Antitrust partner Jeff White has been named one of Law360’s 2018 “Rising Stars” for Antitrust/Competition in recognition of his ability to navigate complicated merger reviews to find solutions that get multibillion-dollar deals through to closing.

Law360’s profile highlighted Mr. White’s work advising Allergan on the $39 billion sale of its global generics business to Teva in 2016, which he describes as one of the most challenging of his career. “All in all, it was a long and at many times stressful review, but ultimately it was a great outcome for the client and a great experience,” Mr. White said. His work advising Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. on its $4.4 billion deal for nearly 2,000 Rite Aid stores, and his work advising Walgreens in its joint acquisition of PharMerica with KKR for $1.4 billion were also highlighted. Mr. White commented on these deals saying, “It was a privilege to work on these major matters for the client in a very interesting and dynamic industry.”

With regard to what motivates him, Mr. White cited the opportunity to work on cutting-edge deals that raise some of the most novel and complex issues in antitrust, while working on a team with talented colleagues. “When you're working on deals like that and with people that you know well — it's almost like a family environment — that serves as a great motivator as well,” Mr. White explained. “You're all working together as a team and no one wants to let anybody down.”

When asked why he chose to focus on antitrust, Mr. White explained his interest in antitrust began he started working at a law firm during his summer and winter breaks in college. That experience gave him an exposure to the legal world and an area of the law that also resonated with his interest in business. “On a daily basis I'm dealing with company executives, I'm learning about companies' products and services and their going-forward strategy, working with the clients to help them achieve their objectives, and to give them sound advice from an antitrust perspective. I'd say it really fit well with my interests,” Mr. White said.

A team of Law360 editors selected the 2018 Rising Stars winners after reviewing more than 1,200 submissions. Mr. White is among the attorneys under the age of 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age.

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