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Clifford Chance Adds DOJ Antitrust Veteran to US Practice

By  |  October 7, 2026
Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance has hired US Department of Justice antitrust lawyer Vittorio Cottafavi as a partner in Washington, adding another senior lateral as the global law firm expands its US operation.

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    Cottafavi will join the firm’s antitrust practice and advise companies on mergers, government investigations and litigation, according to Legal Desire, which reported the appointment on Oct. 7. The publication said Cottafavi has more than two decades of experience in government and private practice.

    His work has included competition matters involving technology, media, telecommunications and financial-services companies in the U.S. and other markets, Legal Desire reported. Cottafavi has held senior antitrust roles at the Justice Department and previously completed a secondment with the European Commission, experience that gives Clifford Chance additional regulatory expertise on both sides of the Atlantic.

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    Marc Besen, chair of Clifford Chance’s Global Antitrust & Trade Group, said Cottafavi’s government experience and knowledge of competition issues affecting technology companies would strengthen the firm’s ability to handle matters requiring coordination across jurisdictions, according to Legal Desire.

    Read more: Amazon’s Senior Antitrust Counsel Returns to Clifford Chance

    Cottafavi said he was attracted by Clifford Chance’s international antitrust practice and collaborative approach and looked forward to working with lawyers in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere as clients confront an evolving competition-law environment, the publication reported.

    The appointment is also part of a broader U.S. hiring push by Clifford Chance. Cottafavi is the firm’s 11th lateral partner addition in 2026, according to Legal Desire.

    Clifford Chance has more than 450 lawyers across New York, Washington, Houston and São Paulo, Legal Desire reported. Its Americas practices cover transactions, regulatory matters and disputes, including work for clients in private capital, financial services, health care, life sciences, technology, infrastructure and energy.

    Source: Legal Desire