Top Antitrust Lawyers in California: Two Latham Litigators Selected to Prestigious List

California’s largest legal newspaper, the Daily Journal, named Latham Antitrust & Competition Practice partners Chris Yates and Kelly Fayne among the state’s Top Antitrust Lawyers in California. Launched in 2020, the list annually recognizes California-based competition practitioners who are making their mark on the discipline and achieving stellar results as they guide their clients through the antitrust bar’s most challenging disputes and transactions. In 2023, the Daily Journal selected just 30 individuals from across the state for the honor.

Making his second appearance on the Daily Journal’s list of the state’s best competition lawyers, Mr. Yates earned the accolade for his defense and plaintiff-side work over the past 18 months, including winning summary judgment for World Aquatics in a significant sports litigation matter, for securing a complete jury verdict for plaintiff Oracle in an unfair competition and copyright dispute, and for helping defeat the US government’s multiple attempts to block U.S. Sugar’s acquisition of Imperial Sugar.

Ms. Fayne rose above her peers to land on the publication’s list for her standout merger clearance successes, including eight high-profile transactions from the past year valued at more than US$60 billion in total. She navigated complex merger waters in jurisdictions around the globe, guiding MGM in the company’s acquisition by Amazon, advising U.S. Sugar’s purchase of Imperial Sugar, and counseling EverWatch in its transaction with Booz Allen Hamilton.