The ‘extremely deep bench of expertise’ at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton includes experts in complex merger clearance advocacy and multi-jurisdictional criminal and civil investigations, as well as litigation. Its international reach is significant, often working closely with teams in Europe to handle cross-border matters: a particular area of strength for both Brian Byrne  and Daniel Culley. Leah Brannon  and Heather Nyong’o co-head the team; Brannon has notable experience in global merger clearance, while San Francisco-based Nyong’o focuses her practice on antitrust enforcement. George Cary works between DC and San Francisco, a longstanding expert in the field, while David Gelfand has a practice spanning merger review, civil litigation, and criminal investigations, a go-to trial counsel in complex litigated mergers. Bruce Hoffman leverages his experience as a former FTC Bureau of Competition Director to support clients in highly regulated sectors, and Kenneth Reinker is noted for his expertise in the application of complex economics to antitrust matters; Elaine Ewing is also a key name. In January 2025 the New York team was bolstered by the addition of Puja Patel, formerly of A&O Shearman , alongside the promotion to partner of Blair Matthews. Attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Latham & Watkins LLP‘s global antitrust and competition team houses a merger control offering which is experienced in complex mandates, handling a range of high profile litigation and intricate investigations. Its collaboration with teams in Brussels and London is particularly notable, leveraging cross-border strength to support clients with international filings. Global chair Michael G. Egge, working out of Washington DC, leveraged international experience in his representation of Bunge Limited in its $34bn merger with Viterra, triggering filings in over 40 jurisdictions. Also in DC, Amanda Reeves handles a range of merger clearance, antitrust litigation, and conduct investigations, while Lindsey Champlin has sector expertise spanning energy, automotives, advertising, and live entertainment. Champlin acts as Vice Chair for the group alongside Belinda Lee, in the Bay Area. The DC-based team additionally includes Ian Conner, who brings experience at the FTC and has notable expertise regarding healthcare sector matters. New York-based Katherine Rocco is a go-to for clients in the sports sector, and offers particular expertise in antitrust litigation, and in the Bay Area, Kelly Fayne regularly supports technology and media companies from deal inception through to merger litigation.

The antitrust and competition group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP boasts significant experience supporting technology clients, including acting as lead counsel to Splunk Inc. in its $28 billion acquisitions by Cisco Systems, Inc. Its work in regulated sectors, and notably in the sports industry, stands out. Steven Sunshine heads the global team from Washington DC, taking on high-stakes antitrust litigation and complex government enforcement matters. Also in DC, Tara Reinhart is a go-to for both criminal and civil investigations brought by the FTC, the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, and state attorneys general. David Wales has longstanding experience of both private and public sector matters, and Karen Lent, heading up the team in New York, is a particular go-to for defense-side antitrust cases. James Fredericks joined the team in DC in April 2024 from the DOJ Antitrust Division.

Regularly taking on complex, cross-border transactions, the Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP antitrust team leverages the private and public sector expertise of its team to advise clients on their high value merger projects. Its work securing antitrust clearing for The Home Depot’s $18.25bn acquisition of SRS Distribution Inc. is particularly notable. Brianne Kucerik co-chairs the firm’s Washington DC-based US antitrust practice, with experience supporting clients in industries from pharmaceuticals to aggregates. Co-chair Michael Moiseyev has longstanding experience at the FTC, now advising a range of high profile clients in their large, complex deals. Jeffrey Perry, co-chair, also brings FTC experience to his work gaining clearance for deals facing significant scrutiny. Jeff White represents clients in multi-national M&A transactions, in addition to defending clients in high-stakes antitrust litigation. The technology, retail, and energy sectors are areas of expertise for Megan Granger, who regularly conducts advocacy before both US and international agencies: also a strength for Elizabeth Ross. The team was bolstered in September 2024 by the addition of Jasmine Rosner, formerly of Amazon, and Mark Seidman, former head of the FTC Mergers IV Division.

Arnold & Porter's merger control offering boasts experience supporting large, multinational clients such as AT&T, BP, Visa, Cisco and Samsung, who seek out the team for its in-depth knowledge of antitrust practice. Its expertise regarding the life sciences sector is particularly notable, paired with comprehensive antitrust experience across mergers, litigation, government investigations, and cartel matters. Debbie Feinstein and Michael B. Bernstein co-head the team from Washington DC: a former Director of the Bureau of Competition at the FTC, Feinstein focuses her practice on merger and acquisition reviews by enforcement agencies across the US and globally. Both public and private companies seek out Bernstein for their significant merger matters. Jonathan Gleklen is a go-to for clients in the high technology and network industries, and Sonia Pfaffenroth draws on longstanding experience in the Department of Justice to handle complex antitrust litigation: both are based in Washington DC. The team grew in November 2024 with the addition of William Efron, formerly of the Federal Trade Commission.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP fields a team of longstanding experts in its antitrust practice, covering advisory, litigation and investigations work and handling both domestic and cross-border transactions while remaining ‘really on top of the industry and relevant trends’. Its work representing the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Paramount Global in its pending $28bn merger with Skydance Media, LLC is particularly indicative of this strength. Christine Varney heads the team from New York, leveraging previous experience as both the US Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, and as a Commissioner of the FTC. Co-head Noah Joshua Phillips, based in Washington DC, ‘is excellent all-around’ with experience spanning the consumer product, defense, pharmaceutical, and retail industries. Combining litigation and antitrust expertise, Maggie Segall is a go-to for high-value, complex transactions in New York. Also in New York, Jesse Weiss was promoted to partner in January 2024, ‘a real expert and a great business partner’. In January 2025 Andrew Finch moved over from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

The antitrust and competition team at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP works closely with colleagues in its M&A group to support clients through domestic and cross border transactions. Its sector expertise spans the pharma, oil and gas, manufacturing, telecoms, financial services, and consumer goods industries, with particular experience in defending against private challenges to acquisitions. In New York, team head Arthur Burke regularly handles mandates from technology and media companies regarding the antitrust aspects of M&A transactions alongside antitrust litigations and investigations. Ronan Harty, also in New York, boasts a significant track record obtaining merger clearance in complex matters, while in Washington DC, Jesse Solomon is a go-to for large scale antitrust mandates involving multiple parallel investigations and clearance across international jurisdictions. Howard Shelanski leverages longstanding experience at the FTC, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Executive branch of government to support clients across the tech, distribution, and pharma sectors, alongside others. The team was strengthened in March 2025 by the addition of Nathaniel Asker from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.

The team at Freshfields LLP was strengthened in 2024 by the September addition of Kevin Yingling, formerly of Google, and former FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson in February. Wilson now heads the Washington DC-based team, which works closely with global colleagues to handle multi-jurisdictional deal clearances. The team regularly handles high value deals for clients including eBay, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca, and represented Viterra Limited on the global merger control and foreign investment regulation aspects of its $34 billion merger with Burge Limited. Mary Lehner remains a go-to for large companies in their merger control matters, and Meghan Rissmiller is particularly noted for her work in the telecoms and life sciences arenas. Jennifer Mellott works between DC and Brussels, advising clients on multi-national transactions, and Justin Stewart-Teitelbaum also has experience representing clients in mergers before the European Commission. Jamillia Ferris departed the team in May 2024.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP houses an experienced antitrust and competition offering, handling high profile transactional, investigational, litigation and consumer protection matters. Its work for public companies and private equity funds is a particular standout, as is the scale of its HSR notifications work. The team leverages its global offering in Europe and the UK,  including in advising Amcor on its pending $37bn merger with Berry Global Group. Matthew Reilly, in the Washington DC team, leverages longstanding experience of the FTC to support clients handling complex, high-profile transactions, including in merger litigation.  In February 2024 the team gained New York-based Daniel Zach, who moved over from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, and DC-based Norman Armstrong, formerly of King & Spalding LLP. The pair were followed in October 2024 by Stephen Mohr in DC, former Assistant Director in the FTC, where he led the Mergers I Division.

Lauded for its combination of ‘technical chops’ and ‘deep insight into how the DOJ/FTC work’, the antitrust practice group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP spans its New York, Washington DC, and San Francisco offices and regularly takes on merger control mandates for major corporations and private equity firms. This strength is exemplified by its work for Endeavor Energy in its $26bn merger with Diamondback Energy: the energy and resources sector is an area of expertise for the team, along with the technology and healthcare industries. Scott Sher leads the practice, taking a ‘practical, strategic approach to legal considerations and risk mitigation’ from early stages risk analysis to deal closure. Public companies and private equity funds regularly seek out Aidan Synott, and for multinationals, Eyitayo St Matthew-Daniel is a go-to. The team was strengthened in May 2024 by the addition of Nicole Kar, formerly of Linklaters LLP.  Attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated. Joshua Soven has departed the team.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has a widely-praised merger control practice, with clients spanning the chemicals, pharma, finance, entertainment and media, energy, and software industries. The team’s international reach, working closely with colleagues in the UK and EU, means that it is able to ‘operate seamlessly on trans-Atlantic transactions’. Its litigation, investigations, antitrust counselling and cartels expertise is also notable. New York-based Peter Guryan acts as global co-chair of the firm’s antitrust and trade regulation practice along with Sara Razi and John Terzaken. Guryan offers longstanding experience of civil and criminal antitrust matters, supporting major corporates and private equity funds, while Razi leverages extensive private-sector and government antitrust experience to represent clients in investigations by the Department of Justice, FTC, and states. ‘A true superstar’, Preston Miller focuses his practice on merger review, while Karen Kazmerzak is ‘a natural choice for any company’ managing a complex deal before the FTC or DOJ. All attorneys based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

White & Case LLP‘s global reach is key to its antitrust team’s work on cross border mergers, with a growing practice handling matters which require clearance throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The team’s capabilities in large-scale domestic matters is exemplified by its work as antitrust counsel to Albertsons in its $24.6 billion merger with Kroger. Rebecca Farrington co-chairs the antitrust team in Washington DC alongside J. Mark Gidley, focusing her practice on government merger and non-merger investigations, private antitrust litigation, and antitrust counselling. George Paul is a go-to for global matters, with experience supporting high profile companies in their regulatory investigations and merger reviews covering multiple jurisdictions. Heather Greenfield has notable experience in the pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare industries, while Anna Kertesz often advises large scale technology companies, with experience supporting Meta and WhatsApp. Tamer Nagy is recommended for his work on multijurisdictional mergers: his experience before competition agencies in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia is extensive. Gabriela Baca has notable experience working with private equity clients. All attorneys based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

With antitrust expertise across Dallas, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington DC, the A&O Shearman merger control offering regularly handles complex, strategic transactions. The team’s international reach is particularly notable. David Higbee heads the global antitrust practice, with notable government experience and industry expertise across the defense, oil and gas, financial services, and technology sectors. The firm’s merger control offering is complemented by its antitrust litigation practice, headed by Todd Stenerson. For multi-national mergers, companies seek out Jessica Delbaum in New York, noted for her experience before the FTC and Department of Justice. Also in New York, Elaine Johnston has longstanding experience of matters in the chemicals, pharma, and healthcare industries. The intersection of antitrust law and intellectual property is an area of interest for Noah Brumfield, who splits his time between DC and Silicon Valley. Puja Patel departed the team in January 2025. Team members are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Specialist antitrust firm Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider boasts a deep bench of experts with longstanding experience in the field, handling cross-border, complex merger control work, including John Harkrider‘s representing VMware in its $69 billion acquisition by Broadcom. Harkrider, based in New York, regularly handles high value, high stakes merger clearance matters for multinational companies, while in Washington DC Michael Keeley chairs the firm’s antitrust practice, with particular experience litigating merger challenges. Major corporations regularly seek out DC-based Jeny Maier for assistance with strategic M&A transactions, from risk analysis through antitrust agency review. Also in DC, Leslie Overton draws on experience in senior positions at the Department of Justice Antitrust division to provide strategic advice. In New York, Lisl Dunlop is a particular go-to for clients in the healthcare sector, and Nicholas Gaglio has a practice spanning mergers, corporate counselling, and cartel investigations.

Baker Botts L.L.P. fields a ‘deep and talented collection of antitrust lawyers’ as its antitrust and competition team, regularly instructed to handle the merger review elements of high stakes deals and consequent litigation. Its sector strengths span the healthcare, telecoms, and media and entertainment industries. Team head John Taladay is praised for his practice of ‘continuously analyzing the risk derived from the regulator’s view’, advising domestic and international companies in their merger, cartel, litigation and dominance matters. Matthew Adler regularly supports clients through complex, challenged transactions before the Department of Justice and FTC, with notable experience of the chemicals, healthcare, entertainment, and energy sectors, and Jody Boudreault counsels clients on antitrust risk from HSR filing through to agency investigations. International matters are regularly handled by Jeffrey Oliver. Mark Botti departed the team in December 2024. All attorneys based in Washington DC.

‘Particularly adept at litigating cases at the FTC and by the DOJ in merger-related investigations’, the merger control practice at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is made up of antitrust litigators handling the full range of analysis, HSR filings and second requests, and litigation. Its work advising Albertsons on the antitrust aspects of its acquisition by Kroger has been a standout example of this. Antitrust and competition co-chair Ted Hassi is ‘clear and decisive’ in his work with large scale clients including Toyota Motor Corporation, Reddit, and Gentiva, while New York-based co-chair Michael Schaper  is a particular go-to for clients in the media sector. Leah Martin brings ‘great trial instincts’ to a practice spanning civil and criminal investigations, and merger clearance for transactions reviewed by U.S. antitrust agencies. The team was bolstered in May 2024 by the addition of Tim Cornell, formerly of Clifford Chance. All attorneys based in Washington DC unless otherwise indicated.

Dechert fields a team of experienced antitrust professionals in its merger control offering, supporting clients with high stakes transactions, investigations, and litigation. Its clients include high profile players in the technology and media sectors, with the team spanning Washington DC, San Francisco, and New York along with working closely with colleagues in Europe. The group is co-chaired by Steven Bizar  in Philadelphia and New York, and Mike Cowie: DC-based Cowie has notable experience in the healthcare and life sciences industries, and works closely with James Fishkin, who is regularly sought out by clients in the retail sector. In San Francisco, Russell Cohen focuses his practice on the technology sector, while New York-based Beverly Ang is a particular go-to for premerger clearances. Brian Hanna joined the DC team in November 2024 from the Department of Justice.

The ‘well-rounded antitrust merger shop‘ at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP works closely with colleagues in the firm’s litigation and corporate departments across the U.S. and Europe, representing clients in complex, high profile antitrust investigations, litigation, and arbitration. Its merger control work is complemented by strength in cartels and government investigations, antitrust litigation, and risk management and compliance. Team head Barry Nigro works between Washington DC and New York, a former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and ‘leading expert in the US‘  whose practice spans the consumer products, agriculture, transportation, retail, tech, and healthcare sectors. In New York, Aleksandr Livshits has notable expertise in the cybersecurity and software sectors, and Lexi Michaud regularly assists clients with merger clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Nathaniel Asker departed the team in March 2025. Kathy O’Neill joined the team in March 2025, drawing on government experience to support clients in the airline, technology , and entertainment industries.

The antitrust and competition team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP supports high-profile, large scale clients including Amazon, Apple and the National Football League in their complex, significant merger clearance matters. It regularly works with colleagues internationally, including teams in Europe, in securing clearance for multijurisdictional deals. Rachel Brass, Stephen Weissman, and Cynthia Richman co-head the team. Brass, based in San Francisco, focuses her practice on antitrust investigations and litigation, while in Washington DC Weissman regularly represents clients in investigations before the FTC and Department of Justice, and Richman is a go-to for clients in the tech sector, network industries, and digital platforms space. Also in DC, Michael Perry‘s practice spans the healthcare and life sciences, energy, and tech industries.

Praised for its ability to provide ‘timely and clear advice under complex circumstances’, the Goodwin antitrust and competition team leverages the firm’s M&A market strength to support clients with HSR filings and sophisticated antitrust challenges. Private equity, technology, and life sciences transactions are particular areas of focus for the team, which has growing expertise regarding AI technologies. Antitrust co-head Andrew Lacy advises clients on transaction-related antitrust risk, working alongside co-chair Arman Oruc whose combined experience in merger clearance and antitrust litigation is notable. Paul Jin and Simone Waterbury together lead the merger control practice, Jin a particular go-to for private equity clients while Waterbury, in Boston, regularly handles cross-border deals. The team was bolstered in July 2024 by the addition of David Cross and Mary Kaiser, both from Morrison Foerster. All Attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Hogan Lovells US LLP offers a merger control team of experts based in Washington DC, working closely with its colleagues in offices across Europe to advise on global deals. Team head Logan Breed  has particular experience in the computer software, hardware, e-commerce, telecoms, and media and entertainment matters. For the healthcare sector, Kenneth Field is the go to, advising clients on all elements of antitrust and competition law before the FTC, Department of Justice, and state attorneys general. Lauren Battaglia has notable growing experience of antitrust law and artificial intelligence. The team grew in 2024 with the addition of Jennifer Fleury, formerly of the FTC Bureau of Competition.

Working closely with colleagues across the US, Asia, and Europe, the Jones Day antitrust and competition team handles high stakes domestic and cross-border transactions. It leverages team members’ experience at the FTC and Department of Justice Antitrust Division to support clients in antitrust investigations, with additional experience of litigation in complex merger matters. Clients in the tech, healthcare, pharma and energy sectors regularly seek out the team, which is headed up by Washington DC-based Craig Waldman. Also in DC, Ryan Thomas has significant expertise handling matters regarding artificial intelligence, and Aimee DeFilippo focuses on mergers and acquisitions, counseling, compliance, and nonmerger investigations. The team’s Texas antitrust team is headed up by Bruce McDonald in Houston, whose practice regularly involves assisting energy, transportation, and telecommunications companies in antitrust government investigations and enforcement. Eric Enson  and  Jeremy Morrison have left the firm.

Linklaters LLP leverages its international reach to support clients in the merger control elements of multijurisdictional deals, including working with colleagues across Milan, London, Dusseldorf, Brussels and Paris in advising Novo Holdings in its $16.5bn acquisition of Catalent. The team’s foreign investment and cartels offerings run alongside its merger control work, and its financial services, healthcare and life sciences, and energy sector expertise is a key element of the practice. Antonia Sherman heads the team from Washington DC, with longstanding experience of merger clearance both within the U.S. and internationally. Sherman is particularly noted for her experience in Latin American jurisdictions. In New York, Tom McGrath brings expertise regarding life sciences and chemicals matters, and intellectual property licensing, while John Eichlin is a go-to for clients in the technology, financial services, and pharmaceuticals industries.

Clients in the tech, healthcare, and life sciences industries often seek out the Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP antitrust and competition team for support on complex, cross-border transactions. The merger control offering is complemented by a strong antitrust litigation practice, and draws on the firm’s strength across the banking, fintech, pharmaceuticals, and techn sectors. Steven Reed heads the global practice from Philadelphia, a key name in the antitrust litigation offering alongside Brendan Fee. In Washington DC, Ryan Kantor leverages experience at the Department of Justice antitrust division, particularly in the healthcare and consumer products fields, to support clients in complex merger review matters. For HSR expertise, Harry Robins in the New York team, is noted.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz fields an experienced team in its New York-based antitrust practice, regularly representing clients in merger clearance matters before the Department of Justice, the FTC, and state attorneys general. Ilene Gotts has longstanding experience of antitrust matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, while Nelson Fitts has wide ranging expertise in handling competition matters across the energy, industrial, chemical, medical, and technology sectors. Damian Didden is often sought out for analysis regarding the antitrust risk of mergers and acquisitions, and Christina Ma regularly supports clients through merger investigations, trials, and compliance matters.

The merger control practice at Akin is headed by ‘stellar antitrust lawyer’ Gorav Jindal, who leverages experience in engineering and economics to provide antitrust analyses in merger clearance and litigation. The team represents the key shareholders in Mattress Firm’s $4.1 billion proposed merger with Tempur Sealy International, an exemplar of its work in high-stakes, complex merger matters. Brian Rafkin heads the firm’s HSR practice, advising on HSR reportability issues as well as preparing and submitting HSR filings. The healthcare, chemicals, airlines and tech industries are all areas of strength for Rafkin. Dennis Schmelzer handles a range of merger reviews, investigations, and antitrust litigation. All attorneys based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated. Corey Roush departed the team in June 2024.

The merger control practice at Clifford Chance handles a full range of contentious and noncontentious matters, from initial antitrust analysis to complex U.S. merger investigations and multi-jurisdictional merger clearance. The team’s sector expertise spans the technology, healthcare, and energy fields, with clients including Amazon.com, Adobe, and Unilever. Leigh Oliver heads the firm’s U.S. antitrust practice, based in Washington DC: also co-head of its global healthcare and life sciences sector group, Oliver is experienced advising clients in highly regulated sectors and specializes in antitrust matters from merger control to federal investigations. Sharis Pozen draws on experience within both the Department of Justice and FTC, as well as in-house, to advise clients across the technology, telecommunications, and energy sectors. For litigation arising out of merger control matters, William Lavery and Joseph Ostoyich are go-tos. Tim Cornell departed the team in May 2024.

With bases in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP regularly provides antitrust advice in connection with mergers and acquisitions. Its sector expertise spans the pharma, media and entertainment, tech, aviation, defence, and financial services industries. Philip Giordano heads the team from Washington DC, with transactional experience before the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and FTC, drawing on experience as a trial attorney within the former. Also in DC, William Kolasky has notable experience securing clearance across multiple jurisdictions. Los Angeles-based Yi-Chin Ho focuses her practice on representing Chinese companies based in the US, and Kristin Millay, in DC, is a key name for HSR premerger filings and criminal antitrust investigations.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP‘s ‘excellent’ antitrust and competition group, based in Washington DC, has specialist expertise in the merger clearance process, with notable experience representing third parties impact by a merger or acquisition. It handles the antitrust aspects of both domestic and international deals, with clients across the technology, healthcare, financial services, life sciences, and agriculture sectors. Practice head Raymond Jacobsen takes on both merger clearance mandates and antitrust litigation, and has notable depth of expertise acting for clients in the defense industry. The firm’s antitrust mergers focus group is co-headed by Joel Grosberg and Jon Dubrow: Grosberg bringing experience at the FTC to matters involving the chemical, computer hardware and paper industries while Dubrow often acts as a strategic advisor on inter-related antitrust issues, including merger clearance and litigation. Ryan Tisch is a particular go-to for clients in highly regulated industries.

The growing antitrust practice at Milbank boasts a merger control team experienced in managing international merger clearance mandates, and draws on the strength of its antitrust litigation experts. The group has notable expertise in the energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and financial services industries, representing clients in merger investigations before the Department of Justice, FTC, European Commission, and member states. Fiona Schaeffer heads the practice from New York, with expertise in the full spectrum of antitrust issues and notable experience handling emerging AI and ESG related issues. In Washington DC, Adam Di Vincenzo focuses his practice on representing clients in government reviews of mergers, often representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. Also in DC, Richard Parker is recommended for both advisory and trial expertise, and James Weingarten joined the team in June 2024, a former FTC Chief Trial Counsel.

Paul Hastings LLP offers a global antitrust and competition team made up of transactional and regulatory experts, with a range of government and in-house experience. It regularly guides mergers through HSR multi-jurisdictional reviews, and defends clients in litigation brought by both the federal government and private parties. Michael Murray co-chairs the practice from Washington DC, leveraging experience as part of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division in his work in antitrust litigation. Alongside Murray in DC, co-chair Ryan Phair also focuses his practice on antitrust litigation. In San Francisco, Bo Pearl is a go-to for clients in the sports, technology, and healthcare sectors. The team was bolstered in October 2024 by the addition of Benjamin Snyder, formerly of the Department of Justice, followed by Joshua Soven, who moved over from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in July 2025. Michael Wise departed the team  in November 2024.

The merger control offering from Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is experienced in merger review and HSR filings, working closely with the firm’s corporate group, wider antitrust and competition group and its government antitrust enforcement defense practice. It is particularly experienced in supporting clients in the healthcare sector, in addition to cement and concrete focused clients. Practice co-head Leo Caseria also heads the firm’s governmental practice, working across the Washington DC and Los Angeles offices and offering expertise in complex investigations brought by the Department of Justice, FTC, and state enforcers. Co-head Ann O’Brien, in DC, focuses on advising clients facing criminal and civil government investigations and litigation. Jared Nagley joined the New York team in May 2024 from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

Noted for its ‘cross border experience’, the merger control offering from Vinson & Elkins LLP advises clients across the energy, technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and chemical industries. Its transactional work includes a significant number of HSR premerger notification filings and analysis. Practice co-head Hill Wellford has notable experience in matters regarding tech platforms, and those concerning the energy transition, drawing on experience working within the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The team’s merger control work sits within its wider antitrust practice, with co-head Craig Seebald handling cartel investigations, and Jason Powers, co-head, a go-to antitrust litigation matters. The Washington DC office is the base for the firm’s global antitrust practice, managing merger filings internationally: this cross-border work is a particular area of strength for Kara Kuritz. All attorneys based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Recommended for its ‘deep commitment to understanding the business and the competitive landscape’, the antitrust and competition team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP provides a merger control offering with particular experience representing private equity firms facing antitrust scrutiny, and has a track record securing clearance in the US, across Europe, and globally. Practice co-heads Jeffrey Korn and Wesley Powell work out of the New York office: Korn ‘possesses exceptional strategic vision’, and Powell is noted for his experience before the FTC, Department of Justice Antitrust Division, and states attorneys general. In Washington DC, Katrina Robson is lauded for her expertise in the media and telecoms sectors. The team was strengthened in March 2024 by the arrival of Robert Lepore, formerly of the DOJ.

The ‘business oriented and practical’ antitrust team at Alston & Bird LLP works across its Washington DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco offices, collaborating with colleagues in London and Brussels to handle multijurisdictional matters. Its team members offer strength across the pharma, chemicals, tech, and healthcare sectors. John Snyder co-chairs the antitrust team from Washington DC, drawing on experience in federal antitrust enforcement to advise clients through strategic mergers and acquisitions. In Atlanta, Matthew Kent co-leads the team and is ‘willing to do what it takes to get a job done’. Valarie Williams is the key name in San Francisco, co-heading the antitrust team with a focus on cartel litigation.

The Baker McKenzie LLP antitrust and competition practice group continues to handle complex merger control mandates, often handling multijurisdictional clearance matters working closely with teams in Europe. Mark Hamer and Creighton Macy co-head the team from Washington DC: global head Hamer draws on experience at the Department of Justice antitrust division to lead on both litigation and mergers, and Macy, chairing the North America practice, takes on cartel and merger investigations. Brian Burke , also in DC, is a go-to for merger clearance matters across the healthcare, tech, chemicals, and telecoms sectors. Nandu Machiraju departed the team in June 2024.

Clients in the life sciences and tech sectors regularly seek out the Cooley LLP antitrust and competition team, based in Washington DC and working closely with colleagues across Chicago, San Diego, New York, London, and Brussels. Ethan Glass heads the practice, which was bolstered in October 2024 by the addition of Jeremy Morrison from Jones Day. Morrison takes clients from premerger planning to post-closing investigations, with experience across the energy, transportation, and retail sectors. For matters at the intersection of antitrust and intellectual property law, Howard Morse is recommended. Kathy O’Neill has departed the firm.

Fenwick & West LLP focuses its practice on novel antitrust issues in the life sciences and technology sectors, with its antitrust team in Washington DC working closely with teams in California and New York. The team combines deep experience of M&A and civil investigations with capabilities in federal and state litigation. Practice head Thomas Ensign regularly advises biotechnology target companies in complex acquisitions, while co-head Steve Albertson represents clients in M&A transactions before the Department of Justice, FTC, and state attorneys general. Mark Ostrau regularly handles HSR filings for clients operating internationally. Attorneys mentioned are based in Washington DC.

King & Spalding LLP fields an antitrust and consumer protection team with expertise across the healthcare, energy, and chemicals sectors, and longstanding experience of enforcement agencies. In Washington DC, Jeff Spigel co-heads the team, supporting clients through HSR clearance and coordinating approvals in foreign jurisdictions, with particular emphasis on the healthcare sector. In Dallas, Sean Royall is the key name, joined in February 2024 by former Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP partner Veronica Moyé. The New York team grew in November 2024 with the addition of Olivier Antoine from Crowell & Moring LLP, focusing on ‘bet the company’ transactional matters.

Mayer Brown‘s antitrust and competition team works closely with the firm’s finance and M&A groups to advise clients on HSR filings, domestic merger investigations, and multinational clearance mandates. Britt Miller heads the team from Chicago, with William Stallings and Gail Levine the key names in Washington DC. Stallings has particular experience of matters in the transportation, energy, and agriculture sector following experience at the Department of Justice, while Levine leverages experience at the FTC to support high-tech clients. Rachel Lamorte, also in DC,  is particularly noted for her experience of competition enforcers in China and Taiwan.

O'Melveny‘s antitrust practice, across California, New York, and Washington DC, combines substantial litigation experience with sector strength in aviation, notably advising Alaska Airlines on its proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. Practice co-chairs Ian Simmons and Ben Bradshaw, both based in DC, have longstanding experience of antitrust litigation. For criminal antitrust matters and Department of Justice investigations, San Francisco-based Michael Tubach is recommended; in New York, Peter Herrick represents clients on mergers and acquisitions before the FTC. Courtney Dyer works out of DC, regularly supporting companies through complex government antitrust investigations and enforcement; also in DC, Julia Schiller is a key name in merger review matters.

Winston & Strawn LLP provides ‘client-oriented advice’ to clients navigating the domestic and international merger review process, working closely with the firm’s M&A practice to guide clients with transactional counseling, government investigations, and HSR matters. Conor Reidy, in Chicago, co-heads the practice with an emphasis on complex commercial litigation, merger review, and antitrust counselling. In New York, Richard Falek regularly serves as lead counsel in domestic and multinational transactions. Kevin Goldstein, working out of Chicago, is particularly recommended as a key contact for the firm’s Japan practice.