Williams Mullen has added a partner to its litigation practice, boosting the firm's antitrust capabilities in Washington.
Eric Berman, formerly a partner at Baker Botts, focuses his practice on competition law, regulatory matters, litigation, counseling and internal investigations. He has represented companies during the merger review process before the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.
On the international stage, Berman has helped usher antitrust clearance from competition authorities in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Russia and Korea.
In an interview, Berman said that going from a large antitrust practice at Baker Botts to a regional firm gives him more opportunities to expand his practice and greater accessibility in terms of cost. He said that at Williams Mullen, "a lot of the existing practice strength of the firm jives well with antitrust."
Berman said that Williams Mullen is looking to expand its regulatory practices. "I think that if we have the client demand for additional antitrust headcount, we will definitely grow the group," he said.
As for his own practice, Berman said that he anticipates it will narrow in focus, while his skill set will expand. That might mean an increased focus on healthcare antitrust while expanding his capabilities within the concentration. Regardless, he said the increased activity in antitrust, which predates the Obama administration, will continue in the coming year.
"I think that enforcement generally under the Obama administration has been fairly robust and will continue to be," Berman said.
Comments