Bernard (Barry) A. Nigro Jr.

Chair of Fried Frank’s Global Antitrust and Competition Department, Bernard (“Barry”) A. Nigro Jr. has served at both federal antitrust enforcement agencies and participated in hundreds of competition matters. Mr. Nigro serves clients in a range of industries, including commodities and consumer products, agriculture, transportation, retail, technology hardware and software, online markets and platforms, social media, financial services, healthcare, media, communications, supermarkets, casinos and gaming, defense, chemicals, energy, and professional services. Mr. Nigro rejoined Fried Frank from the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, where as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General (2019-2020) he was the No. 2 official responsible for all civil and criminal antitrust enforcement and litigation. Previously, he served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General (2017-2019). While serving at the Department of Justice, Mr. Nigro played a critical role in advancing the Department’s antitrust enforcement priorities and numerous policy developments, including implementation of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, the 2020 Vertical Merger Guidelines issued in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission, and modernization of the Department’s Merger Remedies Manual and merger review process. Some of the notable matters for which Mr. Nigro was responsible for leading while at the Department include Bayer’s US$63 billion acquisition of Monsanto, Sprint Corporation’s US$26 billion merger with T-Mobile US, Inc., BB&T Corporation’s merger of equals with SunTrust Banks, Inc., CVS Health’s US$69 billion acquisition of Aetna, the indictment and prosecution in US v Christopher Lischewski, the deferred prosecution agreement resolving the felony charge against Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute LLC, and several HSR and order compliance enforcement actions, including the unprecedented Order enforcement action against Live Nation Entertainment. Mr. Nigro has also served as Deputy Director for the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, where he managed the Bureau’s merger and anticompetitive practices investigations and litigation. Mr. Nigro received a commendation for Superior Service awarded by the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business recognizes Mr. Nigro as a leading individual in Antitrust, quoting a client who notes that “he is a skilled and knowledgeable antitrust lawyer with a very practical approach.” Another Chambers source says Mr. Nigro “is really pragmatic and good with clients. He knows how to marry business and antitrust.” Mr. Nigro is also recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” by Legal 500 in Antitrust: Merger Control, where clients describe him as “the rare combination of DOJ and FTC expertise that is invaluable to clients who need to understand the agencies’ latest thinking” and note that “his decades of experience generally, and recent experience as the number-two lawyer in the Antitrust Division, make him a knowledgeable and skilled counselor on a broad array of government enforcement matters.” Other clients tell Legal 500 that he is “fabulous” and “figures out quickly what’s important and focuses energies there.” Clients also report that “[n]o one compares to Barry Nigro in terms of goodwill” and note his “years of experience make his counsel and perspective, particularly seeing what is coming down the road, exceptional.” They also have said that he “understands our business and our objectives and provides solutions to achieve them.” Mr. Nigro is also recognized as a “Global Leader” by Who’s Who Legal: Competition. Mr. Nigro served as a law clerk to the Honorable Charles R. Richey, United States District Court for the District of Columbia (1986-1987).