Maka Y. Hutson

Maka leads Akin’s immigration practice, advising clients on U.S. immigration law and policy and representing them in investigations involving visa fraud, immigration fraud and foreign national hiring practices. With more than 12 years of immigration law experience, she supervises a team of counsel, associates and paralegals trained in immigration law and practice. Her work draws on litigation experience and knowledge of export controls and sanctions, particularly when immigration and international trade issues intersect.

Maka represents clients in Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security investigations and leads immigration-related internal investigations and audits, often as part of corporate due diligence. She develops and implements immigration compliance programs and advises on employment visas, visa issuance abroad, consular processing, complex inadmissibility issues and searches of electronic devices at ports of entry. Her counsel also extends to legislative and regulatory immigration policy proposals.

Her immigration and nationality work spans business, student and family visas. In employment-based immigration, she has handled EB-1 petitions for individuals of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational managers and executives; EB-2 and EB-3 PERM labor certification matters; national interest waivers; and EB-5 immigrant investor cases. Her experience also includes visas for specialty occupation workers, intracompany transferees, treaty investors and traders, individuals of extraordinary ability or achievement, and Canadian and Mexican professionals under the USMCA. Other matters have involved diplomatic personnel, international organization employees, exchange visitors and short-term visitors.

Before joining Akin, Maka spent seven years as a program coordinator at the University of Texas at Austin, advising international students, scholars and faculty on immigration and tax matters. She serves on the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s national Benefits Litigation Committee and frequently speaks at the association’s conferences. Her recognition includes the National Law Journal’s Immigration Trailblazer designation and Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition in immigration law in Southern California and Texas.

• Representing a major manufacturing company in a visa fraud investigation by the DOJ.
• Advised Kering, the luxury group behind renowned houses in fashion, including Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Saint Laurent, in a high-stakes international trade and immigration matter. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kering faced significant challenges in producing major fashion shows. Akin represented the company before the U.S. government to facilitate the entry of large groups of employees and freelancers, and obtained expedited approvals from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and leveraged their extensive experience with the U.S. Department of State to secure entry for the Kering teams. Akin’s strategic guidance and advocacy made it possible for all of our client’s planned fashion shows to go on.
• Counseling a major fast-food restaurant chain in a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation of its immigration-related hiring practices.
• Counseling a major manufacturing company in an acquisition of a competitor and transfer of multiple foreign national employees, both on the equity and asset sides of the deal.

• J.D., University of Texas School of Law, with honors, 2011

• M.A., University of Texas at Austin, with honors, 2001

• B.A., Moscow State Linguistic University, with honors, 1999

• National Law Journal, Immigration Law Trailblazer Award, 2023.
• Bob Heiserman Memorial Service Award, AILA Rome District – EMEA Chapter, 2022.
• Super Lawyers, Texas, Rising Star, 2021.
• Super Lawyers, Southern California, Rising Star, 2020.
• Akin, Pro Bono Counsel of the Year, 2019.
• State Bar of Texas Pro Bono College, annually since 2012.

• Member, AILA
• Member, Pro Bono Committee, Akin Dallas office

• Speaker, “Intersection of Export Control Laws and Immigration Laws,” SAFRAN Export & Import Compliance Conference, Virtual, October 14, 2026.
• Panelist, “Current Issues Facing International Students, Scholars, and Exchange Visitors,” 2025 Fall Conference, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), September 11, 2025.
• Panelist, “Avoiding Employment Discrimination and Complying with Export Controls,” 2025 Annual Conference, Association of University Export Controls Officers (AUECO), May 14, 2025.
• “Flex Workers in the U.S.: Pandora’s Box for Canadian Employers?,” Akin Webinar (June 2023).
• “‘Always on My Mind’ by Willie Nelson: H-1B Visas,” American Immigration Lawyers Association Texas Chapter Spring Conference (March 31, 2023).
• “Fixing the Green Card Problem for Professionals: Competitive Proposals in Congress,” Celesq Attorneys Ed Center and West LegalEd Center (June 3, 2020).
• “Employment Visas Update and Alternatives to H-1B Visa,” American Immigration Lawyers Association Texas Chapter Fall Conference (November 9, 2019).
• “Impact of the Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies on the Life Sciences Sector,” Akin hosted webinar for the California Life Sciences Association’s (CLSA) Corporate Counsel (June 8, 2017).

• Russian

• Spanish