Ryan Kantor

During his more than 10 years with the DOJ, Ryan played key roles in several of the Antitrust Division’s most high-profile investigations and enforcement actions. He led the investigation of the proposed merger of two of the largest health insurers in the United States, resulting in the division successfully challenging the proposed merger in federal court. Ryan received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the department’s second highest award for performance, for his work on this matter. Ryan also managed the investigation of the proposed merger of two of the other largest US health insurers, also resulting in the division successfully challenging the proposed merger in federal court.

In addition, Ryan was a key member of the prosecution team that challenged the proposed merger of two of the largest mobile wireless telecommunications services providers. During his tenure at the DOJ, Ryan led or managed major investigations involving a diverse set of industries, including retail products, wood and paper products, packaging products, telecommunications and technology, office and consumer products, health insurance, hospitals, pharmacies, and pharmacy benefit managers. For his work on these matters, Ryan received the Assistant Attorney General Award of Distinction three times.

As assistant chief of the Healthcare and Consumer Products Section, he managed more than two dozen lawyers responsible for investigating and prosecuting merger and non-merger matters in the healthcare, retail, and consumer products and pulp, paper, and timber sectors.

Ryan frequently speaks on antitrust issues at national conferences.

He previously served as a law clerk to Judge Paul S. Diamond of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Representative investigations and litigation while at Morgan Lewis

• On behalf of Intercontinental Exchange Inc. in its $16 billion proposed acquisition of Black Knight Inc. (investigation by FTC)
• On behalf of Amerisource Bergen in the sale of its specialty pharmacy US Bioservices to CVS Health (investigation by FTC)
• Leading healthcare company in connection with several multibillion- and multimillion-dollar acquisitions and dispositions (investigations by FTC)
• Leading publishing company in connection with a major transaction in the publishing industry (investigation by DOJ)
• Defending a large healthcare provider against a putative class action alleging that the provider and its clinically integrated network of outpatient providers engaged in exclusive dealing, tying, and price fixing in violation of Sherman Act Sections 1 and 2
• Leading energy company in multiple major transactions
• On behalf of Perrigo Co. plc in its $2.1 billion acquisition of Hera SAS (HRA Pharma) (investigation by FTC)
• On behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana Health Services & Indemnity Co. in connection with its proposed acquisition of Vantage Holdings Inc. (investigation by DOJ)
• Leading health system in connection with investigation about contracting practices (investigation by FTC)
• Leading healthcare company in connection with investigation relating to restrictive covenants (investigation by FTC)
• Leading sports team in investigation of antitrust issues relating to labor practices (investigation by DOJ)
• On behalf of a large health insurer in a class action challenge to the operation of the Blue Cross Blue Shield rules
• On behalf of Intercontinental Exchange Inc. in connection with its proposed acquisition of TMC Bonds (investigation by DOJ)
• Leading asset manager in connection with DOJ investigation with respect to Section 8 of the Clayton Act (investigation by DOJ)

Representative investigations and litigation while at the DOJ

• Challenges in federal court to proposed mergers of four of the five largest US health insurers; achieved favorable outcomes
• Two enforcement actions challenging hospitals’ allocation of territories for marketing of healthcare services; resolved by decree that prevents the parties from continuing the conduct
• Enforcement action challenging hospital system’s use of steering restrictions in contracts with health insurers
• Enforcement action challenging chiropractic associations fixing prices between competing chiropractors in negotiations with health insurers; resolved by decree that prevents the parties from continuing the conduct
• Enforcement action challenging a health insurer’s use of “most favored nation” clauses; action dismissed after state legislature banned use of the clauses
• Enforcement action challenging proposed merger of paper manufacturers; resolved by divestiture of two paper mills
• Enforcement action challenging wood product manufacturers’ pre-merger coordination as “gun-jumping” violations
• Merger between manufacturers of fiberboard wood products abandoned after DOJ expressed concerns about the transaction’s likely anticompetitive effects
• Merger between manufacturers of strandboard wood products abandoned after DOJ expressed concerns about the transaction’s likely anticompetitive effects
• Enforcement action challenging merger of containerboard manufacturers; resolved by divestiture of manufacturing plants
• Enforcement action challenging proposed merger of mobile wireless telecommunications services providers; merger abandoned prior to trial
• Merger between manufacturers of office and consumer products abandoned after DOJ expressed concerns about the transaction’s likely anticompetitive effects
• Enforcement action challenging dairy processor’s acquisition of fluid milk processing plants; resolved by divestiture of fluid milk processing plant
• Enforcement action challenging merger of bread manufacturers; resolved by divestiture of brand and manufacturing assets