U.S. DOJ Antitrust Asst Chief Joins Sidley Austin

San Francisco — Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Peter Huston will join the firm’s global Antitrust practice as a partner in the San Francisco office. Mr. Huston comes to Sidley from the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, where he served as assistant chief in the San Francisco office, which has historically led the Antitrust Division’s investigations of international cartels and matters focusing on high technology industries.

Mr. Huston brings exceptional government enforcement experience to Sidley’s global competition practice. While at the Department of Justice, Mr. Huston’s practice focused on criminal antitrust enforcement proceedings, cartel litigation, and merger clearance. Mr. Huston was the lead lawyer on multiple high-profile antitrust investigations and trials, including the LCD cartel investigation, regarded by many as one of the most significant criminal antitrust cases in recent history, and in the United States’ challenge to the Bazaarvoice merger. He was responsible for investigations conducted in coordination with foreign competition authorities and, during his last year with the Antitrust Division, supervised all merger investigations conducted by the Department’s San Francisco office and Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act reviews. 

“San Francisco is an epicenter of cartel enforcement,” said Sharon Flanagan, managing partner of Sidley’s San Francisco office. “Adding Peter to our already deep antitrust bench will enhance our capabilities, especially in the areas of criminal cartel enforcement and related civil litigation. Peter’s in-depth knowledge of the cartel practice in the Bay Area and his understanding of the inner workings of the Department of Justice will make him a valuable asset to our clients.”

Prior to serving in the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Mr. Huston was in private practice for close to 20 years; during that time, he built a substantial civil antitrust litigation practice. He also oversaw federal and state antitrust and unfair competition matters and represented clients facing antitrust issues related to mergers and acquisitions.

“Peter’s extensive experience in both the public and private sectors positions him well to advise clients on a wide range of antitrust matters,” said Marie Fiala, co-global leader of Sidley’s Antitrust/Competition practice. “We are delighted Peter chose to return to private practice with Sidley and look forward to collaborating with him in representing our clients on competition matters.”

“I am excited to join the incredibly talented team of professionals at Sidley, and having worked with Sidley’s antitrust lawyers in the past, I know first-hand what skilled and creative advocates they are,” said Mr. Huston. “It has been an honor to represent the United States alongside such a dedicated and professional group of public servants at the Department of Justice, but at the same time I’m looking forward to re-entering private practice. The stakes have never been higher for clients across the entire spectrum of antitrust law, and Sidley’s breadth, both in terms of office locations and practice areas, provides numerous opportunities to collaborate with my new colleagues to help clients navigate the increasing complexities of cross-border antitrust enforcement.”

With 1,900 lawyers in 18 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal adviser for global businesses and financial institutions. For the fifth consecutive year, and every year since the survey’s inception, Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings in the 2015 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” survey. On Law360’s list of Global 20 Firms, Sidley was ranked among the top law firms “with the greatest global reach and expertise.” To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at@SidleyNewsroom or download the Sidley Mobile App.