John Taladay

"Very knowledgeable"... "A tour de force in competition law matters"

Chambers USA 2017

John M. Taladay is Co-Chair of the Antitrust practice of Baker Botts. He is well-recognized as a leading global antitrust practitioner, known for his work in gaining merger approvals, defending criminal cartel investigations, litigating civil antitrust cases and managing complex international competition matters.

In working closely with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, the European Commission and other international agencies, Mr. Taladay has extensive experience in gaining merger clearances particularly in the technology, media, telecommunications, consumer products, software and pharmaceutical sectors and traditional industries including the automotive, airline, primary metals, agriculture, food, chemicals and electronics sectors.

Mr. Taladay has also led the defense of U.S. and foreign corporations and individuals in dozens of major cartel matters including antitrust grand jury investigations into allegations of price fixing, bid-rigging, market allocation and related offenses. He has navigated corporate clients through a range of cartel representation strategies from steadfast defense to leniency application to formal non-prosecution treatment. His litigation work includes acting as lead counsel in numerous civil antitrust class action and other litigation matters involving nearly all aspects of the antitrust laws.

Mr. Taladay has been a leader in the development of international competition policy. He serves as Chair of the Business at OECD Competition Committee, and as past Chair of the United States Council for International Business Competition Committee. He has been appointed as a Non-Governmental Advisor to the International Competition Network for more than 15 years, and has been invited by the U.S. FTC and DOJ to serve as a faculty member at several international merger workshops aimed at training more than 50 ICN member agencies in the analysis of mergers, investigations, and other matters. He also serves on the Council of the ABA Section of Antitrust Law and as Co-Chair of the Procedural Transparency Task Force of the ABA Section of Antitrust Law and as a member of the ICC Commission on Competition.

Lead counsel to large domestic and international companies in U.S. and Global merger, cartel, litigation and dominance matters, including all of the following:

• The International Air Transport Association (IATA) in connection with its complaint to the European Commission relating to aftermarket sales and repairs.
• comScore’s acquisition of Rentrak in online, television and cross-media measurement.
• Large technology company in relation to U.S. and international investigations relating to standards essential patents (SEPs).
• Akamai Technology's acquisition of Prolexic in DDoS and cloud security solutions.
• GKN's acquisition of Volvo Aerospace, NV.
• A major Japanese auto parts manufacturing company in DOJ Grand Jury investigation and follow-on class action litigation.
• In re Air Cargo Antitrust Litigation - Lead counsel to South African Airways in civil class actions and DOJ investigation.
• In re Optical Disk Drive (ODD) Antitrust Litigation - Lead counsel representing PLDS in all aspects of DOJ investigation and related civil class actions.
• In re Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Antitrust Litigation - Lead counsel to Philips Electronics in all aspects of DOJ investigation and related civil class actions.
• Represented a major U.S. pharmaceutical company before the FTC in connection with a merger opposition and divestiture initiative.
• Akamai Technology's acquisition of Contendo.
• GKN's acquisition of a large automotive drive train parts company.
• Inco Ltd. - including Inco’s DOJ Approval for the Acquisition of Falconbridge, Ltd. and subsequent sale to CVRD. Nickel and cobalt mining & refining.
• Plumbing Cartel Investigation - Lead counsel in DOJ and EC cartel investigation into plumbing products.

The Legal 500 U.S., 2015-2017

Chambers USA, Antitrust, 2005-2020

Recognized as a Washington D.C. Super Lawyer, 2005-2018

Listed in Who's Who Legal: Competition, 2016 & 2017

Expert Guide to the Leading Competition Lawyers, 2004