Peter Todaro is counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Antitrust & Competition Practice. He advises clients on antitrust aspects of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other transactions in the United States and abroad.

Mr. Todaro is skilled at securing merger clearance from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for clients across a range of industries including energy, financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications.

Mr. Todaro also provides counsel in areas across the full scope of antitrust and competition issues including representation before trial and appellate courts in class action and other complex litigation and counseling on complex antitrust and compliance issues.

Prior to joining Latham, Mr. Todaro taught antitrust law as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law and was a partner in the D.C. office of another international law firm.

Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Represented Clariant Corporation, a global chemical company, in its evaluation of strategic alternatives including potential acquisitions and joint ventures*
  • Represented TSYS, a global payments provider, on its US$2.35 billion acquisition of TransFirst from Vista Equity Partners*
  • Represented Weatherford in the sale of its multinational pipeline service business in dozens of countries across five continents to Baker Hughes gaining premerger clearance in Brazil, COMESA, Kazakhstan, Russia, and the United States*
  • Represented MillerCoors in its acquisition of an ownership stake in Terrapin Beer Company*
  • Represented Sprint Corporation in connection with successful wireless license swaps following DOJ review*
  • Represented BioScrip, Inc., a specialty pharmacy business, relating to successful sale to Walgreens, Co. following FTC review*
  • Represented ChoicePoint in a successful defense of FTC Second Request investigation of the acquisition of ChoicePoint by Reed Elsevier*
  • Represented Haddington Ventures, a natural gas storage facility, in its sale to Spectra Energy Corp. following FTC review*
  • Represented Metal Management/Sims, leading global recycling and metals businesses, in successful merger following review by DOJ and antitrust authorities in Australia, China, Germany, Greece, and Turkey*

Litigation

  • General Dynamics Corp v. Orbital Sciences Corp. — Represented General Dynamics Corporation in litigation arising out of the sale of a satellite business and related government contract and involving claims for, among other things, fraud and breach of contract; reached favorable settlement on eve of trial*
  • In re: Plavix Antitrust Litigation — Won motion to dismiss direct and indirect purchaser class action and opt-out claims for Sanofi-Aventis in multi-district antitrust litigation alleging antitrust violations stemming from a proposed agreement to settle patent litigation with a generic drug maker*
  • Sprint Corporation — Defended Sprint Corporation in qui tam action concerning telecommunications government contract brought under the False Claims Act; reached favorable settlement that allowed company to continue providing service under contract*
  • In re: Lorazepam & Clorazepate Antitrust Litigation — Defended pharmaceutical company in a four week federal jury trial involving antitrust claims arising from exclusive supply agreements*
  • F. Hoffman-LaRoche, Ltd. v. Empagran S.A. — Represented UCB Chemicals Corporation in US Supreme Court case establishing standard for application of US antitrust laws to alleged conspiracies involving foreign commerce*

Investigations

  • Confidential Investigations — Represented companies and individuals in confidential internal investigations and criminal antitrust investigations by the Department of Justice and other US and foreign enforcement authorities in industries including air cargo, financial services, metals, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications*
  • Oversight & Government Reform Committee Investigation Relating to the Obama Administration’s Auto Regulations — Represented major automotive company in investigation concerning Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards*
  • FTC v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. — Successful settlement in which the FTC acknowledged that there was no wrongdoing by Bank of America and only challenged past mortgage servicing conduct by Countrywide; negotiated settlement provisions with FTC that were reflected in subsequent National Servicing Standards; designed and implemented compliance program required by consent order*
  • Senate Finance Committee Investigation Relating to Pain Medication — Defended a major pharmaceutical company in connection with an investigation concerning the promotion of pain medication*
  • Energy & Commerce Committee Investigation of Direct To Consumer Advertising — Defended major pharmaceutical company in connection with an investigation concerning advertisements for branded pharmaceuticals*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

 

Bar Qualification

  • District of Columbia
  • Virginia

Education

  • JD, University of Virginia School of Law, 1996
    Order of the Coif
  • BA, University of Virginia, 1992