Prominent Antitrust and Competition Partner David Wales Joins Skadden

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 19, 2018 – Skadden announced today that David P. Wales has joined the firm's Antitrust and Competition Group as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Wales is a highly regarded, U.S.-based antitrust lawyer, who most recently served as global head of the antitrust practice at another leading international law firm and previously was a senior official at both the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ).

Mr. Wales has nearly 25 years of experience, and his practice focuses on providing antitrust advice to U.S. and international clients in connection with high-profile mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances across a broad range of industries. In addition to transactional advice, Mr. Wales represents clients on all other aspects of antitrust law, including in civil and criminal investigations, licensing and competitor agreements, dominant firm conduct, and distribution arrangements. He has represented U.S. and global clients on some of the most complex and contentious antitrust matters over the past few years.

"Dave has an impressive track record of achieving successful results for clients on their most high-stakes matters, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Skadden," said Steven C. Sunshine, leader of Skadden's Global Antitrust and Competition Group. "Our clients will benefit greatly from Dave's wide-ranging experience, including his unique insights from having served in front-office positions in the government."

"I have worked alongside or across the table from Skadden and its impressive attorneys throughout my career," said Mr. Wales. "I am delighted to join its world-class antitrust team and to have the opportunity to help provide extraordinary client service around the globe."

As acting director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition (2008-09), Mr. Wales oversaw nearly 300 lawyers and staff on all antitrust enforcement matters handled by the FTC, including landmark mergers, like Whole Foods/Wild Oats and CCC/Mitchell, as well as key conduct matters, such as the agency’s reverse payment cases in the pharmaceutical industry and its enforcement actions in the petroleum industry. Earlier in his career, as counsel to the assistant attorney general in the DOJ's Antitrust Division (2001-03), he was part of the team responsible for oversight of all aspects of the Division's enforcement actions across a variety of industries.

Mr. Wales has testified on antitrust policy issues before the U.S. Congress and the Antitrust Modernization Committee. He also is ranked as a leading practitioner in Chambers USA, Legal 500, The International Who's Who of Competition Lawyers & Economists and U.S. News – Best Lawyers.

He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Syracuse University and his B.A. from Pennsylvania State University.