Michael J. Zaken is a partner in Cravath’s Litigation Department. He has a broad litigation practice, with a particular focus on antitrust, bankruptcy, class action defense, commercial disputes and intellectual property, as well as antitrust advisory and other advisory work.
Mr. Zaken represents Illumina in an administrative challenge brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concerning Illumina’s $8 billion acquisition of GRAIL, a healthcare company developing a cancer screening test for 50 cancer types. In September 2022, the FTC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge ruled in favor of Illumina and rejected the FTC’s challenge to the merger. He continues to represent Illumina on appeal. He also represents Epic Games in two separate antitrust actions against Apple and Google, alleging anticompetitive behavior in the distribution of mobile apps and the handling of in app payments.
Mr. Zaken secured a major trial victory in September 2022 for Louis Dreyfus Company and its subsidiary Imperial Sugar, defeating the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) attempt to block LDC’s sale of Imperial Sugar to U.S. Sugar. The decision was affirmed on appeal before the Third Circuit in July 2023.
Mr. Zaken has previously represented Qualcomm in numerous high stakes disputes and investigations around the world, including actions against the FTC and Apple. He also represented Westpac Banking Corporation in a putative class action asserting, inter alia, antitrust, RICO and Commodity Exchange Act claims premised upon alleged manipulation of the Australian Bank Bill Swap Reference Rate (“BBSW”). He additionally represented Westpac in a separate putative class action securities litigation concerning the reporting of over 19.5 million international funds transfer instructions to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (“AUSTRAC”), contrary to Australian law.
Mr. Zaken received a B.A. degree cum laude from Columbia College in 2011 and a J.D. degree from Columbia Law School in 2014, where he was a James Kent Scholar, a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, a member of the Moot Court and served as the managing editor of the Journal of Law and the Arts.
Mr. Zaken joined Cravath in 2014 and was elected a partner in 2022.
Updated July 2023
