Cooley has announced that Norm Armstrong Jr. has joined as a partner and chair of its global antitrust and competition practice, based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Armstrong joins from Kirkland & Ellis and brings decades of sophisticated experience in enforcement priorities, deal execution, and cross-border antitrust matters drawn from tenures at the highest levels of government and private practice.
A former deputy director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, Armstrong advises clients on high-stakes mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions, as well as complex government investigations and antitrust litigation. At the FTC, Armstrong served among the agency’s most senior antitrust officials, overseeing merger and conduct investigations across healthcare, technology, pharmaceuticals, retail, consumer goods, energy, and entertainment. He worked on landmark matters and litigation before the FTC, Department of Justice, and federal and state courts.
Armstrong has advised public companies and financial-sector clients on high-value transactions and represented prominent institutions in complex antitrust litigation. His arrival underscores Cooley’s continued commitment to expanding its global, cross-departmental antitrust and competition offering to help clients navigate complex and evolving regulatory regimes. Cooley’s antitrust and competition practice is recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and Global Competition Review, and handles all aspects of antitrust and competition law matters including counseling, M&A, government investigations, and litigation.
Cooley has nearly 1,400 lawyers across 19 offices in the United States, Asia, and Europe, serving clients ranging from emerging companies to Fortune 500 corporations on transformative deals, complex regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation.
KEY QUOTES:
“Norm is a seasoned talent and an exceptional addition to our antitrust and competition practice. His arrival meaningfully advances our goal of operating as a fully integrated global platform, strengthening our ability to help clients manage regulatory risk and pursue transformative transactions amid a rapidly shifting global competition landscape.”
— Rachel Proffitt, Partner and CEO, Cooley
“Cooley’s reputation for sophisticated deal work, combined with its deeply collaborative culture, was a major draw for me. I’m excited to join a team that consistently delivers innovative, practical solutions for clients and highly motivated by the opportunity to lead a truly market-defining antitrust and competition practice.”
— Norm Armstrong Jr., Partner and Chair of Global Antitrust and Competition Practice, Cooley
