Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, LAW FIRM NEWS: Firms add antitrust lawyers, announce promotions and recognitions, (Aug 5, 2026)

By Jody Coultas, J.D.

Attorney moves, promotions, and recognitions have been announced by several firms with antitrust practices.

New Hires

Former Department of Justice trial attorney Jack Congdon has joined Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as a partner in its Antitrust Practice in the Washington, D.C. office. Congdon served as trial counsel in a number of high-profile antitrust matters and multiple merger enforcement actions. Before joining the DOJ in 2021, Congdon was an associate in Sullivan & Cromwell’s Washington, D.C. office, where he advised clients on merger reviews before the DOJ and FTC and represented companies in complex antitrust and commercial litigation.

Global law firm Reed Smith has appointed Paul Johnson as partner in its Global Regulatory Enforcement Group and London office. Johnson has two decades of experience working with clients to solve their competition law issues in the UK, European Union and around the world. Johnson joins from Mogan Lewis where he was partner in its London office. He was previously partner at Baker McKenzie where we worked in both its London and Brussels offices.

Hogan Lovells Cadwalader announced that David Emanuelson has joined the firm as a partner in the Antitrust and Competition practice area based in our San Francisco office. Emanuelson joins the firm from Arnold & Porter. Emanuelson advises clients on merger analysis, complex private antitrust litigation, government investigations, and antitrust compliance. Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Emanuelson held multiple in-house antitrust leadership positions for over a decade, including serving as Chief M&A Regulatory Counsel and Associate General Counsel for Intel Corporation and Head of Antitrust Americas for Novartis Corporation. Emanuelson received his J.D. from University of Illinois College of Law and his B.S. from Northern Illinois University.

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney announced it has added Anthony Van Vuren as a shareholder in its Washington, D.C. office. Previously, Van Vuren served as the designated antitrust compliance officer at one of the largest U.S. banks, where he provided daily regulatory guidance to the institution. Van Vuren built his career at top global law firms where he litigated major antitrust and other complex commercial cases in federal and state courts, conducted global investigations, and developed strategic responses to subpoenas and investigative demands. Van Vuren holds a law degree from American University Washington College of Law and a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University.

Promotions

María Carolina Pardo Cuéllar was appointed to lead the Baker McKenzie Latin America Antitrust & Competition team. For over 30 years, Pardo has advised major national and international clients on matters related to compliance with data protection, competition, and consumer law rules, according to the firm.

Recognition

Law360 announced the Rising Stars of 2026, a list of attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age. The list includes more than 160 attorneys from 90 law firms and spans 35 practice areas. The winners include antitrust/competition lawyers Lohr Beck (King & Spalding), Lindsey Bohl (Simpson Thacher), Alison Deich (Cohen Milstein), Roxana Guidero (Wilkinson Stekloff), Matt Huppert (Winston Taylor), Zachary M. Johns (Morgan Lewis).

Arnold & Porter celebrated that the firm was shortlisted for 14 awards at the 2026 LMG Life Sciences Americas Awards. Antitrust Firm of the Year was among the “Firm of the Year” categories.

John DeQ. Briggs, a partner at Axinn and founder of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, has made a significant gift to Georgetown University Law Center to establish the John DeQ. Briggs Endowed Professorship in Antitrust Law. The gift will support the hiring, recruitment, and compensation of Georgetown Law’s antitrust faculty, as well as related academic programming and scholarship activity. Briggs intends to further strengthen the professorship through a future estate commitment that would elevate it to an endowed chair.

Attorneys: Paul Johnson (Reed Smith). Jack Congdon (Sullivan & Cromwell LLP). David Emanuelson (Hogan Lovells Cadwalader). Anthony Van Vuren (Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC). María Carolina Pardo Cuéllar (Baker McKenzie). John DeQ. Briggs (Axinn LLP). Lohr Beck (King & Spalding); Lindsey Bohl (Simpson Thacher); Alison Deich (Cohen Milstein); Roxana Guidero (Wilkinson Stekloff); Matt Huppert (Winston Taylor); Zachary M. Johns (Morgan Lewis).

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