March 1, 2010, Washington DC -- Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP today announced that Michael N. Sohn has joined the firm as counsel. He will be located in the firm’s Washington DC office and will continue his career-long focus on the antitrust aspects of mergers and acquisitions, as well as government and private antitrust litigation and investigations.

Mr. Sohn is one of the preeminent antitrust lawyers in the country and is widely recognized for his involvement in sensitive and complex antitrust matters, particularly with regard to facilitating innovative agreements between companies and reviewing government authorities.

Mr. Sohn has represented clients such as Wyeth, GE, Merck, Nasdaq and PepsiCo in merger investigations and litigation before the FTC and the Justice Department. He is currently representing PepsiCo in connection with its acquisition of its two principal bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas. Among his other most significant representations were the successful settlement in the FTC’s 1998 monopolization suit against Intel, the approved $27.2 billion acquisition of Guidant by Boston Scientific, the approved $60 billion acquisition of Aventis by Sanofi and the acquisition of Quaker Oats by PepsiCo. Mr. Sohn served as General Counsel of the Federal Trade Commission from 1977 to 1980.

Davis Polk has one of the nation’s leading antitrust practices, combining experience in complex corporate transactions with a sophisticated litigation practice. Working closely with the M&A team, the firm’s antitrust lawyers represent clients in U.S. and cross-border transactions across a range of industries. The team also handles all types of antitrust litigation, including class actions, criminal and administrative investigations and enforcement actions, and defends transactions against private and government challenges.

“Mike is one of the foremost antitrust lawyers in the nation and his arrival will not only bolster our already market-leading antitrust practice, but will also allow us to further expand our presence in the Washington market,” said John R. Ettinger, Davis Polk’s Managing Partner. “In addition, he represents the latest in a long line of lawyers with senior government experience to join Davis Polk.”

In the last 18 months, Davis Polk has added five high-profile lawyers to its ranks in Washington: former FDIC General Counsel John Douglas, former SEC Commissioner Annette Nazareth, former SEC Enforcement Director Linda Chatman Thomsen, former White House Staff Secretary and Assistant to the President Raul Yanes and former acting head of the SEC’s Division of Market Regulation Robert Colby.

Mr. Sohn joins Davis Polk from a major Washington law firm, where he led the antitrust practice for many years.