Paolo Morante

Paolo Morante

Partner
About

Paolo Morante's practice focuses on antitrust and trade regulation law.

Paolo represents clients in commercial litigation in federal and state courts, US and international transactions, and regulatory matters before the US Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and offices of the attorneys general of several states.

Paolo has substantial experience in matters relating to US and international merger enforcement, including regulatory review of complex cross-border transactions and compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

Bar admissionsDistrict of ColumbiaNew York

EXPERIENCE

Paolo 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:

  • Medtronic kidney health joint venture with DaVita
  • MesaBiotech acquisition by ThermoFisher
  • Danone acquisition of Follow Your Heart
  • MKS acquisition of Atotech
  • Swarm Technologies sale to SpacEx
  • CareMmax acquisition of Steward
  • Imperfect Foods acquisition by Misfits Market
  • SeaSpine acquisition by Orthofix
  • Medtronic acquisition of Medicrea International
  • Synergy Health plc merger with STERIS Corporation
  • CAE Inc. in acquisition of Bombardier flight-training assets
  • HCL Technologies acquisition of assets from IBM
  • First Solar sale of O&M Services business to NovaSource
  • TrendKite acquisition by Cision
  • Dunbar Armored acquisition by Brink's
  • Verifi acquisition by Visa
  • Takeda acquisition of TiGenix
  • Server Technology acquisition by Legrand S.A.
  • Maxwell Technologies acquisition by Tesla
  • Emergent Biosolutions acquisition of smallpox vaccine from Sanofi
  • Vision Ease sale to Hoya Corporation 
  • John Menzies acquisition of BBA Aviation
  • Polynt in merger with Reichhold
  • QUALCOMM acquisition of EPCOS
  • INEOS acquisition of Calabrian Corporation
  • Xchanging plc sale to Computer Sciences Corporation
  • Exelon acquisition of ConEd retail energy business
  • DTS Sale to Tessera Technologies
  • Owens Corning acquisition of InterWrap
  • Ovivo sale to Skion Water International
  • QUALCOMM acquisitions of Emu and Capstone
  • Vertellus sale to Black Diamond
  • Blackhawk acquisition of GiftCards.com
  • MediaOcean sale to Vista Equity Partners
  • EagleView Technology Corporation sale to Vista Equity Partners
  • InterContinental Hotels Group acquisition of Kimpton Hotels
  • Emergent BioSolutions acquisition of Cangene Corporation
  • EdgeCast Networks acquisition by Verizon
  • OptiMedica sale to Abbott Laboratories
  • Orchard Supply sale to Lowe's
  • BioFire Diagnostics sale to Biomérieux S.A.
  • Convio, Inc. merger with Blackbaud, Inc.
  • Hypercom Corporation merger with VeriFone Systems, Inc.
  • PopCap Games acquisition by Electronic Arts
  • Qualcomm sale of spectrum assets to AT&T
  • Radiant Systems acquisition by NCR
  • Applied Signal Technology acquisition by Raytheon
  • Life Technologies Corporation sale of mass spectrometry joint venture to Danaher Corporation
  • JDA Software Group acquisition of i2 Technologies
  • The Hain Celestial Group acquisition of Gourmet Marketing
  • ZeniMax acquisition of id Software
  • Chesapeake Sciences Corporation acquisition by L3 Communications
  • Invitrogen (nka Life Technologies) acquisition of Applied Biosystems
  • JDA Software acquisition of Manugistics
  • Swedish Match acquisition of Cigars International and formation of a joint venture with Scandinavian Tobacco
  • Aggregate Industries acquisition by Holcim
  • Cross Match acquisition by Smiths Group

Significant antitrust litigation engagements include:

  • In re A2P SMS Antitrust Litigation Defense of an SMS messaging aggregator in private class action alleging price-fixing and concerted boycott conspiracy in connection with application-to-person SMS transmissions
  • In re Optical Disk Drive Products Antitrust Litigation Defense of an optical disk drive supplier in private class actions alleging price-fixing conspiracies in violation of the Sherman Act
  • In re Linerboard Antitrust Litigation Represented a 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 a major US poultry processor in multi-district litigation alleging an international price-fixing conspiracy among feed additives suppliers
  • In re Vitamins Antitrust Litigation Advised a major US poultry processor in a complex class action alleging price-fixing among suppliers of vitamins and obtained reduction in class counsel fees as a percentage of the client's recovery
  • Avitech, LLC v. Embrex, Inc. Successfully defended a patentee against monopolization counterclaims in a patent dispute. Counterclaims were dismissed
  • East Side Vend Distributors v. Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., et al. Represented a major US bottling company in defending a price discrimination lawsuit brought by a regional distributor
  • Kelley v. Thompson McCully Co., et al. Successfully defended a multinational construction materials supplier against a private lawsuit alleging price-fixing and market allocation agreements
Languages
  • English
  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
Education
  • J.D., Harvard Law School 1997
    cum laude
  • B.A., Stanford University 1987
    with distinction

Awards

Legal 500 US recognizes Paolo for his antitrust practice.

Insight Overview

Paolo is a co-author of the Maryland chapter of State Antitrust Practice and Statutes (Fourth Ed.) (ABA 2009), of the United States chapter of Cartel Enforcement Worldwide (Cameron May 2011) and has been a guest lecturer in antitrust law at the University of Maryland School of Law.

Bylines

  • US Antitrust enforcers issue joint statement on competitor collaboration amid COVID-19 pandemic, March 27, 2020
  • US Antitrust enforcers issue joint statement on competitor collaboration amid COVID-19 pandemic, March 27, 2020
  • Antitrust enforcement continues amid coronavirus, but with important changes (United States), March 20, 2020
  • FTC announces annual revisions to HSR Act thresholds, January 28, 2020
  • Antitrust Matters - July 2018

Clerk Experience

  • The Honorable Benson E. Legg, US District Court for the District of Maryland (1997 – 1998)

Memberships And Affiliations

  • American Bar Association, Antitrust Law Section
  • New York State Bar Association, Antitrust Law Section
  • The District of Columbia Bar
  • Maryland Bar Association

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