Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, one of the world’s leading law firms, continued the expansion of its highly regarded global competition practice with the announced hiring today of Ann Malester and Steven K. Bernstein, two former senior Federal Trade Commission officials. Today’s announcement builds on the firm’s addition late last year of a group of antitrust attorneys from Clifford Chance in Washington, D.C., most of whom are also former government antitrust officials.
“From litigating some of the most high-profile cases, to working on some of the largest mergers in the last decade, Ann and Steve have been at the forefront of antitrust enforcement and litigation,” said Stephen J. Dannhauser, chairman of Weil Gotshal. “We are delighted they have chosen to join us.”
Malester said: “During my 26 years at the FTC, I’ve been witness to the first-rate antitrust work produced by Weil Gotshal litigators. I am excited to be part of a firm with such a steadfast dedication to high quality client service.” Seconding Malester’s thoughts, Bernstein added: “The firm’s continued commitment to the growth of its D.C. and worldwide antitrust practice made Weil Gotshal a natural choice for me.”
As a partner in Weil Gotshal’s Washington, D.C., office, Malester will draw on her extensive experience in mergers and joint ventures for the pharmaceutical and defense industries. She was most recently the deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, where she helped supervise the agency’s antitrust enforcement activities. Before being appointed deputy director, she oversaw the Mergers I Division, where she supervised the investigation and litigation of hundreds of mergers in the pharmaceutical, defense and a wide range of other industries. Malester is the recipient of the FTC’s Brandeis Award for best litigator and the Presidential Rank Award, the highest honor given to a federal government executive. She is a graduate of the Lycée Français de New York, Bryn Mawr College and George Washington University National Law Center.
Bernstein was most recently assistant director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, where he oversaw the Mergers I Division. Before this appointment, he supervised merger enforcement in industries including aerospace and defense, health care and industrial products. Bernstein received a B.B.A. degree in accounting from the University of Miami and a J.D. degree from the Northwestern University School of Law. In 2002, he was recognized by Corporate Board Member as one of the nation’s “best and brightest attorneys under the age of 40.” Bernstein is also resident in Weil Gotshal’s Washington, D.C., office.
Last October, in another strategic move, Weil Gotshal brought on board internationally recognized antitrust expert Steven A. Newborn and a group of Clifford Chance attorneys with experience both as former antitrust agency officials and as counselors and litigators in private practice. The group consisted of partners Jim Egan, Laura Wilkinson and John Scribner; consultant Ginger Snider; counsels John Sipple and Kirsten Lockhart; as well as five associates.
Co-chaired by Helene D. Jaffe and Newborn, Weil Gotshal’s global competition and antitrust practice is one of the largest in the legal and business community. The firm’s attorneys provide worldwide counseling and litigation services for businesses in regulated and unregulated industries, and before U.S. and European courts and regulatory agencies.
