Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce that Michael L. Weiner has joined the firm as a partner in the Antitrust and Competition practice. Based in the New York office, Weiner brings a broad antitrust practice that encompasses merger reviews, government investigations and litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Weiner practiced in the New York office of Dechert, LLP.
Weiner, who has focused on antitrust since beginning his law career, has successfully litigated class action, restraint of trade, and monopolization lawsuits in a broad range of industries in federal courts in the United States. He has also led cutting-edge transactions through antitrust review at the US federal and state antitrust enforcement agencies and before the European Commission and several national competition enforcement agencies.
Weiner, who has been recognized in numerous legal directories including Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and The Best Lawyers in America, previously served as co-chair of a major US-based law firm’s antitrust and competition practice for nearly a decade.
“Michael is an extremely accomplished antitrust lawyer who has a long track record of success in all phases of competition-related matters,” said Steptoe Chair Phil West. “He will be an excellent addition to our Antitrust and Competition practice, both in the US and internationally, and will serve as a valuable resource to our practices in regulated industries.”
Weiner’s experience in successfully completing complex merger transactions includes having represented American Express Global Business Travel in its acquisition of Hogg Robinson Group; Fresenius Medical Care in its acquisition of NxStage Medical, Inc.; SK hynix in its role in the acquisition of Toshiba’s NAND (flash memory) business; Centennial Communications in its acquisition by AT&T Wireless; Travelport in its acquisition of Worldspan; Yahoo!, Inc. in its joint venture with Microsoft, Inc.; and Avis in its acquisition of Budget. His litigation successes include representing Travelport Inc. in a high-profile, bet-the-company monopolization and antitrust conspiracy lawsuit with American Airlines.
Weiner remarked: “Steptoe has an excellent reputation for success in sophisticated and complex matters, and I’m confident I can use this platform to expand my practice, both with regard to antitrust litigation and investigations as well as with free-standing merger clearance work. I’m extremely enthusiastic about this next chapter in my career.”
Steptoe’s antitrust and competition lawyers work as a single team across the firm’s US, London and Brussels offices. Together, they offer clients counselling in a multi-faceted cross-border contentious regulatory environment, with support from the firm’s industry teams, in particular in telecoms, transport, energy, retail, and manufacturing. The group has a track record on advising in US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission investigations, representing clients in cartel cases, and defending high-profile antitrust law suits across the United States and in Europe. In 2019, Steptoe’s Antitrust and Competition practice welcomed the return of Washington partner Damon Kalt from Cigna Corporation and the arrival of partner Charles Whiddington in Brussels.
Weiner earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a past chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Antitrust Section, where he currently serves on the executive committee.
