Craig Minerva: Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

Contact

TEL 202.469.3511

Craig Minerva, a former lead attorney with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, has substantial experience in all aspects of civil antitrust matters and counseling, especially complex transaction reviews, across a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, media, entertainment, technology, and transportation. Craig’s litigation skills, coupled with his antitrust expertise, make him a key team member in antitrust litigations, and reinforce his strength in handling investigations in the shadow of potential litigation. Valued for his creative thinking and strategic planning, Craig anticipates challenges and proactively crafts plans to address them in order to achieve key goals.

While at the Antitrust Division, Craig led teams to successful results in numerous significant matters. His work prevented consummation of anticompetitive deals by remedying or blocking them outright. For his work at DOJ, in 2019, he was honored both with the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award as well as the Assistant Attorney General Award. Prior to joining the Antitrust Division, he was a senior associate at a global law firm where he represented clients in merger reviews, conduct investigations, and litigation. While on detail in London, he represented clients before the European Commission and advised on European and UK competition law issues.

Professional Activities

Vice-Chair, ABA Antitrust, Media & Technology Committee; co-editor of Icarus newsletter (2019-Present)
Vice-Chair, ABA Antitrust, Books & Treatises Committee (2016-2019)

Experience

Private Practice

Advising VMware in its $61 billion acquisition by Broadcom.
Advised Thermo Fisher Scientific in its $12.5 billion tender offer for QIAGEN N.V.
Counseled and represented Sagard Holdings, Fairfax Financial Holdings, and Peak Achievement Athletics in the DOJ review and clearance of the acquisition of Easton Diamond Sports by Rawlings Sporting Goods.
Represented D.G. Yuengling & Son in its joint venture with Molson Coors Beverage Company to expand west.
Represented Novartis in the sale of its animal health division to Eli Lilly.
Represented United Airlines in its proposed acquisition of take-off and landing slots from Delta at Newark Liberty Airport.
Advised Boehringer Ingelheim before the European Commission on the acquisition of Sanofi’s animal health division.
Represented a leading U.S. technology company before the Antitrust Division regarding standard essential patent issues.
Represented Continental Airlines in In re Transpacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust Litigation and helped secure voluntary dismissal.
Represented classes of dairy farmers alleging antitrust violations – Allen, et al. vs. DFA et al (D. Vt.) and In re Southeastern Milk Antitrust Litigation (E.D. Tenn.).

Government

Led the initial investigation of a leading incumbent’s proposed acquisition of a nascent rival, which (following Craig’s move to Axinn) the parties abandoned post complaint.
Led investigation of proposed merger of the two largest commercial printers of publications and prepared strong litigation position, resulting in the parties abandoning the deal post complaint.
Led investigation of merger of two of the largest entertainment companies, resulting in consent decree requiring divestiture of all of the target’s regional sports networks.
Investigated violations of consent decree and prepared strong litigation position, resulting in settlement that significantly modified and extended the decree.
Led investigation of proposed two-to-one newspaper merger in a failing-firm context and prepared strong litigation position, resulting in sale of the target to an alternative buyer.

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Axinn