
-
J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law
- Senior Topics Editor, Law Review
- B.A., cum laude, University of Pittsburgh
- Hon. D. Michael Fisher, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2013-2014
- Florida
- Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania