Prominent Antitrust Lawyers Start New Antitrust Boutique

Prominent Antitrust Lawyers Start New Antitrust Boutique
to Address Surge in Antitrust Enforcement

Rule Garza Howley LLP Brings Together Attorneys with
over $1 Trillion in Collective Deal Experience

WASHINGTON, DC, March 21, 2022 — Market-leading antitrust lawyers Charles F. (Rick) Rule and Deborah A. Garza, both former senior antitrust officials, and Daniel J. Howley, who has played a leading role on many major antitrust matters, have launched a new boutique antitrust law firm focused on providing sophisticated advice to clients on critical M&A, government investigations, and litigation.  They are joined by highly respected antitrust lawyers William E. Dolan and Margot M. Campbell, who also bring deep M&A, trial, and advisory experience.

Rule Garza Howley LLP joins top antitrust lawyers with success leading some of the most significant antitrust investigations of the last 40 years.  Mr. Rule and Ms. Garza are widely recognized as among the world’s leading antitrust lawyers.  Mr. Rule, a former head of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, is joining the firm from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where he was co-chair of the Antitrust Group.  Ms. Garza is a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Acting head of the Antitrust Division, former Chair of the Antitrust Modernization Commission, former chair of the ABA’s Antitrust section, and former co-chair of the global competition practice of Covington & Burling LLP.  Mr. Howley, Mr. Dolan, and Ms. Campbell are experienced antitrust deal lawyers and litigators who have represented clients in many leading antitrust matters in recent years.  Mr. Howley is joining the firm from Paul, Weiss; Mr. Dolan is joining from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; and Ms. Campbell is joining from Johnson & Johnson, where she was Senior Counsel for Competition Law.

“In recent years the antitrust environment has changed dramatically, and companies have a greater need now than ever for sophisticated and experienced counsel to help navigate the evolving and multi-dimensional landscape. Our small size will allow us to serve clients in a way that is nimble, unencumbered by conflicts, and intensely client-focused,” Rule said.  “I am very proud of my time at Paul, Weiss and the opportunity to work alongside some of the best M&A lawyers and litigators in the world. Our new boutique firm offers a unique and focused value proposition that is designed to meet the needs of companies at a time when new mandates are reshaping the antitrust landscape.  I look forward to continuing to work with my friends at Paul, Weiss while being able to assist other top lawyers, investment bankers, and clients.”

“Our new firm is uniquely positioned to achieve positive outcomes for clients,” said Garza. “Clients will always get the ‘A-team’ at this firm, and they will benefit from our deep experience and first-hand insight into current antitrust enforcement practices and policies.”

“The commercial savvy of our antitrust team is at the top of the market,” said Howley.  “For antitrust, we’ll punch at the weight of the elite large firms, but with the agility of a boutique.”

“Rick has been a terrific partner and a leading antitrust advisor for many years. While I am sad to see him go, we wish him great success and look forward to working with him in the future,” said Scott Barshay of Paul, Weiss.

Attorneys with Decades of Success Leading Significant Antitrust Investigations 

Rick Rule has been at the forefront of antitrust law for four decades.  He began his career in the 1980s in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, becoming the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Division from 1986-89 – the youngest person ever to be confirmed by the Senate to that position. Over the last 30+ years since leaving the Division, Rick has led the antitrust practices at several leading D.C. and New York firms including Covington & Burling and Paul, Weiss.  During his time in private practice, Rick has represented major multi-national companies and executives in countless industries.  Rick has represented those clients before the Antitrust Division, the Federal Trade Commission, State Attorneys General and major foreign antitrust regulators in connection with many of the most notable merger investigations, including Exxon’s merger with Mobil, US Airways’ merger with American Airlines, and Cigna’s acquisition of Express Scripts. At the same time, Rick has represented clients in some of most prominent government investigations of the last quarter century, including leading the team that settled the Government’s monopolization case against Microsoft and defending international companies and executives in major antitrust criminal investigations.  As agencies and rules have evolved, he has helped clients to understand the dynamic legal framework, to assess the legal risk and rewards associated with a range of competitive strategies, and to work with government bodies to take advantage of, and ensure appropriate compliance with, the regulations governing the clients’ chosen strategy.  Rick received a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Deb Garza has served as a trusted advisor to firms for over 40 years on strategic transactions, civil and criminal investigations and litigation. In addition to her years of private practice, she has served in key government enforcement and policy roles, including as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Justice Department; Chair of the Antitrust Modernization Commission, a bi-partisan blue ribbon commission created by Congress to advise Congress and the President on the state of U.S. antitrust enforcement; and as co-chair of the International Competition Policy Expert Group. Ms. Garza chaired the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association during its 2018-19 year and served in the leadership of that organization and the Federalist Society Corporations, Securities and Antitrust Practice Group for many years. She is currently a member of the Uniform Commercial Code Antitrust Study Committee.  Previously, Deb co-chaired Covington & Burling’s global competition law practice.  Deb received a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Dan Howley joins the firm from Paul, Weiss, where he advised companies on antitrust matters, including litigation, mergers and acquisitions, and civil and criminal investigations.  Dan has represented clients in many of the leading antitrust matters in recent years.  These representations include Farelogix Inc. in connection with the review of its agreement to be acquired by Sabre Corporation and the subsequent litigation and trial verdict in favor of Farelogix and Sabre over the United States Department of Justice.  He represented Cigna in connection with the antitrust review of its $67 billion acquisition of Express Scripts and its proposed $54 billion merger with Anthem, Nestlé USA in connection with a complex multidistrict antitrust proceeding involving alleged price fixing of chocolate confectionaries, and US Airways in connection with the antitrust review and related government litigation on its $17 billion merger with American Airlines.  Dan received a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Bill Dolan joins the firm from the Antitrust Group of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Bill has more than a decade of experience advising clients on their most significant and complex antitrust matters, including high-profile mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures, antitrust compliance policies and procedures, and investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as well as state attorneys general and other regulators. In addition, Bill has defended clients in connection with litigation brought by regulatory agencies and has advised and represented clients in private antitrust civil litigation. Bill received a J.D. from the Duke University School of Law.

Margot Campbell will join the firm from Johnson & Johnson where she was Senior Counsel for Competition Law and provided cross-sector legal advice supporting the global antitrust review of the company’s mergers and acquisitions, counseled the business with respect to general antitrust matters, and drove training and policy initiatives.  Previously, Margot was associated with Paul, Weiss.  Margot has significant experience advising clients on antitrust compliance, mergers and acquisitions, conduct investigations, and in litigation brought by regulatory agencies, as well as in private antitrust litigation.  Margot received a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

About Rule Garza Howley LLP

Rule Garza Howley LLP is a boutique antitrust law firm focused on achieving positive outcomes for our clients in today’s complex M&A and regulatory environment. Our attorneys have decades of experience, including in leadership roles in government, AmLaw firms, and in-house roles and guiding Boards and C-Suite executives through “bet your company” matters. Collectively, our attorneys have more than $1 trillion in deal experience and have handled some of the most significant antitrust matters in recent decades. We employ a modern and flexible approach that is founded on a shared commitment to creating value for our clients.