Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Underscoring its status as a destination antitrust practice, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton remains active on complex and market-defining merger mandates for blue-chip corporates and private equity investors, standing out for its work on  contentious merger-related investigations and litigation. The team boasts strong multijurisdictional capabilities, regularly working with its teams in Europe on cross-border merger control mandates, and excels in securing approvals for deals in industries facing regulatory scrutiny. Practice co-head Leah Brannon is a vastly experienced figure with a track record in global merger approvals. Jeremy Calsyn also co-heads the team, and is active on a host of complex matters, notably representing Korean Air in the DOJ investigation in its $1.4bn acquisition of Asiana Airlines. Elsewhere in the team, George Cary continues to lead on business-critical mergers, while Brian Byrne, based in both San Francisco and Washington DC, handles strategic clearances for a diverse roster of clients. David Gelfand has enjoyed recent success in four litigated merger challenges involving the States Attorneys General, the FTC and DOJ, and Bruce Hoffman, former Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, regularly advises on significant merger clearance matters and investigations. Daniel Culley is a go-to for business-critical mergers, government investigations, and litigation for top-level clients in a wide range of industries, particularly within the tech industry. Clients turn to both Kenneth Reinker and Elaine Ewing for their expertise across deals in a wide range of industries, encompassing contentious investigations and global approvals. The team was strengthened by the 2023 arrival of Ryan Shores, formerly at A&O Shearman, a prolific merger counsel who is trial lead on the JetBlue merger. Attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.