Antitrust and Competition

Competition authorities worldwide have become increasingly active. In the US, the antitrust agencies are pursuing broader theories of competitive harm in terms of merger review, single-firm conduct and agreements between commercial actors. Companies, now more than ever before, require sophisticated advice from counsel with extensive knowledge and experience to navigate them through complex competition-related challenges and issues.

Fried Frank's Antitrust and Competition Department has successfully advised clients on some of the largest and most high-profile competition matters around the world. Our experienced team in New York, Washington, DC, Brussels, and London includes prominent former government officials from the United States and Europe, including the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division's Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Director at the FTC Bureau of Competition, the former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Enforcement who also served as the Acting Assistant Attorney General, as well as a former officer of the UK Competition and Markets Authority. Our team has extensive experience advising clients in antitrust-related litigation and arbitration as well as civil and criminal government investigations conducted by the US Department of Justice, US Federal Trade Commission, European Commission and national regulatory authorities throughout Europe and Asia.

Our international team consists of skilled lawyers with strong relationships with officials at the DOJ, the FTC, and the European Commission, as well as at other governmental agencies. Together with members of the firm's corporate and litigation departments, the team provides seamless global coverage from our offices in the US and Europe.

The Antitrust and Competition Department's efforts are regularly recognized by Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Chambers USA, Chambers UK, Legal 500 US (first-tier law firm winner for Antitrust-Merger Control), Legal 500 UK, and Global Competition Review, among others.

The Antitrust and Competition Department has broad expertise in all competition-related areas across numerous jurisdictions and industries.

Mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures: The group assists with significant mergers and acquisitions across a wide range of industries, guiding clients through the merger review process and helping to clear regulatory hurdles across multiple jurisdictions. We offer creative and practical solutions in jurisdictions where transactions or investigations have competition law implications, and help clients minimize risk while achieving critical business objectives.

Cartels and government investigations: Cartels and other strategic business conduct continue to draw the fire of enforcement authorities around the world, amplified by the use of amnesty agreements and leniency policies protecting self-reporting parties. We regularly represent companies in claims of price-fixing, bid-rigging, market allocation, group boycotts, monopolization, tying, exclusive dealing and price discrimination. Our experienced team also advises clients on their antitrust compliance programs, which can prevent issues from arising in the first instance or help mitigate any subsequent enforcement action.

Antitrust litigation: The group combines specialized knowledge and experience with a strong record of success in high-stakes litigation side develop creative and efficient solutions to bet-the-company disputes in proceedings and litigation worldwide. We regularly defend against class actions, investigations and transaction challenges, private litigation, as well as represent companies and senior executives in US grand jury criminal investigations and related debarment proceedings.

Risk management and compliance: Effective risk management programs are an essential best business practice in the current economic and regulatory climate. Our lawyers advise clients in the development and administration of risk management programs, identifying potential areas of concern and crafting remedies to prevent them from growing. We also assist in the internal investigation process, providing in-depth analysis to assess liability exposure and formulate responsive actions.

Competition authorities worldwide have become increasingly active. In the US, the antitrust agencies are pursuing broader theories of competitive harm in terms of merger review, single-firm conduct and agreements between commercial actors. Companies, now more than ever before, require sophisticated advice from counsel with extensive knowledge and experience to navigate them through complex competition-related challenges and issues.

Fried Frank's Antitrust and Competition Department has successfully advised clients on some of the largest and most high-profile competition matters around the world. Our experienced team in New York, Washington, DC, Brussels, and London includes prominent former government officials from the United States and Europe, including the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division's Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Director at the FTC Bureau of Competition, the former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Enforcement who al...