Professional notice
Last year we reported that Morgan Lewis & Bockius's global antitrust group had witnessed a significant increase in litigation work. That trend continued on both sides of the Atlantic this year, and Morgan Lewis weighs in somewhat heavier as a result – it reports 13 more antitrust specialists this year. Eric Sitarchuk joined as partner in Philadelphia from Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll.
Morgan Lewis
Global heads: Scott Stempel, John Shenefield, Willard Tom and Izzet Sinan |
Home jurisdiction: USA |
Total size of firm: 1,322 |
No. of competition lawyers: 54 |
% of firm specialised: 4 |
Who's Who nominees: 2 |
Equity partners: |
Senior associates: 7 |
Associates: 15 |
Counsel: 2 |
Other: 7 |
No. of lateral partner hires: 1 |
No. of partner departures: 0 |
No. of internal promotions: 0 |
It remains to be seen, though, how Morgan Lewis will respond to the loss of Who's Who nominee and global practice co-head Donald Klawiter, who joined Mayer Brown after our review period. The former head of the ABA's antitrust section, Klawiter did much to boost the US firm's international profile. Fellow Who's Who nominee and member of the US Antitrust Modernization Committee John Shenefield remains the firm's highest-rated individual.
In the US, Morgan Lewis advised a manufacturer of LCD panels in a DoJ investigation and also in class action and indirect purchaser actions which have been consolidated in a multi-district proceeding. It is also representing a major airline in relation to a DoJ investigation for alleged price fixing, and also in a multi-district damages proceeding, In re Air Cargo Antitrust Litigation. Morgan Lewis has also been retained to defend clients in the Oriented Strand Board and LTL Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Litigation.
In Europe, Morgan Lewis successfully advised longstanding client Apollo Management on its acquisition of Akzo Nobel's inks and resins business. The deal was approved by the European Commission, only to be challenged before the European Court of First Instance. Morgan Lewis intervened on behalf of Apollo and Hexion Specialty Chemicals and the court upheld the commission's decision. The firm also represented Hexion Specialty Chemicals in an extended proceeding before the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in its acquisition of Orica Ltd's adhesives and resins business.
On the deal front, Morgan Lewis advised Pearson on its US$950 million acquisition of Harcourt Assessment from Reed Elsevier, and Smithfield Foods in its US$900 million acquisition of Premium Standar Farms.
The Morgan Lewis Antitrust Practice is distinguished by its broad scope, depth of knowledge, and experience.
Many of our lawyers have held senior positions with the U.S. antitrust enforcement agencies, including Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Assistant Chief in the Communications and Finance Section of the Antitrust Division.
One of our lawyers served on the Antitrust Modernization Commission charged with reviewing antitrust enforcement policy and its application to today's economy. We cover the complete range of client needs in the United States and Europe including government and private antitrust litigation and investigations, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property/antitrust, general counseling, and cartel investigations and litigation.
Morgan Lewis is a global law firm with more than 1,300 lawyers in 22 offices located in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Harrisburg, Houston, Irvine, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Princeton, San Francisco, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.