Sullivan & Cromwell

With 20 partners in New York who do some antitrust work, and a financial services practice with few peers, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is well placed to benefit from any increased antitrust enforcement under new administrations at the US antitrust agencies, as well as the private litigation boom sparked by the financial crisis. Just four partners focus more or less exclusively on antitrust (especially litigation), but their ability to call on partner-level colleagues, and up to 40 associates, is one of the things the firm believes marks it out from its competitors.

Practice head Yvonne S Quinn and of counsel John L Warden are both Who’s Who nominees. Steven Holley is the other big name in the New York antitrust practice and wins praise from rivals. The firm is proud of its lawyers’ ability to see a case through from beginning to end, and rivals agree - pointing to Quinn in particular as excellent both on the preparatory and the sharp ends of cases.

Holley has advised Microsoft on aspects of its settlement oversight with the DoJ, and he is currently handling the competition aspects of Rio Tinto’s sale of its packaging business to Australia’s Amcor and US food packaging company Bemis. He also defended the company against a hostile takeover from rival BHP Billiton.

Media company Thomson Reuters is another client. Quinn advised InBev on its $53 billion merger with rival brewer Anheuser-Busch, and also represents Barclays. The practice has worked for internet phone company Skype on litigation and deal matters.