Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP fields a team of longstanding experts in its antitrust practice, covering advisory, litigation and investigations work and handling both domestic and cross-border transactions while remaining ‘really on top of the industry and relevant trends’. Its work representing the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Paramount Global in its pending $28bn merger with Skydance Media, LLC is particularly indicative of this strength. Christine Varney heads the team from New York, leveraging previous experience as both the US Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, and as a Commissioner of the FTC. Co-head Noah Joshua Phillips, based in Washington DC, ’is excellent all-around’ with experience spanning the consumer product, defense, pharmaceutical, and retail industries. Combining litigation and antitrust expertise, Maggie Segall is a go-to for high-value, complex transactions in New York. Also in New York, Jesse Weiss was promoted to partner in January 2024, ‘a real expert and a great business partner’. In January 2025 Andrew Finch moved over from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Jesse Weiss is a true expert!’
‘Jesse Weiss is practical, knows the law, and can really help guide executives through the complex antitrust process. He is a real expert and a great business partner. ’
‘The team is really on top of the industry and relevant trends.’
‘Noah Phillips is excellent all-around. Trusted advisor, excellent judgment, super responsive.’
Key clients
- Amentum Services, Inc.
- Aon plc
- Cisco Systems, Inc.
- CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc.
- EchoStar Corporation (Special Committee)
- Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (Special Committee)
- Frontier Communications
- Paramount Global (Special Committee)
- Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
- Sterling Check Corp.
Work highlights
- Representing the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Paramount Global on antitrust issues in connection with Paramount’s pending $28 billion merger with Skydance Media.
- Represented Cisco Systems on antitrust issues in connection with its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk Inc.
- Represented Aon plc on antitrust issues in connection with its $13 billion acquisition of NFP Corp.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Christine Varney; Noah Joshua Phillips
Other key lawyers
Maggie Segall; Craig Arcella; Steve Kessing; Nicholas Dorsey; Jesse Weiss; Andrew Finch