Paolo Morante's practice focuses on antitrust and trade regulation law. Mr. Morante has been involved in commercial litigation in federal and state courts, US and international transactional counseling, and regulatory matters before the US Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and offices of the attorneys general of several states. He has substantial experience in matters relating to merger enforcement and compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

DLA Piper's Antitrust Practice Group, of which Mr. Morante is a member, was recently ranked as the #1 Antitrust Litigation practice by Martindale-Hubbell®, according to the total number of antitrust cases in which the firm has represented clients in US Federal District Courts during the prior two years.

Mr. Morante is a co-author of the Maryland chapter of State Antitrust Practice and Statutes (Fourth Ed.) (ABA 2009), and has been a guest lecturer in antitrust law at the University of Maryland School of Law.

Representative Engagements

Mr. Morante regularly represents clients as antitrust counsel in merger enforcement proceedings before the US antitrust agencies. Significant recent merger enforcement and civil antitrust investigation engagements include:

• The Johns Hopkins Health System's acquisition of Suburban Hospital Healthcare System
• Trident Microsystems's acquisition of certain assets of Micronas GmbH
• ZeniMax's acquisition of id Software
• Chesapeake Sciences Corporation acquisition by L3 Communications
• Invitrogen acquisition of Applied Biosystems
• NEC Corporation acquisition of NetCracker Technologies
• JDA Software acquisition of Manugistics
• ON Semiconductor acquisitions of AMI Semiconductor, Catalyst Semiconductor, and certain assets of Analog Devices
• Finisar Corporation acquisition of Optium Corporation
• Radyne Corporation acquisition by Comtech Telecommunications
• Packeteer acquisition by BlueCoat Systems
• Audible, Inc. acquisition by Amazon.com
• Swedish Match acquisition of Cigars International
• Groupe Laperriere & Verrault, acquisition of its mineral process group by FLSmidth
• Surfcontrol acquisition by Websense
• Maxtor Corporation acquisition by Seagate Technology
• Aggregate Industries acquisition by Holcim
• Virsa Systems acquisition by SAP
• Pinnacle Systems acquisition by Avid Technology
• Cross Match acquisition by Smiths Group
• Represented major construction materials supplier in civil investigation of asphalt industry by the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice and the Attorneys General of Michigan and Massachusetts. The investigations were closed without any remedies being sought by the government.

Significant recent antitrust litigation engagements include:

• In re Linerboard Antitrust Litigation. Represented major US poultry processor in multi-district litigation alleging price-fixing and output restrictions among major US linerboard producers.
• In re Methionine Antitrust Litigation. Obtained substantial recovery for major US. poultry processor in multi-district litigation alleging international price-fixing conspiracy among feed additives suppliers.
• In re Vitamins Antitrust Litigation. Advised major US poultry processor in complex class action alleging price-fixing among suppliers of vitamins, and obtained reduction in class counsel fees as a percentage of client’s recovery.
• Avitech, LLC v. Embrex, Inc. Successfully defended patentee against monopolization counterclaims in patent dispute. Counterclaims dismissed.
• East Side Vend Distributors v. Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., et al. Represented major US bottling company in defending price discrimination lawsuit by regional distributor.
• Kelley v. Thompson McCully Co., et al. Successfully defended multi-national construction materials supplier against private lawsuit alleging price-fixing and market allocation agreements.