Michael S. Wise

Partner

About Michael

Michael Wise is the firm’s US Antitrust & Competition Practice Group Leader, resident in the Washington DC office.

His practice focuses on a full spectrum of antitrust issues, including merger clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR Act) and corresponding foreign regimes, regulatory investigations, and civil and criminal litigation matters. He has experience across a wide range of industries, including private equity and financial services, media, transportation, energy and manufacturing.

On transactional matters, Michael regularly advises on the full life cycle of a prospective deal, including strategic advice, negotiation of antitrust-related purchase agreement provisions, information exchange and clean team issues, regulatory filings, and government investigations. His focus is always to maximize certainty, both with respect to deal timelines and also with respect to the scope of antitrust risk.

In defending clients against allegations of anticompetitive behavior, Michael has successfully represented clients facing civil and criminal claims under the Sherman Act, as well as challenges under state antitrust and unfair competition statutes. He also provides comprehensive antitrust compliance counseling to minimize litigation risks.

Michael is also active in the American Bar Association (ABA) Antitrust Law section, where he has served as a mentor for young antitrust practitioners and held leadership positions on the Compliance and Ethics Committee and the editorial board for Antitrust Law Developments.

Experience

  • Represented a US manufacturing business in its sale to a global competitor, including managing global merger control filings and corresponding investigations across multiple jurisdictions.
  • Represented a foreign diagnostic test provider in its acquisition of a competing US business, including successfully navigating a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation into the combination.
  • Defended an international service provider in a US government investigation into potential anticompetitive practices and the development of a global antitrust compliance program.
  • Advised a multinational electronics company in an international merger control review of its US$8 billion acquisition of a leading sound and connected technologies company.
  • Represented a global apparel company in developing a competition law compliance program covering practices in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
  • Assisted China’s largest meat manufacturer in a worldwide antitrust review of its acquisition of the largest pork producers in the US, a cash merger valued at over US$7 billion.
  • Acted on behalf of a major American media holding company in connection with the antitrust review of its merger with a leading broadcast television business, a transaction valued at approximately US$2.2 billion.
  • Represented a transportation and logistics company, specializing in the automotive industry, in the antitrust review of its acquisition of a competitor, a deal valued at US$135 million.
  • Counseled a mid-sized television broadcasting entity in the antitrust review of its sale of 18 television stations to one of the largest media companies in the US for US$370 million.
  • Advised an American prepaid wireless service provider in the antitrust review of its reverse merger with one of the largest telecommunications corporations in the US, valued at over US$10 billion.
  • Acted on behalf of a South Korean multinational technology conglomerate in the international antitrust review of the sale of its hard disk drive business to a leading data storage entity for approximately US$1.4 billion.
  • Defended a not-for-profit organization that represents the global music products industry in a class action brought under Section 1 of the Sherman Act involving guitars and other musical instruments.
  • Advised a multibillion-dollar international corporation in conducting an antitrust compliance audit across its US businesses.

Credentials

Education
  • The George Washington University Law School, J.D., with honors, 2007
  • Washington University in St. Louis, B.A., cum laude, 2004
Admissions
  • District of Columbia, 2008
  • Virginia, 2007

Recognitions

  • Ranked as one of the Leading Litigators in America for Antitrust & Competition Law, including in M&A, Investigations and Litigation, by the Lawdragon 500 2024-2026
  • Selected as a Next Generation Partner for Merger Control by The Legal 500 USA
  • Recognized for Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense by The Legal 500 USA
  • Named a top-rated Antitrust Litigation attorney in Washington DC by SuperLawyers
  • Nominated for excellence in business and mergers writing during Concurrences’ 2024 Antitrust Writing Awards

Expertise

Services
Antitrust & Competition
Industries
Advertising, Media & Brands

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • Co-author, “DOJ China Container Indictments Signal Global Cartel Risk,” Law360, July 1, 2026.

  • Co-author, “5 Ways In-House Counsel Can Stay Ahead of New HSR Rules,” Law360, June 2025.

  • Author, “Pace Of Early Terminations Suggests Greater M&A Scrutiny”, Law360, May 2025.

  • Co-author, “Trump's DOJ Antitrust Nominee Reveals Enforcement Focus,” Westlaw Today, February 2025.

  • Author, “2 Cases May Signal Where FTC Is Headed On Labor Issues,” Law360, January 2025.

  • Co-author, “FTC Report on AI Sector Illuminates Future Enforcement,” Law360, January 2025.

  • Co-author, “5 Antitrust Issues For In-House Counsel In 2025,” Law360, January 2025.

  • Moderator, “Beyond Section 8: Addressing Director Interlock Issues,” Antitrust On-Demand, ABA, February 2024.

  • Author, “Biden’s Pricing Strike Force Is Poorly Equipped for a Tough Task,” Bloomberg Law, March 2024.

  • Co-author, “Taking Stock of Antitrust Efforts Targeting Private Equity,” Wall Street Lawyer, November 2023.

  • Co-author, “Considerations For Private Equity After FTC Vet Clinic Deal,” Law360, July 2022 (subscription required).

  • Moderator, “Antitrust After 2020: Reversion to the Mean or Revolution?” webinar, October 2020.

  • Co-author, “Tronox, Cristal Merger Review Underscores Need for Reform,” Law360, September 2018.

  • Co-author, “US Merger Control in the High-technology Sector,” The Merger Control Review, 9th Edition, September 2018.

  • Panelist, “Hart-Scott-Rodino Act: Best Practices to Avoid Risks and Pitfalls,” The Knowledge Group, December 2017.

  • Contributor, “Antitrust Law,” Handbook on Antitrust in Technology Industries, ABA, November 2017.

  • Co-author, “US Merger Control in the High-technology Sector,” The Merger Control Review, 8th Edition, September 2017.

  • Speaker, “Reducing Costs in Multilingual Discovery,” International Legal Technology Association, April 2017.

  • Co-author, “US Merger Control in the High-technology Sector,” The Merger Control Review, 7th Edition, August 2016.