Paul, Weiss Welcomes Star Antitrust Team

New York and Washington, D.C., September 15, 2025 — Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced today that David Higbee, Ben Gris and Djordje Petkoski, three of the nation’s leading antitrust advisors, are joining the firm in Washington as partners in the Antitrust Practice. Higbee, Gris and Petkoski provide strategic antitrust counseling and advise on merger control matters, government and internal investigations, and complex litigation. Their experience spans multiple industries, including energy, technology, financial services, life sciences and defense.

“David, Ben and Djordje are antitrust stars, and we’re thrilled they are joining our firm,” said Paul, Weiss Chairman Brad S. Karp. “Their arrival further strengthens our market-leading global antitrust capabilities.”

“I have worked closely with David for many years, and this trio is among the best in the business. I could not be happier that they have decided to join Paul, Weiss and that David and I will now be working together as partners,” said Scott Barshay, chair of the Paul, Weiss Corporate Department.

“We are excited to welcome David, Ben and Djordje to our antitrust team; their combination of litigation excellence and corporate acumen exemplify the versatility that distinguishes our practice,” said Scott Sher, global co-chair of the Antitrust Practice. “Their expertise across the full spectrum of antitrust concerns will be tremendously beneficial to our clients, who are navigating increasingly complex regulatory environments in their most significant transactions and high-stakes litigations.”

Higbee, who led the global antitrust practice at his previous firm, brings substantial experience in both private practice and government service, having served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Chief of Staff of the Antitrust Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. In that role, he provided strategic counsel to the Assistant Attorney General on antitrust enforcement strategy and policies and managed a diverse portfolio of investigations and prosecutions. Higbee’s government experience also extends to roles as Deputy Associate Attorney General, Counsel to the U.S. Attorney General, and White House Liaison. In his private practice, he focuses on antitrust, government and internal investigations, merger review and complex litigation. Higbee has been repeatedly recognized as a top-tier antitrust lawyer by Chambers USA and The Legal 500, and earned his B.S. from Brigham Young University and his J.D. from George Mason University.

“Joining Paul, Weiss represents an exceptional opportunity to build upon the firm’s already stellar reputation in the antitrust arena,” Higbee said. “Today's antitrust environment demands counsel who can anticipate enforcement trends and develop creative solutions. Paul, Weiss’s collaborative culture and commitment to excellence provide an ideal platform for serving clients in their most challenging antitrust matters.”

Gris focuses on antitrust investigations and counseling, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions before the FTC, the DOJ and other competition authorities around the world. Prior to his private practice, he spent nearly 12 years at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, most recently as Assistant Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, where he led the Mergers II Division, with oversight responsibility for investigations and litigation in multiple industries, from chemicals and automotive, to semiconductors and recorded music. Throughout his FTC career, Gris held leading roles on hundreds of matters, including numerous high-profile investigations and litigations, and helped shape best practices for cross-border merger review and interagency cooperation. Gris earned his B.S., cum laude, from Yeshiva University and his J.D. from Georgetown University.

Petkoski brings comprehensive experience in high-stakes antitrust litigation, government investigations and strategic counseling. His experience includes managing complex antitrust proceedings and representing clients in bet-the-company litigation, including price-fixing and monopolization claims. A prominent cartel defense lawyer, Petkoski has guided over two dozen corporate and individual clients through investigations conducted by the DOJ and international enforcement authorities. Petkoski’s experience also includes defending CEOs and other senior executives facing criminal antitrust allegations, as well as providing sophisticated counsel on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and competitive business practices. Petkoski earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from Harvard University.

The Paul, Weiss Antitrust Group advises clients on a full range of global antitrust matters, including antitrust regulatory clearance, government investigations, private litigation, and counseling and compliance. The firm represents clients before antitrust and competition authorities in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions around the world.

About Paul, Weiss

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a premier firm of more than 1,000 lawyers with diverse backgrounds, personalities, ideas and interests who provide innovative and effective solutions to our clients’ most complex legal and business challenges. The firm represents many of the world’s largest and most important public and private corporations, asset managers and financial institutions, as well as clients in need of pro bono assistance.