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Skadden hires Freshfields antitrust partner in Brussels. You're reading your free article. Your next one is available in 30 days. Log in or subscribe for full access. Skadden has hired an antitrust partner from Freshfields in Brussels, as US firms continue to bolster their European antitrust practices. Merit Olthoff, who has been at Freshfields since 2012 and made partner in 2022, is set to join Skadden, in a move that will reunite her with former Freshfields co-global managing partner and antitrust specialist Rafique Bachour, who made the move to Skadden in January. Olthoff's practice focuses on complex merger control and digital regulation, with a particular focus on the media and technology sectors. Her recent experience includes advising Apple on the European Commission's investigation under the Digital Markets Act, and on the subsequent challenge in EU Courts in Luxembourg. In addition, Olthoff has experience advising large institutional investors on merger control and foreign direct investment aspects of investments and M&A transactions, with experience advising clients including Warburg Pincus and La Caisse. 'Skadden's global reach and standing in the market create a strong platform to help clients navigate competition, digital regulation and antitrust issues across Europe and globally,' said Olthoff. 'I look forward to working with the firm's lawyers across EMEA and worldwide as Legal Business support clients through an increasingly demanding regulatory environment.' The hire comes as a number of top US firms move to bolster their European antitrust platforms in order to take a larger slice of lucrative antitrust work. In addition to Skadden's hire of Bachour in January, Latham & Watkins hired Sascha Schubert, also from Freshfields, into its Brussels office in July, while Kirkland & Ellis hired a four-partner team from Cleary in May, based across London and Brussels. The activity comes against a shifting regulatory backdrop, as Brussels moves to pass reforms intended to make it easier for European companies to complete large M&A deals. 'The next phase of EU digital and foreign subsidies regulation is reshaping how companies anticipate, innovate, invest and compete in Europe,' said Ingrid Vandenborre, head of Skadden's European antitrust and competition practice. 'Sophisticated clients are looking for advisers who can help them plan for what comes next across these regimes, merger control and state aid, be it before the Commission, national competition authorities, or the EU Courts. 'Merit's broad EU and German antitrust experience makes her a valuable addition to its team.' For its part, Freshfields has seen a number of exits across its European offices in recent months, with Frankfurt private equity M&A partner Olga Stürmer moving to Weil, Hamburg M&A partner Natascha Doll moving to White & Case, and structured finance partner Mandeep Lotay moving to Paul Weiss, all last month. Olthoff's exit leaves the firm with ten antitrust partners remaining in Brussels, according to its website, and a further ten across its German offices. A Freshfields spokesperson said: 'We wish Merit all the best.'

US Lawyers - Skadden joined by five seasoned litigators in Chicago. Skadden is pleased to announce that its nationally recognized Mass Torts and Product Liability Group has expanded with the addition of five accomplished litigators - Lyn Pruitt, (pictured) Adria Conklin, Mary Catherine Way and David Koehler as partners and Lauren Grinder as counsel - who join the firm affiliated with the Chicago office. Together with Brian O'Donoghue, a leading mass torts litigator who joined as a partner in July, these additions strengthen a trial bench already recognized as a leader in high-stakes product liability and mass tort defense. Skadden's Mass Torts Group pioneered the "national counsel" model for managing mass tort litigation, and these new partners add significant experience across multidistrict litigation, coordinated proceedings, bellwether trials and the strategic defense of large-scale tort disputes. "Lyn, Adria, Mary Catherine, David and Lauren are highly regarded litigators with extensive experience handling sophisticated pharmaceutical and medical device, PFAS environmental and other product liability matters," said John Beisner, leader of Skadden's Mass Torts and Product Liability Group. "Each has played a pivotal role in landmark litigation, opposed the most aggressive leading plaintiffs' firms and built winning partnerships with local counsel across jurisdictions nationwide. Their arrival reflects our continued investment in exceptional mass torts talent, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the firm." "Skadden has a premier platform for handling complex litigation, and I am excited to welcome and work alongside an established team with a strong reputation in mass torts and product liability matters," said Mr. O'Donoghue. "I have worked successfully with this team of litigators for years, often in the toughest jurisdictions. They bring deep knowledge of the national liability landscape and strategies for disputing plaintiffs' tactics, leveraging technology and strategic relationships to resolve massive case dockets, and efficiently minimizing exposure for our clients." Ms. Pruitt has spent more than three decades defending companies in high-stakes product liability litigation. She focuses her practice on representing leading pharmaceutical and medical device companies and has extensive experience representing other companies in consumer class actions and toxic tort disputes. A fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, she has first-chaired trials for a broad range of clients and is widely sought after for her ability to craft compelling trial narratives in bellwether proceedings that shape the trajectory of entire MDLs. She has earned recognition from Chambers USA in its Nationwide Product Liability & Mass Torts category and from Chambers Global in its USA Litigation: Trial Lawyers category, among other accolades. Ms. Conklin has extensive experience advising and defending clients across the full life cycle of large-scale litigation, including strategy development, discovery, case workup and trial. She focuses her practice on pharmaceutical litigation, product liability, mass tort matters and other complex commercial disputes. Ms. Conklin successfully coordinates large teams of lawyers across multiple firms in connection with complex analyses, case development and trial preparation. Ms. Way is a seasoned product liability litigator with a practice focused on complex, multijurisdictional mass tort suits involving personal injury claims. She has extensive experience representing clients at all stages of litigation in significant state and federal proceedings nationwide. Ms. Way regularly works alongside counsel across multiple law firms and jurisdictions, developing unified litigation strategies that drive favorable results in high-stakes matters. Ms. Way excels at fostering collaboration among diverse legal teams and executing coordinated strategic defenses that advance client objectives. Mr. Koehler regularly represents clients in large-scale mass tort actions, including federal and state product liability, consumer fraud and medical monitoring litigation, with particular experience representing pharmaceutical, medical device and other life sciences companies. Mr. Koehler has repeatedly been named one of Best Lawyers' Ones to Watch in America in recognition of his work. Ms. Grinder handles high-stakes litigation from discovery through trial and appeal, with particular experience in trial strategy, witness preparation and bellwether cases. She also has experience advising clients on regulatory compliance, risk management and government investigations. LawFuell's editors select and publish the most relevant and up-to-date information about lawyers and law firms for LawFuel on a daily basis from the most reputable and independent sources available.