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O'Melveny Wins Matter of the Year for Work in US Airways / American Airlines Merger at Annual Global Competition Review Awards

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WASHINGTON, DC ─ March 26, 2014 ─ The US Airways / American Airlines merger, for which O’Melveny & Myers LLP represented US Airways, was named “Matter of the Year” at the 2014 Global Competition Review (GCR) Awards held in Washington, DC on March 25, 2014. O’Melveny partner Richard Parker, who was a finalist for “Lawyer of the Year,” served as lead trial counsel to US Airways with an O’Melveny team that included partners Henry C. Thumann and Kenneth R. O’Rourke. The Firm also was shortlisted in two additional categories: “Litigation of the Year” for the Firm’s antitrust work for Samsung and “Behavioral Matter of the Year” for the Firm’s work on behalf of Peter Grimm in obtaining a reversal of a criminal conviction.

According to GCR, the US Airways / American Airlines merger was chosen “on account of the shrewd, pre-emptive lawyering required to out manoeuvre lawsuits from a host of antitrust enforcers, which was recognised by voters as exemplary strategic practice in competition law.”

Each year, GCR’s readership and professionals from within the industry nominate and vote on the most significant competition matters covering the past 12 months. This year’s event was attended by approximately 250 antitrust and competition professionals from around the world.

About O'Melveny & Myers LLP's Antitrust and Competition Practice
O’Melveny & Myers LLP offers seamless antitrust and competition representation in the United States, Europe, and Asia. At any given moment, we are shepherding mergers through global clearance processes, designing antitrust-compliant licensing or distribution agreements, and vindicating our clients’ interests in the courtroom. Members of our practice group routinely represent clients before antitrust and competition agencies around the world. Our 50-plus antitrust and competition lawyers include former high-ranking regulators who maintain close contact with the enforcement agencies, providing clients with invaluable insights into governmental decision-making processes and agendas. Combining our US, European, and Asian antitrust knowledge, O’Melveny is well situated to advise on the transnational implications of deals and few firms can match our consistent strength across these three major economic areas.

About O’Melveny & Myers LLP
With approximately 800 lawyers in 16 offices worldwide, O’Melveny & Myers LLP helps industry leaders across a broad array of sectors manage the complex challenges of succeeding in the global economy. We are a values-driven law firm, guided by the principles of excellence, leadership, and citizenship. Our commitment to these values is reflected in our dedication to improving access to justice through pro bono work and championing initiatives that increase the diversity of the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.omm.com  

The following press release was issued by Global Competition Review:

The US Airways/American Airlines merger has been announced as winner of the GCR Matter of the Year Award, at a ceremony in Washington DC on 25 March, 2014.

The Matter of the Year Award acknowledges innovative, strategic work by legal teams and economists over a spectrum of competition matters worldwide. Previous winners have included FTC’s search and standard-essential patent investigations of Google and the Seagate/Samsung merger of 2012, which were both among the most renowned behavioural matters in competition law across the globe.

Recipients of the award are nominated and voted for by GCR’s readership of competition professionals worldwide. This year’s awards saw the largest turnout of voters to date, with over 3,000 of votes cast by subscribers on the biggest competition matters of the last 12 months.

According to the GCR team’s description in the programme, the US Airways/American Airlines merger was shortlisted on account of the shrewd, pre-emptive lawyering required to outmanoeuvre lawsuits from a host of antitrust enforcers, which was recognised by voters as exemplary strategic practice in competition law. The award is shared between Joe Sims, John Majoras and J Bruce McDonald (Jones Day), Richard Parker (O’Melveny & Myers), Rick Rule and Andrew Forman (Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft), Paul Denis (Dechert), MJ Moltenbrey and Timothy Longman (Paul Hastings), and Jean Paul Poitras and John Kallaugher (Latham & Watkins).

The ceremony was held at the W Hotel, Washington DC, with an attendance of approximately 250 delegates from around the world. Other award winners included Judge Douglas H Ginsburg of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to legal practice and education in the United States.

Notes for Editors
The annual GCR Awards began in 2010 and take place at the end of March.

This year, a total of 22 awards were given out across 4 main categories: Case, Individual, Firm and Enforcement. These included Matter of the Year, Agency of the Year and the Academic Excellence Award. This year also included 4 new categories recognising the successes of regional firms across the globe.

Proceeds from this year’s event go towards GCR publisher Law Business Research’s sole support of the Swawou Layout School in Kenema, Sierra Leone. This primary school, which was founded by LBR, provides lessons and meals to more than 40 primary-aged schoolgirls who would not otherwise have access to a formal education. A new building for the school, funded entirely by the generosity of attendees at our award dinners, is currently under construction.

GCR is an essential daily resource for over 10,000 competition professionals worldwide and is recognised as the world’s leading competition law and policy journal and news service. GCR prides itself on publishing reliable and informative competition news with breaking news, commentary and analysis five days a week, as well as original in-depth reports, interviews and features on antitrust enforcement worldwide. GCR’s work also includes GCR Live, a series of live antitrust and competition events held throughout the year in various jurisdictions, bringing together speakers and delegates from in-house, private practice, government agencies and economic consultancies to discuss current events and pressing topics in antitrust law.