Focus Areas
Representative Matters
Merger Control/Antitrust Investigations
- Lead counsel for chemical tanker shipping business in connection with merger control filings in several jurisdictions, including HSR filing and merger investigation by South Africa Competition Commission.
- Lead counsel in representation of proposed buyer in DOJ merger investigation resolved without Second Request, remedies, or litigation.
- On secondment as in-house competition counsel, represented global power management company in connection with Second Request investigation of $3.3 billion merger.
- Represented global motion-and-control technologies manufacturer in connection with HSR filing and subsequent DOJ antitrust investigation of $4.3 billion merger.
- Represented manufacturer of equipment and components for oil-and-gas industry in connection with Second Request investigation of $2.5 billion merger.
- Represented hardware distributor in FTC’s investigation of its acquisition of self-service key duplication kiosk business.
- Represented rubber manufacturer in sale of rubber track plant to military contractor through inquiry from DOJ and DOD.
- Represented scrap metal company in its purchase by competitor and related inquiry from DOJ.
- Prepared HSR filings in connection with tender offers, open-market securities purchases, and bankruptcy purchases.
- Regularly prepare HSR filings and counsel clients (including manufacturers and distributors of hardware and medical equipment, retail outlets, early-stage pharmaceutical companies, shipping and logistics companies, investors, and private equity funds) regarding HSR compliance, reportability, exemptions, and risk-sharing and related provisions in merger, purchase, and license agreements.
Antitrust Counseling
- Advised European and other non-U.S. clients on U.S. antitrust risks posed by proposed mergers and acquisitions (including HSR compliance), as well as minority investments, partial acquisitions, joint ventures, and other competitor collaborations.
- Advised investment funds concerning antitrust issues associated with common ownership of competing portfolio companies.
- Advised clients, including dental imaging provider and aftermarket auto parts distributor, regarding antitrust risks associated with participation in group purchasing organizations.
- Advised manufacturers regarding exclusive supply and distribution arrangements.
Antitrust, Class Action and Other Complex Litigation
- Successfully represented Mission Essential, a defense and intelligence services provider, in antitrust class action alleging unlawful no-poach agreement between and among defense intelligence contractors, which resulted in favorable settlement.
- Successfully represented Fortune 500 company in litigation and arbitration concerning alleged breach of distribution agreement and fraud, resulting in award in favor of client.
- Represented specialty chemical manufacturer in antitrust price-fixing class action and follow-on litigation commenced under the False Claims Act.
- Successfully defended financial institution in class action alleging failure to timely record mortgage satisfactions, including several appeals.
- Successfully litigated and settled litigation on behalf of steel manufacturer against coal supplier for breach of contract.
- Won arbitration award on behalf of floor care manufacturer against terminated dealer.
- Part of team that obtained summary judgment on behalf of composite deck manufacturer in class action alleging product defects and breach of warranty.
- Part of team that obtained dismissal of complaint against national concert promoter commenced by concert venue alleging tortious interference and breach of contract.
- Obtained dismissal of tortious interference claims by cell phone store owner against national wireless carrier.
- Successfully obtained temporary restraining order and preliminary injunctive relief on behalf of national financial institution to freeze assets of massive fraud.
- Successfully obtained judgment after bench trial against former employee of polymer manufacturer for breach of noncompete agreement and breach of duty of loyalty.
- Represented global manufacturer in litigation commenced by terminated dealer and obtained favorable settlement.
- Prepared petition for writ of certiorari to U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of manufacturer of industrial vehicles concerning constitutionality of dealer statute.
- Represent third parties in response to subpoenas arising out of complex antitrust litigation.
Government Enforcement/Investigations/White-Collar Criminal Defense
- Represented media, technology, and advertising company in responding to civil investigative demand from FTC related to consumer protection investigation.
- Represented architect through DOJ investigation and jury trial of fraud and extortion charges in federal court.
- Represented Fortune 500 company in internal investigation of fatal incident at manufacturing facility.
- Represented physical therapists in False Claims Act investigation.
Pro Bono
- Part of team that won reversal of federal hate crimes conviction before U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
- Argued appeals before U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on behalf of individuals convicted of crimes.
- Successfully represented several tenants in eviction disputes.
- “New HSR Rules Significantly Increase Filing Burden,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, October 2024
- “FTC and DOJ Launch Inquiry Regarding Serial Acquisitions and Roll-Up Strategies,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, May 2024
- “Trouble in the Huddle – Uncertainty and Opportunity with the NCAA’s NIL Rules,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, March 2024
- “Cutting No ‘Slack’: Ephemeral Messaging Creates Significant Enforcement Risk,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, March 2024
- “FTC Announces Annual Adjustment to HSR Filing Thresholds for 2024,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, January 2024
- “Designing Effective Remedies in the United States and European Union,” Global Competition Review’s Merger Remedies Guide (5th Edition), October 2023
- “Antitrust Agencies Release Draft of New Merger Guidelines: Prepare for More Challenges,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, July 2023
- “FTC Proposes Noncompete Ban,” Thompson Hine Labor & Employment @lert, January 2023
- Co-author, “No-Poach Plea Hiccups Point To DOJ’s Unsound Theory,” Law360, October 2022
- “House Passes Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, October 2022
- “Antitrust and ESG Make Strange Bedfellows,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Summer 2022
- “Is the Biden Administration Taking Antitrust Enforcement Back to the Future?” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Winter 2022
- Co-author, “Giving Effect to the Remedy,” Global Competition Review’s Merger Remedies Guide (4th Edition), November 2021
- “Selling Through Dealers – Antitrust Guidelines for Manufacturers,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Guidelines, April 2021
- “Supreme Court Rules FTC Cannot Obtain Equitable Monetary Relief Directly in Court,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, April 2021
- “Proposed Amendment to HSR Rules Would Increase Filing Obligations for Private Equity Funds,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Spring 2021
- “Antitrust Agencies Suspend Early Termination – Temporary or Indefinite?” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Distribution Update, February 2021
- “HSR Filing Thresholds Decrease in 2021,” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Distribution Update, February 2021
- “Justice Department Issues First Update to Antitrust Merger Remedies Guidance in a Decade,” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Distribution Update, September 2020
- “New Vertical Merger Guidelines Face Bipartisan Calls for Stronger Antitrust Enforcement,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Spring 2020
- “FTC and DOJ Announce Changes to Civil Merger Review Process During COVID-19 Pandemic, Including Changes to HSR Early Termination Procedure,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, April 2020
- “FTC and DOJ Announce Expedited Procedure to Provide Antitrust Guidance to Businesses Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, April 2020
- “FTC Reiterates Rule Against HSR Avoidance Devices, Imposes Substantial Fines,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Winter 2020
- “Antitrust Agencies Release New Vertical Merger Guidelines,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, January 2020
- Co-author, “Beyond the Mob: ‘Varsity Blues’ and DOJ’s Expanding Use of RICO to Prosecute White-Collar Crime,” Criminal Justice, American Bar Association, Fall 2019
- “Time to Dust Off Your Antitrust Compliance Efforts? Major DOJ Policy Shift Designed to Reward Companies that Do,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, July 2019
- “Generic Drugs: Biggest Price-Fixing Case Ever?,” Thompson Hine Antitrust Law Update, March 2019
- “The Common-Interest Doctrine: Preserving the Attorney-Client Privilege in M&A Deals,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Winter 2017
- “Antitrust Agencies’ Annual HSR Report Reveals Increases in Filings, Scrutiny of Large Deals & Enforcement,” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Trade Regulation Update, October 2016
- “Penalty for HSR Violations More Than Doubled,” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Trade Regulation Update, August 2016
- “U.S. Supreme Court: A Bare Technical Violation of Statute Insufficient to Demonstrate Standing,” Thompson Hine Business Litigation Update, May 2016
- “Congress Passes Federal Trade Secret Law,” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Trade Regulation Update, April 2016
- “Antitrust Agencies’ Merger Review Data Demonstrate More Filings, Bigger Deals and Continued Enforcement,” Thompson Hine Antitrust, Competition & Trade Regulation Update, September 2015
- “Small Deals Spurring Big Antitrust Problems,” The Deal.com, December 2014
- “Unpacking the FTC’s Final HSR Rule: What You Need to Know,” Thompson Hine Webinar, December 2024
- Co-presenter, “Regulatory Compliance for Multinationals: ESG Considerations,” Thompson Hine Webinar, September 2024
- “Antitrust Fundamentals,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, Washington, D.C., March 2023
- “Leadership Development,” ABA Mid-Winter Meeting, January 2023
- “Distribution and Sales Agent Contracts,” Strafford Webinars, May 2022
- “Presidential Executive Order Targets Changes in Antitrust Enforcement,” Thompson Hine Competition Café Podcast Series, April 2022
- “Trade Secrets and the Defend Trade Secrets Act – What Now?” Quick Webcast, Ohio State Bar Association, October 2016
- Included in the 2022 to 2025 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Commercial Litigation and Litigation-Antitrust; included in the inaugural (2021) edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Commercial Litigation
- Selected to the Ohio Rising Stars list, 2019-2021
- Champion and Best Final Round Advocate, Mackenzie Hughes Edmund H. Lewis Appellate Competition
- Excellence Award, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
- CALI Excellence Awards: Appellate Advocacy, Constitutional Law, Constitutional-Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Legal Writing
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association, Antitrust Section
- Vice Chair, Books & Treatises Committee
- Associate Editor, Antitrust Law Journal
- Former Counsel to the Section Chair
- Ohio State Bar Association, Antitrust Section Council
- Federal Bar Association, Northern Ohio Chapter
Community Activities
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Northern Ohio Chapter
- Former Executive Committee Member, Light the Night
- Former YP Board Member
Education
- Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., 2010, magna cum laude,
Order of the Coif, Order of Barristers, Syracuse Law Review (lead articles editor)
- Ohio University, B.S., 2006
Bar Admissions
- New York
- Ohio
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- New HSR Rules Significantly Increase Filing Burden,
Antitrust Law Update
, October 16, 2024 - FTC and DOJ Launch Inquiry Regarding Serial Acquisitions and Roll-Up Strategies,
Antitrust Law Update
, May 28, 2024 - Trouble in the Huddle – Uncertainty and Opportunity with the NCAA’s NIL Rules,
Business Law Update
, March 28, 2024 - Cutting No “Slack”: Ephemeral Messaging Creates Significant Enforcement Risk,
Business Law Update
, March 28, 2024 - Business Law Update – March 2024,
Business Law Update
, March 28, 2024 - FTC Announces Annual Adjustment to HSR Filing Thresholds for 2024,
Antitrust Law Update
, January 23, 2024 - Antitrust Agencies Release Draft of New Merger Guidelines: Prepare for More Challenges,
Antitrust Law Update
, July 24, 2023 - FTC Proposes Noncompete Ban,
Labor & Employment @lert
, January 6, 2023 - House Passes Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act,
Antitrust Law Update
, October 4, 2022 - Business Law Update – Summer 2022,
Thompson Hine Newsletter
, September 8, 2022