Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP - The Who's Who Legal 100 2012

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

The largest contingent of lawyers from the firm appears in the competition chapter where a total of 10 representatives are recognised for their “impressive talents”. The firm’s competition practice group has 21 partners and recently secured immunity for Lufthansa Cargo in DG Comp’s air cargo cartel investigation. Four of the nominees are based in the Brussels office, including “high-flyer” Claus-Dieter Ehlermann. Ehlermann features in both the competition and trade and customs chapters and has “extensive” experience in representing companies in EC competition matters, in particular in merger control procedures, state aid and international arbitration proceedings. The “eminent” Sven Völcker is nominated for his competition and aviation expertise and has acted in more than 20 EU court cases. Dual qualified in German and US law, Völcker is a “great asset” to the firm. John Ratliff is another “fine addition” to the chapter and he represents clients in the energy, sport, telecoms, pharmaceuticals, aviation and retail sectors. Ratliff is praised for his “superb” handling of competition matters ranging from merger control, abuse of dominance and cartel defence cases. In Washington, DC, William Kolasky has over 30 years’ experience in competition law and is a “prominent figure” in the bar having been one of the architects of the new International Competition Network, designed to promote international cooperation and convergence and streamline the multinational merger review process. Alongside him, Thomas Mueller is “highly knowledgeable” in handling competition issues in the US and EU and aids clients on global matters including cartel enforcement, merger reviews and investigations. Representing the Berlin office, Stefan Ohlhoff demonstrates his leading expertise in the competition and trade and customs chapters. Ohlhoff specialises in representing clients before the European Commission, the German Federal Cartel Office and European and German courts and his recent experience includes representing a major European airport in a Swiss-German dispute on the use of German airspace for approaches and departures before the German Federal Administrative Court. Ulrich Quack is internationally recognised as a “leading expert” in German and EU competition law and his clients cover a wide range of industries including telecommunications, energy, aviation, travel and engineering.

Five lawyers feature in the business crime defence chapter, four of whom are based in Boston. Robert Keefe practices extensively in white-collar crime defence and prior to joining WilmerHale he was an attorney in the criminal division of the Department of Justice. At the same office, Karen Green is praised for her “astute mind”. In Washington, DC, Howard Shapiro is a “leading name” with a high-profile practice representing clients in connection with criminal investigations.

The firm fields five lawyers to the arbitration chapter. In London, Gary Born emerges as one of the leading individuals worldwide in our research. Chair of the firm’s international arbitration practice, Born has participated in more than 550 international arbitrations across leading international seats. His experience covers joint ventures, investor-state, M&A, investment banking, project finance, energy, IP and insurance disputes. The “excellent” Wendy Jane Miles was recently lead co-counsel for southern Sudan in the Abyei arbitration which involved ground-breaking live coverage via the internet, while vice chair of the practice group Franz Schwarz specialises in complex disputes with a multi-jurisdictional element.

The firm’s life sciences expertise is a reflection of its impressive client list, which includes Bristol-Myers Squibb, ThermoFisher and bioVex. Four lawyers are selected for inclusion in the corresponding chapter, among them William Lee, based in Boston, “excels” in the field of intellectual property litigation. Lee is further recognised in the patents chapter and acted as lead trial counsel for Apple in the “smart phone war” litigations. David Redlick is co-chair of the life sciences group and advises companies in the industry on corporate and securities law including IPOs and M&A transactions. In New York, Steven Singer is also co-chair of the life sciences group and his experience in the sector spans nearly three decades. Singer is a “great technician” and focuses on joint ventures and strategic alliances as well as venture capital transactions.

WilmerHale also excels in the corporate sector with three listings apiece in the M&A and corporate governance chapters. Appearing in both chapters, Mark Borden and Jay Bothwick demonstrate their “impressive breadth of expertise”. Chair of the M&A group, Bothwick advises on domestic and international M&A, tender and exchange offers, proxy contests and public and private offerings, his recent practice highlights include representing Airvana in its acquisition by an investor group led by SAC Capital for $530 million. Borden represents both public and private companies in securities transactions and acquisitions in addition to advising on defences against unsolicited takeovers. Chair of the securities department, William McLucas features in the corporate governance and litigation chapters and is “highly sought after” by public companies seeking advise on corporate crises and investigations.

WilmerHale continues to earn international recognition for the work of its lawyers across a range of sectors, demonstrating the winning formula of attracting the most talented and experienced lawyers to serve the world’s leading clients.