We study $\text{Sp}_{2n}(F)$-distinction for representations of the quasi-split unitary group $U_{2n}(E/F)$ in $2n$ variables with respect to a quadratic extension $E/F$ of $p$-adic fields. A conjecture of Dijols and Prasad predicts that no tempered representation is distinguished. We verify this for a large family of representations in terms of the Mœglin–Tadić classification of the discrete series. We further study distinction for some families of non-tempered representations. In particular, we exhibit $L$-packets with no distinguished members that transfer under base change to $\text{Sp}_{2n}(E)$-distinguished representations of $\text{GL}_{2n}(E)$.

This paper analyzes the space HomH(π, 1), where π is an irreducible, tame supercuspidal representation of GL(n) over a p-adic field and H is a unitary group in n variables contained in GL(n). It is shown that this space of linear forms has dimension at most one. The representations π which admit nonzero H-invariant linear forms are characterized in several ways, for example, as the irreducible, tame supercuspidal representations which are quadratic base change lifts.