Nick advises clients on a range of domestic and cross-border antitrust and competition issues while regularly representing them before the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Federal Trade Commission. 

His practice focuses on merger clearances, agency investigations, and civil litigations.

Nick represents clients in all aspects of the merger review process, including merger clearances before the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. He also advises on global merger notification requirements and coordinates antitrust approval efforts in jurisdictions throughout the world. Nick has significant experience representing clients in antitrust conduct investigations and antitrust litigation matters, with a particular focus on merger litigations and class action litigations at the cutting edge of antitrust and intellectual property. His experience spans dozens of industries including technology, pharmaceuticals, energy, transportation, chemicals, retail, mining, solid waste, entertainment, and food/beverage.

During law school, Nick served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and as a law clerk in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Tort Litigation Section. He was also Production Editor of the Catholic University Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Team.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • GlobalWafers on USD 5.3billion acquisition of Siltronic, involving regulatory authorities in the United States, Asia, and Europe.
  • Haelon on USD 510 million sale of ChapStick brand worldwide to Suave Brands Company LLC.
  • EQT on significant minority investment into AMFresh Group acquisition of International Fruit Genetics.
  • The Hertz Corporation on antitrust issues relating to chapter 11 bankruptcy exit (previous firm experience).
  • Anthem, Inc. in trial court defeat of Cigna’s claim for USD 1.85 billion reverse termination fee (previous firm experience).

Pro bono

  • Litigating prisoner rights issues relating to solitary confinement.

Published Work

  • Hugh Hollman, Charles Pommiès, Nicholas Putz (2023) The EC’s New Merger Referral Policy and the Transatlantic Reverberations of Illumina/GRAIL on the FTC’s Administrative Process, Antitrust
  • Hugh Hollman, Elaine Johnston, Nicholas Putz (2023) Parties are More Willing Than Ever to ‘Litigate the Fix’ in the United States, Global Competition Review – Merger Remedies Guide
  • Hugh Hollman and Nicholas Putz (2023) The Consumer Welfare Standard and Avoiding the Dangers of Polarized Debate in the USA, Oxford University Press
  • Noah Brumfield and Nicholas Putz (2022) Uptick in Antitrust Scrutiny of Board Relationships, Daily Journal
  • Noah Brumfield and Nicholas Putz (2022) Antitrust Considerations for ESG Initiatives, Informa Connect
  • Nicholas Putz, Rebecca Farrington, and Daniel Rosenthal (2020) Navigating Icebergs: A Brief Survey of Non-Reportable Transaction Enforcement Around the World, The Antitrust Source
  • Nicholas Putz, Andrew Black, and Daniela Huerta Garcia (2020) Future Tech Mergers: The Potential Impact of the 2020 Vertical Merger Guidelines, Icarus

Awards

  • Shortlisted article for the Antitrust Writing Awards
  • 2023 Concurrences Antitrust Writing Awards Shortlist for The EC’s New Merger Referral Policy and the Transatlantic Reverberations of Illumina/GRAIL on the FTC’s Administrative Process, Antitrust
  • 2023 Concurrences Antitrust Writing Awards Shortlist for Parties are More Willing Than Ever to ‘Litigate the Fix’ in the United States, Global Competition Review – Merger Remedies Guide (5th Edition)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted: Bar of the District of Columbia, 2018

Admitted: Bar of the State of Maryland, 2017

Academic

JD, magna cum laude, The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, 2017

BA, Economics, Xavier University, 2014

HBA, Philosophy, Politics, and the Public, Xavier University, 2014

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.