Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce the latest expansion of its global Antitrust & Competition practice with the addition of Edward Schwartz and Andrew Lee. Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Lee both join Steptoe as partners in the firm’s Washington office. Mr. Lee will also be heavily involved in the further expansion of Steptoe’s Korea practice.
Mr. Schwartz comes to Steptoe with more than 25 years of experience successfully representing clients in antitrust and other complex litigation, as well as in merger, cartel and other non-merger antitrust investigations conducted by federal and state regulators. He has aggressively and successfully defended his clients in class action and other cases alleging a variety of antitrust claims, including conspiratorial conduct (price-fixing, market allocation, tying and exclusive dealing); unilateral conduct (monopolization, monopsonization and predatory pricing); and price discrimination.
Mr. Lee, who speaks fluent Korean, has substantial experience in advising both domestic and international clients on all aspects of antitrust and competition laws. In private practice, he has focused primarily on antitrust compliance and counseling, criminal antitrust defense, and civil class actions and litigation arising from alleged antitrust violations. He has also counseled clients on mergers and acquisitions involving competition issues in both US and non-US jurisdictions, and advised clients on anti-corruption compliance. Previously, Mr. Lee worked at the FTC where he worked on numerous merger investigations under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act in the retail, energy, e-commerce, and telecommunications industries.
In welcoming Messrs. Schwartz and Lee, Roger Warin, chair of the firm, commented: “Ed and Andrew bring significant experience representing clients in a range of industries in antitrust litigation, investigations and counseling. Their arrivals also continue the expansion and strengthening of Steptoe’s global Antitrust & Competition practice in Brussels and the US.”
“Steptoe has long had a strong reputation in antitrust litigation and merger investigations, and the firm’s combined strengths in litigation and regulation make it an ideal fit for my practice,” said Mr. Schwartz. “In addition, I have long admired both the quality of the work produced by the firm’s lawyers, as well as the collegiality of the firm’s culture. The partners seem to work together extremely well for the good of the firm and the firm’s clients. I look forward to working with my new partners to help grow Steptoe’s already-strong antitrust practice.”
Mr. Lee added: “I am honored to join Steptoe. The firm’s renowned reputation across key government and regulatory practices, including antitrust and anti-corruption, should provide significant benefits and synergies to further grow my practice and client base. Along with representing the firm’s clients in antitrust matters, I am looking forward to helping Steptoe grow its Korea practice. As you may know, the firm represented the Korean government in its Free Trade Agreements with both the EU and the US. As those trade agreements take effect, there will be many more opportunities to assist Korean companies looking to do business abroad as well as advising international companies wishing to enter the rapidly-growing Korean market.”
Mr. Schwartz earned his law degree, cum laude, from Boston College Law School, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Environmental Affairs Law Review, and a B.A., from Hamilton College. In 2008, he received a prestigious Burton Award for Legal Achievement, an honor presented by the Library of Congress and the Burton Foundation for legal writing.
Mr. Lee received his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his B.A., magna cum laude, from John Hopkins University.
