Rich Snyder

Partner

Rich Snyder represents companies in antitrust litigation, global cartel investigations, and US and international merger control. He appears before federal and state courts, the DOJ, FTC, and competition authorities around the world.

Rich develops deep understanding of each client’s business and works tirelessly to develop narratives that align with the evidentiary record, economic analysis of the evidentiary record and, most importantly, common sense.

His clients span multiple industries including publishing, entertainment, healthcare, airlines, auto parts, consumer electronics, financial services, and food production.  Although his work is often outside the public eye, Rich and his work has been recognized:

• “M&A Transaction of the Year, Americas” – United Airlines–Continental Airlines merger (Global Competition Review)

• “Behavioral Matter of the Year, Americas” – eBooks investigation (Global Competition Review)

• “Matter of the Year” – Anheuser-Busch InBev/SABMiller merger (Global Competition Review)

• #2 Most Highly Regarded Future Leader in North America – Who’s Who Legal: Competition

• Described by peers as a “star at the antitrust bar” and “one of the best antitrust lawyers I have met,” Rich is praised for “sound and solid advice” across jurisdictions and “excellent work handling complex merger defense matters.

Recent client representations include:

• Hachette Book Group and other publishers in landmark eBook antitrust litigation, including the DOJ’s case against Apple and follow-on class actions. Rich helped secure summary judgment for defendants and defended against claims involving digital rights management and agency pricing models.

• Cengage Learning in its acquisition of Houghton Mifflin Higher Education and proposed merger with McGraw-Hill, as well as in litigation over inclusive access course materials.

• Universal Music Group through antitrust considerations of minority sales to Tencent-controlled entities and Pershing Square.

• Anheuser-Busch InBev’s merger clearance strategy in its acquisition of SABMiller PLC, coordinating regulatory approvals across the Western Hemisphere.

• Matsushita Beijing Color CRT Company in multi-district litigation over cathode ray tube pricing, successfully securing dismissal of claims in California state court.

• Foster Farms in wage exchange class action litigation under the Sherman Act.

• Continental and United Airlines in antitrust litigation and merger challenges, including the successful defense of their merger in federal court.

• Universal Music Group in investments from Tencent and Pershing Square and previously representing EMI Music in FTC investigations of Sony and Universal’s multi-billion-dollar acquisitions of EMI’s publishing and recorded music businesses.

Education:
• University of Chicago Law School, JD
• Stanford University, B.A.