McDermott Adds Former DOJ Official Alison Smith in Houston Office

HOUSTON, TX -- McDermott Will & Emery LLP is pleased to announce that Alison Smith has joined the Firm in Houston as a partner in its global Antitrust & Competition Practice Group. The move comes as the latest development in the rapid, global expansion of the Firm's antitrust practice.

Last month, McDermott received first-tier recognition in the area of antitrust law in the inaugural edition of the 2010 Best Law Firm rankings published by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers . In late August, the Firm announced the appointment of leading competition partner Martina Maier to the Firm's EU competition practice, which she will head effective January 1, 2011.

Ms. Smith, who becomes the third antitrust partner to join McDermott this year, focuses her practice in the area of complex business litigation, including antitrust, securities, ERISA and major commercial litigation. She also represents corporations and individuals in white collar criminal matters, including antitrust, Foreign Corrupt Practices and export trade violation, grand jury and internal investigations. She provides antitrust counseling to corporations on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and distribution arrangements.

Her practice has included major litigation in the energy industry, including plaintiff's representation for breach of a partnership to build a $1.8 billion, offshore oil port in the Gulf of Mexico, contract litigation arising out of the federal drilling moratorium, and defense of civil and criminal litigation alleging an international antitrust conspiracy in the marine hose industry. She has also defended hospitals, airlines and telecommunications companies in antitrust conspiracy and monopolization cases.

Ms. Smith is active in the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association and currently serves on the International Cartel Task Force.

Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Smith practiced and co-led the antitrust practice at another international law firm. Between 1989 and 1991, she served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where she was principal deputy of the Division and responsible for federal antitrust enforcement in the nation's regulated industries, including transportation, energy, communications, financial institutions, health care and technology.

Ms. Smith is included in Chambers USA America's Leading Business Lawyers, Who's Who Legal, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America and Guide to the World's Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers. She was an adjunct professor of law at The University of Texas School of Law in 1992 and 1993, teaching antitrust law.

"We're delighted to welcome Alison to McDermott as we continue to boost the Firm's antitrust capabilities," said Joseph Winterscheid , partner and head of McDermott's global Antitrust & Competition Practice Group. "As governments around the world continue to increase their scrutiny of business competition issues, our clients can be assured that McDermott will be able to meet their needs wherever they are based. Alison gives the Firm greater depth in one of the world's most important energy and health care markets."

"McDermott saw a strategic opportunity to better serve its clients and grow its business by opening a Houston office in 2008. Over the past two years, we have added lawyers in key areas where McDermott can bring its national practice strength to Houston. First, it was energy transactions and intellectual property litigation and transactions, and now, with the addition of Alison Smith, complex business litigation and antitrust," said Robert G. Stephens, partner and head of the Firm's Houston office.

McDermott's Antitrust & Competition Practice Group has broad experience in all aspects of antitrust and competition law. Ranked among the top 10 in size, the practice has lawyers with significant antitrust and competition experience in its Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Rome, New York and Washington D.C. offices. The practice includes partners who, like Ms. Smith, have held senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and State Attorney General's Offices for Antitrust. McDermott lawyers regularly represent clients before the FTC, DOJ, DG Competition and the U.S. federal courts.

McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, the Firm has offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Rome, San Diego, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., and a close strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai. www.mwe.com