Professional notice
| Merger ranking | - | Litigation ranking | - | Cartel ranking | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global heads | Steven Bizar, Michael Weiner | ||||
| No. of jurisdictions with a GCR-ranked competition team | 3 | ||||
| Practice size | 46 | ||||
| Partners | 15 | ||||
| Counsel | 2 | ||||
| Percentage of partners/counsel in Who’s Who Legal | 47% | ||||
| Associates | 29 | ||||
| Lateral partner hires | 0 | ||||
| Partner departures | 1 | ||||
| Former senior enforcers who are partners/counsel | 5 | ||||
The talented transatlantic team at Dechert houses 15 partners dedicated to competition matters across seven offices, but the heart of the practice is in Washington, DC, where six of those attorneys work. Practice heads Steven Bizar and Michael Weiner meanwhile work out of Philadelphia and New York, respectively, which means the firm has the capacity to handle work outside of the nation’s capital too. In Europe, Alec Burnside leads the Brussels practice, while partners Clemens Graf York von Wartenburg and Hans Meyer-Lindemann split time between the Belgian capital and Frankfurt.
Dechert has acted on some major deals in the past couple of years, most notable of which was CVS Health’s acquisition of Aetna, which the US DOJ’s antitrust division approved in October 2018 after issuing a second request in February. Mike Cowie led the large team that handled the DOJ’s second request, as well as the investigations by state attorneys general and the US Department of Insurance. The deal, which combined the largest retail pharmacy in the US with one of the nation’s largest insurers, faced significant backlash, but was cleared after the DOJ ordered Aetna to divest its prescription drug insurance business. Weiner took the lead for Fresenius Medical Care in its acquisition of NxStage, following an October 2017 second request in the US. The firm also handled five pull-and-refiles stateside between June 2017 and June 2018, with each transaction securing approval. Dechert also counselled Shanghai Shenda in the formation of a joint venture with International Automotive Components, which required filings in all three of the US, the EU and China.
The firm maintains a solid presence in cartel and non-cartel conduct cases, including advising an unnamed client in a confidential jurisdiction looking into the auto parts cartel. Paul Denis also acts for a confidential university in the US DOJ’s investigation into at least 19 colleges examining whether a potential agreement between them regarding their early decision admissions violates the Sherman Act. The team also acted for a major international company in an abuse of dominance probe before France’s Competition Authority and the European Commission, which closed in June of 2018.
Despite having a relatively small team, more than half of the partners at Dechert are Who’s Who Legal: Competition nominees.
Real-world advice and guidance
The road to your next opportunity may have more curves than expected. You can count on Dechert’s innovative antitrust strategies and proven expertise to help you navigate that journey.
Dechert’s global team includes lawyers who have served in:
- the US Federal Trade Commission;
- the Department of Justice’s antitrust division; and
- the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition.
We understand the commercial landscape and legal restrictions you face. That’s why companies around the world turn to us for practical solutions to their most critical antitrust matters, including:
- merger clearance and litigation;
- private lawsuits, including class actions;
- government cartel and abuse of dominance investigations; and
- counselling on key business initiatives and antitrust compliance.
We specialise in complex matters and managing risk. Our clients’ matters often involve legal and commercial concerns across multiple jurisdictions.
Through the years, Dechert lawyers have obtained clearance for some of the most challenging transactions, achieved a string of outright litigation victories for our clients — helping to rewrite the law on class certification in the process — and succeeded in other hotly disputed issues that led to favourable settlements.
Whether you need an adviser to help you manage your next multinational acquisition, government investigation or high-stakes litigation, Dechert’s antitrust team has the track record and field-tested knowledge to help steer you through the most challenging legal obstacles and achieve your business goals.
Global experience, local presence
Realise the benefits and reach of a global antitrust practice with lawyers in:
- Brussels;
- Frankfurt;
- New York;
- Paris;
- Philadelphia; and
- Washington DC.
We also work with select local counsel around the world to provide you with a single solution that delivers worldwide coverage.
Work with a global team of lawyers who can help advance your business. Visit www.dechert.com/antitrust to learn more.