Bower, Chris

Christopher Bower

Counsel

christopher.bower@lw.com
    Bower, Chris

    Christopher Bower

    Counsel

    christopher.bower@lw.com

    Profile

    Chris Bower, a former trial attorney at the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), represents clients in complex merger reviews, government conduct investigations, and government and private antitrust litigation.

    Chris draws on his experience representing private clients and in government enforcement to help companies and executives navigate complex antitrust issues spanning numerous industries.

    While at the DOJ, Chris led several investigations, deposed top executives, appeared in federal court on behalf of the United States, and provided key enforcement recommendations involving:

    • Large mergers and acquisitions
    • Concerted action
    • Monopolization
    • Gun jumping
    • Interlocking directorates

    Before his time at the DOJ, Chris spent several years at Latham, where he represented clients in price-fixing class actions, civil and criminal government investigations, and business-to-business antitrust litigation.

    Chris clerked for Judges Jon Tigar in the US District Court for the Northern District of California and Samuel Conti in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. He is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Law Section and has served as an editor on several ABA publications.

    Experience

    At the DOJ, Chris led investigations into:

    • Potential collusion in the real estate industry*
    • Tenaris’ proposed acquisition of Benteler Steel & Tube*
    • Gun jumping (section 7A) related to a proposed merger*
    • A large consumer products company’s proposed acquisition of a potential competitor*
    • Two prominent theater companies’ merger*
    • Two electrical infrastructure companies’ merger*

    He also played leading roles in DOJ investigations into:

    • TopBuild’s proposed acquisition of SPI*
    • Information-sharing and potential collusion in the sports industry*
    • Potential monopolization by a digital entertainment platform*
    • A digital music platform’s proposed acquisition in an adjacent market*
    • The mergers of:
      • Large video programming networks and direct-to-consumer video streaming platforms*
      • Niche direct-to-consumer video streaming platforms*
      • Large data center providers*
      • Leading education management platforms*

    Chris’ private practice experience includes representing:

    • StarKist in a cartel investigation before the DOJ and follow-on civil multidistrict litigation
    • A major technology company in a civil government investigation into alleged abuse of market power
    • Various clients in merger investigations, including online travel agencies and raw materials companies
    • A transgender prisoner in California in a successful pro bono section 1983 civil rights case for failing to protect them from sexual assault

    *Matter handled prior to joining Latham

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • District of Columbia

    Education

    • JD, University of California, Berkeley, 2014
    • BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 2005
      summa cum laude

    Practices

    Industries

    Recognition