Mr David Gelfand > Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP > San Francisco, United States > Lawyer Profile

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
650 California St
Suite 2000
San Francisco
CALIFORNIA
94108
United States
David Gelfand photo

Position

David Gelfand is a partner based in the Washington, D.C. office. His practice focuses on a broad range of antitrust matters, including U.S. litigation, notifying mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. and other jurisdictions, and providing antitrust advice to clients regarding potential transactions and various business practices. His clients have included companies in various industries, including computer software, computer hardware, information services, electronic platforms, chemicals, metals, pharmaceuticals, product manufacturing, retailing, and oil and gas. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and academic seminars.

Career

Served as Assistant Attorney General for Litigation for U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division (2013-2016); At DOJ, led merger challenges against GE/Electrolux, Halliburton/Baker Hughes and oversaw merger review of Comcast/Time Warner; JD, summa cum laude, Georgetown University Law Center (1987); BS, magna cum laude, University of Pennsylvania (1981). Joined firm, 1991; became partner, 1997. From 2001 to 2004, resident in Brussels office.

Memberships

Mr. Gelfand is a member of the Bars in Maryland and the District of Columbia, where he is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth and District of Columbia Circuits.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Antitrust > Merger control

(Hall of Fame)

David Gelfand  – Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

The ‘extremely deep bench of expertise’ at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton includes experts in complex merger clearance advocacy and multi-jurisdictional criminal and civil investigations, as well as litigation. Its international reach is significant, often working closely with teams in Europe to handle cross-border matters: a particular area of strength for both Brian Byrne  and Daniel Culley. Leah Brannon  and Heather Nyong’o co-head the team; Brannon has notable experience in global merger clearance, while San Francisco-based Nyong’o focuses her practice on antitrust enforcement. George Cary works between DC and San Francisco, a longstanding expert in the field, while David Gelfand has a practice spanning merger review, civil litigation, and criminal investigations, a go-to trial counsel in complex litigated mergers. Bruce Hoffman leverages his experience as a former FTC Bureau of Competition Director to support clients in highly regulated sectors, and Kenneth Reinker is noted for his expertise in the application of complex economics to antitrust matters; Elaine Ewing is also a key name. In January 2025 the New York team was bolstered by the addition of Puja Patel, formerly of A&O Shearman , alongside the promotion to partner of Blair Matthews. Attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.