Antitrust Partner Michael Cohen Joins Sheppard Mullin

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 16, 2015 — Michael P. A. Cohen has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Antitrust and Competition practice group, based in the firm's San Francisco office.  Cohen joins from Paul Hastings, where he co-founded and subsequently chaired the firm’s global Antitrust and International Competition practice. 

"Michael is a talented and high performing antitrust attorney, as well as an exceptional fit for the firm.  He is well known and highly regarded in the market, adding both depth and breadth to our antitrust practice," said Guy Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin.

"Following last month’s launch of our EU Competition practice in Brussels with a highly regarded group of lateral partners, we are thrilled to add another top-notch attorney to the antitrust group.  Michael further diversifies our client base and helps drive our merger, healthcare and cartel antitrust capabilities,” commented Gary Halling, Sheppard Mullin’s Antitrust and Competition practice group leader.

“I'm thrilled to be joining such an established and historic antitrust group.  The firm’s longstanding commitment to antitrust and international competition law, marked most recently by its landmark multi-partner expansion in Brussels, as well as the firm’s Asia offices, match the multinational client businesses and industries I serve," Cohen stated.  “The firm’s nationally-ranked 100 plus attorney full service healthcare practice in the United States also adds deep dimensional experience to growing client demands for antitrust work in this critical domestic industry."

After beginning his career in law enforcement as an assistant special prosecutor, Cohen, currently ranked by Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and the Global Competition Review, has practiced all dimensions of competition law defending multinational clients without borders across continents in business conduct cases and investigations for more than two decades.  He is among a short list of lawyers who have successfully defended mergers through trial and appeal in the United States, including serving as co-lead counsel to Western Refining in its acquisition of Giant Industries, which proceeded from complaint through trial in twenty-one days and through appeal in less than fourteen days. 

Cohen’s practice includes concentrated experience representing clients in high tech, software, oil and gas, heavy manufacturing, transportation, food processing, broadcast, digital media, and healthcare industries.  He also has developed a specialization bridging environmental organizations and stakeholders with industry in sustainability joint ventures. 

Cohen received a J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Washington & Lee University in 1990 and a B.A. from Virginia Tech in 1987.  He is also a professor at the Monterey College of Law, where he teaches Constitutional Law as well as Business Organizations.

Last month, partners Jacques Derenne and Robert Klotz joined Sheppard Mullin’s Antitrust and Competition practice group in Brussels.  Derenne heads Sheppard Mullin’s EU Competition and Regulatory practice, and joined from Hogan Lovells, where he was head of the firm’s Brussels competition practice.  Klotz joined from Mayer Brown.  In July, Antitrust partner Oliver Heinisch joined Sheppard Mullin in London from Simmons & Simmons. More partners are expected to join the EU Competition group in Brussels in the near future.  

 Sheppard Mullin has 95 attorneys based in its San Francisco office.  The firm’s Antitrust and Competition practice group includes 35 attorneys firmwide. 

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with 740 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia.  Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions.  In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100.  For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.