Puja Patel’s practice focuses on a range of antitrust and competition issues, including antitrust clearance, antitrust litigation, and non-merger antitrust investigations.

Puja advises clients on all aspects of the merger review process, including Second Request investigations before the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, antitrust risk assessments, SPA aspects, multijurisdictional filing analysis, and Hart-Scott-Rodino Act compliance. She also has significant experience in representing clients in complex antitrust litigation matters, from fact and expert discovery, pleadings and motions, to settlement strategy. Puja also counsels clients on complex, high-stakes antitrust issues including competitor collaborations, vertical arrangements, joint ventures, and Section 8 interlocking directorate issues.

She has worked on dozens of complex cross-border matters in an array of industries including life sciences, financial services, technology, airlines, industrials, and food/agriculture.

Puja joined the firm as a partner in 2025.

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notable experience (prior to joining cleary)

  • Private equity fund client in connection with a significant minority investment in the agribusiness space, which was cleared by the DOJ following a Second Request investigation and the European Commission following a pre-notification and Phase I process.

  • Merz Pharmaceuticals on the In re Namenda Antitrust Indirect Purchaser Litigation, an antitrust class action suit brought against Merz and several other pharmaceutical companies regarding certain generic patent settlements in relation to the Alzheimer’s drug Namenda.

  • BTG plc, a medical devices company, on its $4.2 billion sale to Boston Scientific Company, which was cleared by the FTC following a Second Request investigation and subject to a structural remedy.

  • Tullett Prebon plc on its $1.5 billion acquisition of the global voice broking business of ICAP plc.

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Pro Bono

  • Advising the Center for Reproductive Rights (CfRR) on filing a complaint before the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) against the government of Tanzania challenging a discriminatory policy that barred pregnant girls and adolescent mothers from attending school. In December 2021, just days after CfRR and their local pro bono partner, the Legal and Human Rights Centre, argued their case before ACERWC, Tanzania’s Minster of Education announced that it would be ending its discriminatory policy.

  • Advising pro bono client on her Violence Against Women Act petition and subsequent citizenship application, a matter for which Puja and the team were recognized by pro bono partner, Her Justice, in their 2020 Commitment to Justice Awards.

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Selected Activities

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  • Co-Vice Chair, ABA Antitrust Section’s Podcasting Committee
  • Member, NYSBA Antitrust Section’s Executive Committee

Publications

“Antitrust focus on Private Equity Funds and Serial Acquisitions” CPI Antitrust Chronicle (June 2024), with Elaine Johnston and Ben Stievater

“When Is the Social Good an Antitrust Bad?” New York Law Journal (March 6, 2020), with John Roberti

“1-800 Contacts FTC Ruling Offers Warnings for In-House Counsel on Online Advertising,” Bloomberg Law Insights (March 6, 2019), with John Roberti

“Beware Antitrust Risks in Syndicated Lending,” Law360 (Mar. 22, 2017), with Joshua Shapiro

Events

October 2024
Navigating the New Merger Guidelines in Pharmaceuticals, GCR Pharma

April 2024
Antitrust and Environmental Justice, ABA Antirust Law Section Spring Meeting

November 2023
Perspectives on Antitrust Career Paths, NYSBA Antitrust Law Section

January 2021
Private Equity in the Merger Review Spotlight, NYSBA Antitrust Law Section Annual Meeting