Orrick forms antitrust posing with DC partner appoints

Orrick forms antitrust posing with DC partner appoints

White & Case's Eileen Cole and Dechert's Craig Falls join the firm's tech-focused team.

The Washington DC antitrust team at Orrick has been expanded with the addition of a White & Case and Dechert partner duo.

After 20 years at White & Case, Eileen Cole has joined the San Francisco-based while Craig Falls joined after 15 years at Dechert.

Orrick said both the attorneys bring antitrust litigation and M&A experience in the life sciences sector. It will strengthen its bench as antitrust enforcement and corporate strategy become more emphasized in the tech, life sciences, and energy sectors.

Cole has successfully litigated complex antitrust enforcement matters before the US Department of Justice's antitrust division and before the US Federal Trade Commission. In addition to representing corporations and individuals in criminal investigations, she regularly litigates cases involving IP and antitrust. This includes investigation of global cartels and antitrust litigation involving pharmaceuticals.

In the meantime, Falls represents companies in litigation against antitrust claims related to mergers and acquisitions and ensures that such transactions are compliant with antitrust laws. In addition, he assists clients in structuring joint ventures, licensing agreements and other commercial agreements, to minimize antitrust risks and in investigations and litigation alleging exclusionary conduct, including IP use.

The antitrust landscape has no doubt entering an era in which antitrust considerations will demand heightened focus. It has a strategic consideration in evaluating business opportunities or updating the rules for what is acceptable business behaviour, or as a competitive strategy in the most innovative sectors," said Jay Jurata, head, global antitrust practice, Orrick noting: "We are delighted to welcome Eileen and Craig to our team, and look ahead to build the team further to meet our clients' needs."

Microsoft, Zillow, Sonos, ANI Pharmaceuticals and ACV Auctions are among the firm's antitrust clients.

In the life sciences, the practice of Orrick, co-head Anne Murray announced the hire of 11 partners focused on finance, capital markets, M&A, licensing, patent prosecution and white-collar crimes. Over the last two years, Defense has expanded its offering in the life sciences sector as well.

Adding Eileen's extensive antitrust enforcement experience for pharmaceutical companies and Craig's merger review experience in life sciences enhances our merger review capabilities," she said.

Patent prosecution attorney Gargi Talukder is one of those the firm has hired for its life sciences push. He joined the firm March 2021 from Morgan Lewis & Bockius.

Since January, 2021, life sciences lawyer and capital markets lawyer David Schulman has been working at Dechert in Washington. Shana Solomon, who was general counsel at Velocity Sciences, has also joined the firm as life science licensing lawyer based in Boston.

In addition, Allen & Overy is also investing in its antitrust practice in 2022, as the firm has recruited Kristina Nordlander, currently global co-head of antitrust at Sidley Austin in London.