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MoFo to Present the ABA's Bi-Monthly Criminal Antitrust Update

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The Cartel & Criminal Practice Committee is pleased to present its next installment of the popular Bi-Monthly Update series. The panelists will discuss developments and trends in criminal antitrust enforcement and related matters in the US and abroad.



The Cartel & Criminal Practice Committee is pleased to present its next installment of the popular Bi-Monthly Update series. The panelists will discuss developments and trends in criminal antitrust enforcement and related matters in the US and abroad.<h4>Speakers:</h4>Lisa Phelan, Co-Chair of Global Antitrust Practice Group & Partner Megan Gerking, Partner Marie-Claire Strawbridge, Partner Robert Manoso, Associate Adam Rosenberg, Associate<hr>

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<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe class="sticky-video" allowfullscreen="1" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Q0TTyb7UVt4?rel=0" title="Lisa M. Phelan" title="iframe"></iframe></div>Lisa Phelan, former Chief of the National Criminal Enforcement and Washington Criminal I Sections of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is a partner and co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Law Practice Group and a member of the Investigations + White Collar Group. With more than 25 years of service at the DOJ as one of the leading authorities in criminal antitrust matters, Lisa draws upon her unmatched criminal investigations, litigation, and enforcement experience to guide clients through sensitive issues pertaining to domestic and international cartel actions and white-collar investigations and to rapidly assess and address their risk and total exposure to potential claims of unlawful collusion.Clients turn to Lisa for her knowledge and understanding when subpoenaed or when enforcement agencies execute a search warrant or stage a dawn raid. Few have the breadth of her experience to counsel and represent clients through each step of a cartel investigation, leniency application, plea negotiation, or criminal jury trial. Additionally, Lisa is an expert in the components of effective compliance programs and is an asset to clients in preventing antitrust problems before they arise. She has worked on complex antitrust matters across numerous major industries, including financial services, technology, aviation, automotive, shipping, paper, petroleum, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, among others.As Chief of the National Criminal Enforcement and Washington Criminal I Sections of the Antitrust Division, Lisa supervised and coordinated all investigative and litigation work on international and national criminal cartel cases. Lisa regularly coordinated investigations and prosecutions with cartel enforcement agencies worldwide, including in the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Brazil, among others. Additionally, she often interfaced with other law enforcement units when investigations raised non-antitrust issues.Before Lisa was appointed Chief of National Criminal Enforcement, she served as a senior criminal litigator in the Antitrust Division, leading investigations and trials of multinational corporations and their executives for price-fixing and related crimes. Lisa prosecuted more than 300 federal criminal cases and led and oversaw dozens of jury trials throughout her tenure at the DOJ.Lisa has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Presidential Rank Award, awarded by President Obama in 2015, the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, awarded by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2014; and, on multiple occasions, the Assistant Attorney General’s Outstanding Service Award, while serving as a lead trial attorney and a senior official at the DOJ.Law enforcement agencies and competition partners consult Lisa on best practices and policies in cartel enforcement and leniency programs. She has been frequently acknowledged for her insight and dexterity in the fields in which she practices. Recognitions include:<ul><li>“[Lisa’s] ability to distill information and come to solutions is amazing. We are lucky to be represented by her.” –Chambers USA, 2022 (Client Testimonial)</li><li>“[Lisa] is very knowledgeable on DOJ practices and policies.” –Chambers USA, 2022 (Client Testimonial)</li><li>“[Lisa] is excellent and gives well thought-out and practical advice.” –Chambers USA, 2021 (Client Testimonial)</li><li>“Lisa Phelan has three decades of experience as a DOJ attorney, including serving as Chief of the National Criminal Enforcement section of the Antitrust Division. She is prominent in the market and well-placed to advise clients on criminal cartel proceedings. Sources describe her as a 'fantastic lawyer,’ who ‘knows everything.’” –Chambers USA, 2020</li></ul>Lisa frequently speaks at American Bar Association (ABA), International Competition Network, International Bar Association, and various prominent white-collar crime conferences. She has been an active participant in ABA programs and activities for nearly three decades. Currently, she serves as co-chair of the Antitrust Section’s International Cartel Task Force, which regularly meets with competition agency heads from around the globe to provide thought leadership and to advise on competition law changes and practices, including leniency program criteria. She is also a leader on the Antitrust Section’s Influencer Task Force. Additionally, Lisa proposed and worked to establish the ABA Antitrust Section’s Women.Connected Committee.Lisa has long championed the advancement of women within the legal profession and in the Antitrust Bar in particular. Recognized by MLex as a “trailblazer” for women in antitrust, in recent years, she founded the “Women in Cartel” group, which has expanded its membership nationally and internationally. More than once, she has been named one of Global Competition Review’s Top “Women in Antitrust.” In addition, Lisa serves on the firm’s Women’s Strategy Committee, working closely with firm leaders to ensure that the advancement of women is a constant strategic priority. Lisa is a member of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association.Lisa received her J.D. magna cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law, where she served on the International Law Journal. She received her B.A. summa cum laude, also from American University. Lisa is an adjunct Professor at AU law school, teaching a seminar on Criminal Antitrust.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Represent a European executive indicted in the U.S. on a criminal Sherman Act charge of bid rigging on government contracts.</li><li>Represent a major national healthcare company investigated by DOJ’s Antitrust Division on allegations of criminal agreements not to hire or solicit employees from another major national healthcare company. Obtained a non-prosecution agreement from DOJ for the company and all of its executives.</li><li>Represent a large national health staffing company in multiple grand jury investigations around the U.S. for various alleged Sherman Act criminal violations. Obtained non-prosecution commitment from DOJ for the company and its executives in all matters.</li><li>Represent a major Japanese component parts maker subject to a grand jury investigation by DOJ. Obtained a non-prosecution decision for the company and its executives.</li><li>Represent a large national media company in meetings with DOJ regarding possible anticompetitive conduct.</li><li>Represent a major prescription services company under investigation by the FTC for possible monopolization and abuse of dominance violations.</li><li>Represent an oil and gas industry company under grand jury investigation by the Antitrust Division and obtained a non-prosecution decision from DOJ.</li><li>Represent numerous CEOs and high-level executives in numerous criminal antitrust grand jury investigations.</li></ul>

Lisa M. Phelan

Co-chair Global Antitrust Law Practice Group

Megan Gerking is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Law practice, specializing in government-facing antitrust matters. Megan represents companies in criminal and civil conduct investigations before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and state enforcers and in all phases of the merger review process before U.S. and foreign competition authorities.Megan, a former trial attorney with the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, is an experienced antitrust attorney focused on complex antitrust law matters, including government investigations, strategic transactions, and civil litigation. She regularly counsels clients on antitrust issues arising from industry consortiums, trade association activities, and other collaborations. While serving in the Antitrust Division, Megan investigated and prosecuted federal antitrust violations and international cartel cases. She leverages her DOJ experience when reviewing, developing, and implementing clients’ antitrust compliance programs and routinely delivers antitrust compliance training for employees.As part of Megan’s merger practice, she regularly helps clients in all aspects of merger review, including developing strategy for structuring transactions, assessing and complying with obligations under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (“HSR Act”), and securing clearance from antitrust enforcers in the United States and abroad. Megan has represented third parties in agency reviews of deals, including at trial.Megan has experience representing clients across a broad range of industries, including media, telecom, technology and software, financial services, consumer products, aviation, higher education, manufacturing, agriculture, and life sciences. While in the Antitrust Division, Megan prosecuted the first individual extradited to the United States on an antitrust charge. For her work investigating and prosecuting international price fixing, bid rigging, and market-allocation conspiracies by automotive parts suppliers, Megan earned the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. Megan was also awarded the DOJ’s Outstanding Mentor Award by the Attorney General. Further, she was recognized this past year in Bloomberg Law’s 40 Under 40 and as a finalist for The American Lawyer’s 2022 Young Lawyer of the Year. Additionally, Megan has served as a Non-Governmental Advisor to the International Competition Network (ICN) and spoke at the ICN Cartel Workshop in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 2022. Megan is also a member of our global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) steering committee.Megan is currently an editor of ABA magazine The Antitrust Source. Megan received her J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, where she served on the editorial board of The Tax Lawyer. She received her B.A. in economics and political science from the University of Michigan.Before attending law school, Megan worked in the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs, assisting the Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division in all media matters and serving as a spokesperson for national media. She also worked as a paralegal for the Antitrust Division, supporting trial attorneys investigating and prosecuting corporations and individuals for violations of criminal antitrust laws.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><h5>Criminal and Civil Antitrust Investigations</h5><ul><li>Obtained non-prosecution protection for two healthcare companies she represented in separate DOJ Antitrust Division criminal investigations.</li><li>Represented an energy company in a criminal investigation.</li><li>Obtained a non-prosecution agreement for a senior executive in a criminal investigation into market allocation and bid rigging of generic drugs by the DOJ.</li><li>Regularly advises senior executives on DOJ antitrust criminal investigations involving allegations of price fixing, market and customer allocation, and bid rigging and obtained non-prosecution protection for several individuals.</li><li>Assisted a technology company in an FTC monopolization investigation.</li><li>Represented a private equity fund in a state AG investigation.</li><li>Counseled a senior executive in an international criminal cartel investigation.</li><li>Obtained a non-prosecution agreement for a senior executive in a criminal investigation into conduct related to the hiring of employees.</li></ul><h5>Antitrust Merger Review</h5><ul><li>ShowingTime. Navigated ShowingTime Inc., a leading real estate showing management and market stats technology provider, through an extended review by the Federal Trade Commission of its $500 million vertical acquisition by Zillow Group. </li><li>Unity Technologies Corp. Obtained merger clearances for Unity in connection with an asset carve-out acquisition from Weta Digital for certain assets, including its audiovisual effects development and management software tools, for a purchase price of $1.625 billion. </li><li>Grant Thornton. Advised and obtained merger clearances for Grant Thornton LLP in connection with the sale of its Public Sector Advisory practice to Guidehouse.</li><li>Divvy. Represented Divvy, a leader in spend management, in its $2.5 billion stock and cash sale to Bill.com.</li><li>NTT LTD. Represented NTT, a leading IT infrastructure and services company, in its $330 million cash sale of WhiteHat Security to Synopsys, Inc.</li><li>Palo Alto Networks. Advised Palo Alto Networks on its agreement to acquire Cider Security, a pioneer in application security and software supply chain security.</li><li>Continental Building Products. Represented Continental Building Products, a North American leader in wallboard and joint compound materials, in negotiations to secure antitrust approvals for its sale to Saint-Gobain. The transaction cleared without a “second request” investigation.</li><li>The Walt Disney Company. Assisted The Walt Disney Co. in its $71 billion acquisition of certain businesses from 21st Century Fox.</li><li>Bombardier. Represented Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier in connection with the worldwide antitrust clearance of its sale of a controlling interest in the “C Series” line of commercial passenger jets to Airbus. The transaction cleared without any second-phase reviews.</li><li>Advised third parties on civil investigative demand (CID) responses, including Nouryon, a global specialty chemical leader, as a third-party witness in an FTC litigation challenge of a transaction between Evonik and PeroxyChem.</li><li>Counseled corporate clients on antitrust issues in complex transactions, including collaborations, joint ventures, acquisitions, and mergers.</li></ul><h5>Antitrust Litigation</h5><ul><li>Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Representing Glenmark in a federal antitrust multidistrict litigation alleging price fixing and market allocation of generic drugs by manufacturers of generic drugs.</li><li>Nexstar Media Group. Representing Nexstar, America’s largest local television and media company, in federal antitrust litigation alleging price fixing in television advertising.</li><li>Represented a leading international financial institution in multiple, sprawling class action lawsuits alleging a global conspiracy by some of the world’s largest banks to manipulate the interbank offer rate (IBOR) benchmark for multiple currencies.</li></ul>

Megan E. Gerking

Partner

Drawing on over 15 years of experience, Marie-Claire is an antitrust specialist advising on merger control and foreign investment aspects of complex global transactions, as well as broader antitrust issues including investigations, abuse of dominance and complex vertical agreements. She has advised corporate clients and financial investors across a range of sectors including technology, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, retail, healthcare, sports rights and industrials. In addition to coordinating complex multi-jurisdictional advice and delivering EU and other global merger control and foreign investment clearances, she has extensive UK CMA experience, having acted for clients on a number of complex CMA investigations, both at Phase 1 and Phase 2 and having delivered multiple informal CMA clearances. She regularly advises on CMA engagement strategy in global deals.She also regularly counsels clients in relation to compliance across all aspects of competition law, including horizontal and vertical commercial agreements and dominance. She has also represented clients before the EU and UK regulators in relation to both cartels and abuse of dominance as well as in the context of market investigations.Marie-Claire is recognized in each of the annual editions of Who’s Who Legal: Competition – Future Leaders from 2017 to 2024.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Advising Unity Technologies in relation to its $4.4B Acquisition of ironSource</li></ul><ul><li>Advising Nikon Corporation, a globally active Japanese manufacturer of optical technology solutions, in connection with the public takeover of SLM Solutions Group AG, a Lübeck-based manufacturer of metal 3D printers</li><li>Advising SoftBank in Connection with $3.4 Billion Combination of Eutelsat and OneWeb</li><li>Advising Endurance Acquisition Corp in connection with its investment in Satixfy</li><li>Advising a major record label in relation to a CMA market study into music streaming</li><li>Advising a major energy company and fund manager, active in retail, generation and fund management in relation to the merger control and foreign investment aspects of strategic investment</li><li>Advising a global software company in relation to a CMA merger control investigation into its acquisition of a key competitor</li><li>Advising a UK grocery retailer in relation to a CMA investigation into a failed merger between two of the four major UK grocery retailers</li><li>Advising a consortium of financial investors on the global merger control and UK and foreign public interest aspects of a takeover of UK-based satellite telecommunications company</li></ul>

Marie-Claire Strawbridge

Rob Manoso is a trial lawyer and partner in Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Law Practice Group. His practice focuses on advising clients on all aspects of antitrust investigations, litigation, and compliance.Rob regularly represents clients in a wide range of antitrust matters, including criminal and civil investigations before state and federal antitrust regulators and private antitrust litigation. He also routinely provides advice on all aspects of antitrust compliance. His clients span a broad range of industries, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences, healthcare, technology and software, financial services, and government contracting.Rob has significant experience defending against novel claims in both government investigations and private litigation. This includes claims involving AI and algorithms, as Rob recently represented a large REIT in a putative class action alleging that multifamily property owners engaged in anticompetitive conduct, based on the use of a common pricing algorithm. Rob has also provided counseling to revenue management software providers and customers in various industries regarding antitrust risks associated with AI.Rob’s active pro bono practice includes criminal litigation, asylum applications, election security, and benefits appeals.Before joining MoFo, Rob worked as an associate at a large international law firm. Prior to private practice, he served as a judicial law clerk for Chief District Judge Thomas Varlan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.Rob earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2012 and received his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 2009.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Representing Glenmark, a manufacturer of generic drugs, in sprawling antitrust multidistrict litigation alleging price-fixing and market allocation.</li><li>Representing Nexstar Media Group in a putative class action alleging that certain television station owners conspired to fix the prices of local television advertising.</li><li>Representing executives and a major government contractor in separate Antitrust Division investigations in the defense industry.</li><li>Represented a major publicly traded REIT in a putative class action filed by renters alleging that multifamily property owners engaged in anticompetitive conduct to increase the price of leases across the United States.</li><li>Defended Matsuo Electric, a leading Japanese manufacturing company, in litigation asserting federal and state antitrust claims related to an alleged price-fixing conspiracy.</li><li>Represented Teradata Corp., a multi-cloud data platform, in connection with its monopolization and tying claims against SAP SE relating to the market for Enterprise Data Analytics and Warehousing.</li><li>Represented healthcare companies and obtained non-prosecution protections in separate DOJ Antitrust Division criminal investigations.</li><li>Represented a property management software company in civil antitrust litigation involving monopolization and attempted monopolization claims, where summary judgment was defeated and a favorable settlement obtained.</li><li>Represented leading drywall manufacturer in securing approvals for its acquisition by Saint-Gobain.</li></ul><h4>Pro Bono Work</h4><ul><li>Representing Afghan refugees seeking asylum in partnership with Human Rights First.</li><li>Represented a client defending criminal charges in the Eastern District of Virginia; client obtained favorable resolution on the eve of trial.</li><li>Assisted Georgia voters in challenging the constitutionality of state voting equipment.</li><li>Obtained permanent residence for a child and sole custody for a parent after the family fled to the United States to escape an abusive family member.</li></ul>

Rob Manoso

Antitrust Law

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MoFo to Present the ABA's Bi-Monthly Criminal Antitrust Update

26 Sep 2022 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT

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