THE 2012 MIDSIZE HOT LIST

CORRECTION: The original version of this article misreported the identity of the firm’s client in the Full Tilt Poker case; it was not French businessman Bernard Tapie, but rather Groupe Bernard Tapie, in negotiations to purchase the online gambling site operated by a group of affiliated parent companies. The government seized the Web site’s domain name and moved to seize its assets. In another matter mentioned, the firm withdrew its motion to protect business records provided by client Google Inc. to the Department of Justice during its investigation of AT&T Inc.’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA Inc., after the court modified a protective order to salve Google’s concerns.

AXINN, VELTROP & HARKRIDER

Now in its 15th year, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider has established itself as a serious player in the antitrust and intellectual property fields. Operating from offices in New York, Washington and Hartford, Conn., the firm has not significantly changed its headcount since 2010 — 53 then, compared with 55 now. Still, the firm drew business from big names during 2011, especially within the technology and pharmaceutical industries.

For example, Google Inc. hired partners Michael Keeley and John Harkrider to protect confidential business data provided to the U.S. Department of Justice during its investigation of AT&T Inc.’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA Inc. Google turned over the information in response to a government demand, and in September the Axinn Veltrop team demanded the right to review any documents that the government might consider releasing publicly. The court modified a protective order to salve Google’s concerns.

It was not the first time Google sought the firm’s counsel. Axinn Veltrop guided the company through the Justice Department’s April 2011 approval of its $700 million acquisition of ITA Software Inc. And the firm represented Google in its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility Inc., which faced intense scrutiny from both U.S. and European antitrust officials.

Elsewhere, the firm represented France’s Groupe Bernard Tapie during negotiations to buy Full Tilt Poker, online gambling site operated by a group of affiliated parent companies, for $80 million after the government seized the alleged Ponzi scheme’s domain name and moved to seize its assets. Partner Behnam Dayanim handled the assignment. The two parties signed an initial acquisition agreement in September 2011, contingent on a resolution of the accusations against the company.

Pharmaceutical companies are regular clients. Axinn attorneys replaced a firm that had been working on an intellectual property dispute between Pfizer Inc. and Actavis Group for eight years. Retained by Actavis roughly 18 months before trial, a team led by partner Francis Morrison reached a settlement two weeks into the trial after having secured the exclusion of several Pfizer expert witnesses.

Not all was smooth sailing in 2011. In January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected the firm’s argument on behalf of Omnicare Inc. that UnitedHealth Group Inc. and PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. had conspired when crafting their merger to fix prices. The court found no substantial evidence of collusion to justify thwarting the merger. — Rob Stigile