William (Bill) Rinner, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Head of Merger Enforcement for the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, focuses his practice on securing merger clearances, navigating clients through government investigations, and defending clients from litigation.
Bill has experience leading clients through their most complex antitrust matters, including securing merger approval for complex transactions before the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission and defending companies in a wide range of enforcement actions, including both conduct and merger investigations.
Bill also has a background in antitrust litigation. He has handled a broad range of litigation-related matters, including class actions, merger enforcement actions, and arbitrations. Bill’s experience with both plaintiffs and defendants affords him a unique perspective that allows him to thoughtfully craft persuasive strategies for judges and juries alike.
Bill’s history with the DOJ’s Antitrust Division includes multiple leadership roles. As Deputy Assistant Attorney General, he oversaw the mergers & acquisitions docket and civil merger enforcement program. He played a key role in authorizing and managing new investigations, recommending enforcement decisions, and negotiating settlements. Earlier in his career, he also served as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, and subsequently as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel.
Prior to his Deputy Assistant Attorney General role at the DOJ, he worked for a leading global alternative asset manager, overseeing all private equity competition and foreign direct investment processes. His experience working in private capital allows him to seamlessly navigate nuanced issues for private equity clients, their portfolio companies, and sophisticated corporates.
A recognized thought leader, Bill is a frequent speaker at conferences and on panels on topics related to antitrust enforcement, media and telecommunications, private equity, and intellectual property.
After law school, he clerked for Hon. Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.