Facebook Adds Davis Polk To Trial Team

Meta’s Facebook has expanded its trial team in Washington, DC, federal court, adding a pair of lawyers from Davis Polk & Wardwell as the social media company prepares to fight the US Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust claims, reported Reuters.

Davis Polk partner James Rouhandeh in New York, who leads the firm’s litigation practice, and Michael Scheinkman, also a partner, filed appearance notices late Thursday in the FTC’s case in US District Court for the District of Columbia.

Rouhandeh did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The Davis Polk attorneys will team up with Facebook defense lawyers at Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, including partner Mark Hansen, who did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Rouhandeh has made appearances for Facebook in other cases and also represented major banks, retail companies and pharmaceuticals in securities litigation. In 2015 he successfully defended the lead underwriters of Facebook’s 2012 initial public offering in a lawsuit seeking more than $100 million in disgorgement.

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