Latham & Watkins LLP

Lawrence Buterman, a nationally recognized first-chair antitrust lawyer formerly with the Department of Justice, is a go-to litigator for clients facing high-stakes government and private antitrust litigations, as well as federal and state government investigations.

Lawrence has been lead trial counsel in some of the most significant antitrust cases over the past 20 years, and is one of the few attorneys in the country to have successfully first chaired antitrust trials both on behalf of the government and against the government.

He  regularly represents clients across all industries facing all types of civil and criminal antitrust claims, including price-fixing, monopolization, class actions, and merger challenges. He leverages his former government experience and numerous trial victories to fight for his clients and provide them with pragmatic strategies and novel approaches, all to help ensure their business interests are protected, and that they prevail in their matters as early as possible.

Lawrence's notable trial wins at the DOJ include a landmark challenge to a price-fixing conspiracy involving e-books, as well as a high-profile challenge to a major acquisition in the digital tax preparation software space. His most recent trial victories in private practice include leading US Sugar’s defense against the DOJ’s attempt to enjoin the acquisition of Imperial Sugar, and defending a major US Sports federation in arbitration before the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

In addition to his federal and state court trial work, Lawrence regularly represents companies in connection with investigations by the Antitrust Division at the DOJ, the Federal Trade Commission, and state attorneys general. He has successfully helped numerous companies obtain antitrust clearance for their most complex transactions, and avoid civil and criminal lawsuits for alleged antitrust violations.

With keen insight into the litigation risks of business decisions, Lawrence also provides strategic antitrust advice to multinational companies and business consortia on a wide range of topics, including fintech and ESG, among others.

Before joining Latham, Lawrence served several years in the DOJ as a trial attorney in the Networks and Technology Enforcement Section of the Antitrust Division. In that capacity, he analyzed dozens of merger and conduct matters in the high technology and financial services industries and developed a deep understanding of the government’s priorities and practices related to antitrust enforcement. While at the Antitrust Division, Lawrence  twice received the Antitrust Division’s Award of Distinction for successfully litigating merger and conduct matters on behalf of the United States.

He currently serves as the chair of the Monopolization and Big Tech Committee of the Antitrust Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Lawrence clerked for Judge Joel M. Flaum, then chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.