NEW YORK, February 10, 2026 – Proskauer is pleased to share that it has been shortlisted for “Matter of the Year” and “Litigation of the Year – Cartel Defense” at the 2026 Global Competition Review (GCR) Awards. This distinction reflects the significance of the Firm’s work and stands as a testament to the strength, rigor and dedication in delivering exceptional results for clients.
The Firm is shortlisted for “Matter of the Year” for its trial victory in NASL v. US Soccer. This past year, Proskauer secured a unanimous victory on behalf of its client Major League Soccer (“MLS”) in an antitrust suit brought by the North American Soccer League (“NASL”) against MLS and co-defendant, U.S. Soccer Federation (“U.S. Soccer”), which claimed that U.S. Soccer conspired with MLS to exclude NASL from Division I and Division II professional soccer and to monopolize those claimed markets. Following a three-week trial, a 10-person jury in the Eastern District of New York delivered a full defense verdict after approximately 90 minutes of deliberation, rejecting NASL’s proposed relevant market definition as a threshold issue. The ruling was a significant victory for the broader sports landscape in the U.S., reaffirming the roles MLS and U.S. Soccer play in helping grow soccer as a sport and standing as an exemplar that plaintiffs who challenge leagues will not be successful based on unsupported allegations.
Proskauer is also shortlisted for “Litigation of the Year – Cartel Defense” for Hansen v. Northwestern et al. The antitrust team obtained dismissal of an antitrust class action on behalf of its client, Caltech, and 40 co-defendant private colleges pending in the Northern District of Illinois. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendants and the College Board conspired to increase the cost of attendance by requiring financial aid applicants to submit noncustodial parent financial information. The judge dismissed the complaint without prejudice, holding that plaintiffs failed to plausibly allege an unlawful agreement under Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The Court emphasized that schools retained discretion in how they used noncustodial parent information, and plaintiffs did not allege any sharing or coordination of financial aid formulas or decisions among the universities.
The GCR Awards are widely regarded as the benchmark for excellence in competition law, honoring the most significant matters and practitioners shaping the global landscape.
In December 2025, the Firm was named to Global Competition Review's 2026 'GCR 100' guide, an annual listing of the world's top antitrust and competition practices.
About Proskauer
The world’s leading organizations and global players choose Proskauer to represent them when they need it the most. With 800+ lawyers in key financial centers around the world, we are highly regarded for our expertise combined with our pragmatic and commercial approach. Proskauer is the place to turn when a matter is complex, innovative and game-changing. We work seamlessly across practices, industries and jurisdictions with asset managers, private equity and venture capital firms, Fortune 500 and FTSE companies, major sports leagues, entertainment industry legends and other industry-redefining companies.
Proskauer has a full-service litigation practice with extensive trial experience in virtually every major forum across the globe. We take a collaborative approach to representing defendants and plaintiffs, multinationals, middle-market and small-cap businesses, financial institutions, partnerships and individuals, with one thing in mind – driving successful outcomes for our clients.