Regulatory & Advisory
O’Melveny helps clients stay ahead of changing regulations and be prepared for shifting enforcement priorities.
We work with leading companies across industries around the globe to identify and manage risk, anticipate obstacles, seize opportunities—and, when necessary, respond to regulatory inquiries. Our team includes lawyers who have served in senior-most positions in government and regulatory agencies worldwide, and we bring that experience to bear when advising clients on how to navigate their responsibilities and regulatory scrutiny.
As our clients pursue opportunities around the world, we help them comply with ever-changing regulatory and legislative requirements and avoid and defend lawsuits and investigations. Our lawyers advise clients on how coming regulatory changes potentially affect both long-range strategy and day-to-day operations, and we help design consistent, effective, global business and legal strategies.
We advise clients across industries and continents, developing and enhancing compliance programs and ensuring that our clients have the right policies and procedures in place. We monitor legislative and regulatory developments that affect our clients, and we help clients understand and prepare for how these changes might affect their structure, governance, and products and services. And we help clients assess their business partners and investments, conducting due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, financings, and other transactions.
Whether in internal agency proceedings or in court, clients trust O’Melveny to achieve the best outcomes—through negotiation and settlement or aggressive litigation.
“The strength of O’Melveny & Myers is in their ability to simplify complex matters. They are pragmatic and able to provide practical strategic advice.”
—Client Testimonial, Chambers Global
“O’Melveny can interface with lawyers throughout the world, making sure our legal strategy is implemented consistently globally to protect our interests.”
—Client Testimonial, Chambers Global
“Plugged into how the regulators function and understands their idiosyncrasies”
—Chambers USA: Regulatory
O’Melveny is “able to find simple and practical solutions to complex matters and distill the most complicated issues into easy-to-understand parts for both our legal and business teams.”
—Client Testimonial, Chambers USA
Client Successes
Obtained unconditional clearance from the Department of Justice after a Second Request investigation into Alaska Airlines’ US$1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. O’Melveny also represented Alaska in its earlier acquisition of Virgin America.
Advising a large car manufacturer on various data security and privacy risks in the US and Europe related to its new business, cybersecurity regulations for vehicles, and online privacy policies and compliance with California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Advised a health plan in a dispute with CMS regarding regulatory margin requirements for Medicare Advantage and Part D bids over the course of several bid cycles. The plan obtained a favorable outcome each cycle, including after threatening suit.
Advised various higher-education clients on the proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, including the legal, operational, and compliance implications of this framework and its potential effect on core institutional functions, as well as the scope of the Executive branch’s power to terminate research grants and other kinds of public funding.
Representing an industrial gas producer on numerous state regulatory issues, including pipeline issues before the Texas Railroad Commission and electric issues before ERCOT, FERC, and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC).
Representing financial services clients in threatened enforcement matters before the SEC, CFTC, FINRA, FTC, DOJ, CFPB, state attorneys general, and other regulators.
Advising on the development of a “water hub” located on 69,000 acres in southern Arizona. Upon completion, the project would create a major new source of supply for the Colorado River Basin, potentially helping to alleviate the current supply/demand imbalance.