Benjamin Gris

Benjamin Gris

Partner

Email

ben.gris@aoshearman.com

Phone

+1 202 508 8011

Offices

Washington DC

V-CARD

Ben focuses on antitrust investigations and counseling with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions in front of the US Federal Trade Commission, the US Department of Justice, and other competition authorities around the world. He advises acquirers, targets, prospective divestiture buyers, and third-party clients in navigating the antitrust regulatory clearance process.

Ben joined the firm in 2018 after serving for nearly 12 years at the Federal Trade Commission, most recently spending three years as Assistant Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. During his time at the FTC, Ben served as lead investigator, manager, and/or litigator on hundreds of matters, including frequent collaboration with foreign antitrust agencies on cross-border transactions. Ben was also involved in the development of best practices for cross-border merger review and interagency cooperation.

As Assistant Director, Ben was the head of the FTC’s Mergers II Division, which oversees investigation and litigation in a wide range of industries, including chemicals, automotive, semiconductors, computer hardware and software, recorded music, tobacco, fertilizers, and a variety of intermediate products. Ben had leading roles in numerous high-profile investigations and litigations, including: CDK/AutoMate; Polypore; IDT/PLX; Ball/Rexam; Superior/Canexus; Broadcom/Brocade; Sherwin Williams/Valspar; Universal Music/EMI; A&P/Pathmark; and Western Digital/Hitachi.

Prior to becoming Assistant Director, Ben served as a Deputy Assistant Director of the Mergers II Division from 2011-1015.

Prior to joining the FTC, Ben was an associate in the litigation group of a large U.S. based law firm where he represented pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, financial, and consumer goods clients, among others.

Ben is a frequent speaker at ABA, International Competition Network, and other organizational events.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • Chevron Corp. on competition matters in its $53 billion acquisition of Hess Corp., $7.6 billion acquisition of PDC Energy, Inc., $3.15 billion acquisition of Renewable Energy Group, Inc., $5 billion acquisition of Noble Energy Inc., and acquisition of Beyond6, LLC.
  • J.F. Lehman & Company on its $1.2 billion acquisition of Heritage-Crystal Clean Inc. 
  • Atlas Holdings, LLC in the acquisition of USF Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries from The Gores Group.
  • EnCap Flatrock Midstream in the $1.45 billion sale of Lotus Midstream Operations, LLC to Energy Transfer LP.
  • SAP SE in connection with the $12.5 billion sale of Nasdaq-listed Qualtrics International Inc. to Silver Lake Management and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, on its acquisition of a majority stake in Taulia Inc., and on the sale of SAP Digital Interconnect to Sinch AB.
  • Société Générale on its plan to form a joint venture with AllianceBernstein, a leading global investment management and research firm, through the combination of their respective cash equity and equity research businesses.
  • Booz Allen in the victory over the DOJ’s attempt to block the $440 million acquisition of EverWatch, obtaining a favorable decision denying the DOJ’s preliminary-injunction request, which allowed the merger to close and ultimately led DOJ to drop the case.
  • Raytheon on the U.S. and global merger control aspects of its $120 billion merger with United Technologies.
  • Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited in connection with the sale of its Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group and Pethealth to JAB Holding Company for $1.4 billion.
  • Glatfelter Corporation in its $302 million acquisition of Jacob Holm and its acquisition of Georgia-Pacific’s U.S. non-wovens business. 
  • Qualtrics International in its $1.125 billion acquisition of Clarabridge, a leader in omnichannel conversational analytics.
  • Hitachi on its $9.5 billion acquisition of GlobalLogic Inc. 
  • GlobalLogic Inc. on the acquisition of Hexacta, a Pan-Latin-America data engineering company. 
  • Vontier Corporation in its $965 million acquisition DRB Systems from affiliates of New Mountain Capital.
  • Texas Instruments Inc. in its $900 million acquisition of a 300-mm semiconductor factory in Lehi, Utah from Micron Technology, Inc.
  • NIC Inc. in its $2.3 billion sale to Tyler Technologies Inc.
  • Hitachi Energy in its acquisition of a controlling stake in eks Energy, a leading supplier of power electronics and energy management solutions for storage and renewables integration. 
  • Tire Rack Holdings, Inc. and its stockholders in its sale to Discount Tire.

Published Work

  • Gris, Ben, Co-author. (2020, 2021) “European Union and United States: Antitrust and Data,” GDR Insight Handbook, Global Dispute Resolution
  • Gris, Ben, Co-author. (2020) “Edgewell/Harry’s: When a Maverick is More Than Its Market Share,” The M&A Lawyer
  • Gris, Ben, Co-author. (2019) “The FTC’s Consent Decree in the Staples/Essendant Deal Sets Playing Field for the New Commission’s Split on Antitrust Enforcement,” The M&A Lawyer
  • Gris, Ben, Co-author. (2019) “The Department of Defense’s Role in Merger Review,” Competition Policy International Antitrust Chronicle
  • Gris, Ben, Co-author. (2016) “What Does It Take to Settle a Merger Case?” FTC Competition Matters Blog

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, “Draft Merger Guidelines – FTC and DOJ” online panel organized by Association Colombiana de Derecho de la Competencia, August 2023
  • Moderator, “Anticipating Resistance,” M&A Conference at the University of Chicago, June 2022
  • Moderator, “Planning for Resistance,” M&A Conference at Wharton San Francisco, March 2022
  • Panelist, “A Transatlantic Perspective on the Current Trends in EU Merger Control and the Annulment of the UK Mobile Case,” Lexology webinar, November 2020
  • Moderator, “Global Merger Control and Antitrust Challenges: Nascent Competition Risk,” Online M&A Conference at Cornell Tech, October 2020
  • Panelist, “Navigating Regulatory and Antitrust Issues,” Connectivity Business Investment Conference 2019, June 2019
  • Moderator, “Tech Deals in Turbulent Times: Merger Review in the US, Europe, China and Brazil,” GCR Live Antitrust in the Digital Economy, May 2019
  • Panelist, “Alive or Dead? Common Ownership, Coordinated Effects, and Behavioral Remedies,” American Bar Association Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, February 2019
  • Panelist, “Consummated Merger Challenges: Are You Ever Safe,” American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section, September 2018
  • Speaker, “Takeaways from FTC Remedies Study,” DG Comp, EC, Brussels, 2017
  • Panelist, “Trends and Developments in Global Competition Law,” The Interdisciplinary Centre for Competition Law and Policy and Baker McKenzie Annual Conference, May 2017
  • Master of Ceremonies and Facilitator, International Competition Network Merger Workshop on Investigative Techniques, February 2017
  • Panelist, “Exploiting Patent Rights – Antitrust and Valuation Issues,” New York Intellectual Property Law Association CLE Seminar, 2014
  • Lecturer, “Issues in the Antitrust Analysis of High Technology and Innovative Industries,” Technical Assistance Seminar with Competition Commission of India, 201
  • Speaker, “Competition Law and High-Tech Markets,” Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, 2013
  • Instructor, “Deposition Training” (2012), “Interview Training” (2012), and “Evidence Training” (2013), National Institute for Trial Advocacy, 2012-13

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Law360’s 2022 Competition Editorial Advisory Board
  • Non-governmental Advisor, International Competition Network
  • Past Member, FTC/DOJ Working Group on Antitrust Guidelines for International Enforcement and Cooperation 
  • Past Member, FTC/DOJ/European Commission Joint Task Force on Navigating the US/EU Merger Remedies Process 
  • Past Member, FTC/DOJ/European Commission Task Force on Model Waivers

Awards

  • Featured in Who’s Who Legal Competition List, 2020-2024
  • The Paul Rand Dixon Award in recognition of high performance, significant contribution, and dedication to advancing the Commission’s mission and the public interest, Federal Trade Commission, 2011
  • The Janet D. Steiger Award for commendable work on the Polypore litigation team, Federal Trade Commission, 2011

Qualifications

Admissions

Washington, DC, 2019
New York, 2004

Academic

B.S., cum laude, Yeshiva University, 1995
J.D., Georgetown University, 2002
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.