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Paul C. Cuomo
Partner | Section Chair - Antitrust & Competition Law (Firmwide)

Overview

Paul Cuomo is Co-Chair of the firm's Global Antitrust and Competition Practice. He also serves on the firm's Executive Committee and is the former Partner in Charge of the firm's Washington office.

Paul advises clients on all aspects of antitrust and foreign direct investment law, with an emphasis on U.S. and multi-jurisdictional merger reviews and antitrust litigation matters. According to Chambers USA (2023) "Paul gives excellent advice and he is always looking for innovative solutions."

In addition to appearing before the U.S. antitrust authorities, Paul regularly represents clients in international investigations and has appeared in person before numerous international authorities including the European Commission, the China State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the German Bundeskartellamt, the Canadian Competition Bureau and others. According to The Legal 500 U.S. (2023), "Paul Cuomo is extremely savvy and commercially minded. He has a sharp mind and is a creative thinker."

Paul has received U.S. and foreign antitrust clearances across a wide variety of industries, including sports and media, e-commerce, oilfield products and services, metals, electric and natural gas transmission and distribution, mining and forestry equipment and services, software, pulp and paper, general industrial manufacturing and various chemical products.

In addition to working with clients to help secure antitrust clearances for transactions, Paul has represented third parties in international merger investigations, and he provides risk arbitrage advice. Outside of the merger area, Mr. Cuomo regularly advises Fortune 500 and smaller companies on the antitrust issues associated with their day-to-day business practices and represents companies in civil non-merger and criminal grand jury investigations and antitrust litigation.

In addition, he serves as Antitrust Compliance Officer for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), a 9,000+ member association of manufacturers, retailers and distributors of musical instruments and products, under the terms of a settlement agreement with the Federal Trade Commission.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Maryland State Bar
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Member, American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law

Education

  • J.D., American University, Washington College of Law 1995
    cum laude
  • B.A., Villanova University 1992

Experience

Transactional

  • Liberty Media: Represented Liberty Media in connection with its acquisitions of Formula One and MotoGP and its potential investment in iHeartMedia.
  • Caterpillar Inc.: Represented Caterpillar on numerous transactions, including its acquisitions of Bucyrus International (surface and underground mining equipment), Electro-Motive Diesel (locomotives and diesel engines), Remy Diesel (diesel engine remanufacturing) and the Forestry Division of Blount International (timber harvesting machines),Weir Oil & Gas, its joint venture with Navistar (on-highway trucks) and the sale of its third party logistics business to Platinum Equity.
  • American Industrial Partners: Represented AIP, a leading midmarket private equity fund, securing unconditional clearances for dozens of global transactions, including its acquisitions of two leading shippers on the Great Lakes (Rand Logistics and ASC), two leading suppliers of waterjet technologies (KMT Group and Flow International), the combination of two leading suppliers of can making machinery (Sequa Can Corp. and Stolle Machinery Company), and many other matters.
  • SiriusXM; Represented SiriusXM in connection with its acquisitions of Pandora Media and Stitcher, a leading podcast producer.
  • Halliburton Company: Represented Halliburton on numerous matters, including its proposed acquisition of Baker Hughes.
  • A.O. Smith Corporation: Acquisitions of Lochinvar Corporation, GSW Inc./American Water Heater and State Industries.

Litigation

  • Represented Caterpillar Inc. in a lawsuit alleging the company conspired with a competitor and its own dealers to boycott the distributor of a foreign supplier seeking to enter the United States. Obtained defense jury verdict on plaintiff’s antitrust claims.
  • Secured dismissal of antitrust claims of federal and state antitrust claims alleging monopolization by Caterpillar and two Caterpillar dealers.
  • Secured summary judgment for QVC in litigation alleging monopolization and various state law claims.
  • In re Musical Instruments and Equipment Antitrust Litigation: Represented NAMM in federal MDL proceeding in Southern District of California and related litigation in Tennessee state court. Received dismissal of all federal antitrust claims.
  • Representing Vision Service Plan in a lawsuit alleging Section 1 and Section 2 claims resulting from termination from VSP’s network.
  • Represented Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation and affiliated entities; received dismissal of antitrust claims alleging group boycotts and conspiracies involving industry standard setting organizations.
  • Aspex Eyewear v. Vision Service Plan and Marchon Eyewear: Represented Marchon in federal antitrust case. Motion for preliminary injunction was denied and received dismissal of all claims.

Investigations

  • Representing a global sports league in investigations by DOJ, a State Attorney General and Congress related to membership in the league.
  • Representing private equity firm in connection with investigations into alleged improper industry consolidations.
  • Represented leading service company in connection with alleged employee anticompetitive no poach and non-solicit agreements.
  • Non-Public State Investigation: Represented a leading producer of consumer goods in connection with a multi-state investigation involving Section 1 and Section 2 issues.



Awards and Community

Listed in Who's Who Legal: Competition, 2016-2017, and as a Thought Leader: Competition, 2020

Ranked in Chambers USA, District of Columbia Antitrust, 2014-2024

Recommended in The Legal 500 U.S., 2013-2024

Recognized as a Washington D.C. Super Lawyer, 2012-2020, 2024

Recognized in Guide to World's Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers, 2012

Named One of the Top "40 Under Forty" in Washington D.C. area by Legal Times/National Law Journal, 2009