Sullivan & Cromwell Hires DOJ Antitrust Chief; NY Firms Expand Teams

Ryan Shores has left the U.S. Department of Justice to join Sullivan & Cromwell as a partner.

Shores will co-head the firm's Antitrust Group from its Washington, D.C. office. He previously served as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Senior Advisor for Technology Industries. In that role, he oversaw the Department's antitrust review of major online platforms. The firm stated that he brings experience in high-stakes antitrust litigation, merger reviews, and government investigations. Shores earned his law degree from the University of Virginia and clerked for the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

In New York, Meister Seelig & Schuster PLLC acquired boutique firm Avelino Law. The deal brings founder A. Jude Avelino and managing partner Stacey Valentine to the larger firm. Avelino holds a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and a graduate degree in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Valentine holds a J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law. The merger expands Meister Seelig & Schuster's trusts and estates practice, which covers estate planning, wealth transfer, and probate litigation. Mark J. Seelig, the firm's chairperson, said the addition allows the firm to serve clients with complex financial lives. Avelino said the move provides a broader platform for his team's personalized approach.

Lowenstein Sandler LLP named Boris Liberman and Marc S. Kurzweil as co-chairs of its Fund Finance practice. The group sits within the firm's Debt Finance department. It works with the firm's Investment Management, Private Equity, and Mergers & Acquisitions practices. Liberman, who is based in New York, previously led the firm's Derivatives & Structured Products practice. He received his J.D. from New York Law School in 2005 and is admitted to the New York and Connecticut bars. Lowell A. Citron, chair of the Debt Finance group, said the pair combines credit discipline with investment management expertise. Liberman noted that working with investment management lawyers allows the team to examine the whole capital structure.

Sullivan & Cromwell co-chairs Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller described Shores as a leading antitrust trial lawyer. They said his government service will strengthen the firm's ability to handle complex challenges. Shores said he is thrilled to join a firm with a rich history in antitrust matters. The firm's global platform provides an ideal place for him to continue building his practice.