Kroger hires Vorys and Weil to file FTC lawsuit against Albertsons purchase

Kroger Co. has turned to Ohio law firm Vorys and New York law firm Weil to block the Federal Trade Commission's action against the purchase of the grocery chain Albertsons Cos.

The Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease team is led by Nathaniel Lampley, co-managing partner of the firm's Cincinnati office, who is also a member of Vorys' litigation group. Lampley previously worked with Kroger on several class action cases.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges' attorneys are led by partner Mark A. Perry, co-head of the firm's appellate and strategic advisory practice. The firm is also advising Kroger on its proposed purchase of Albertsons.

Kroger has agreed to buy Albertsons in 2022 for a price that was originally estimated at $24.6 billion. The FTC has blocked the transaction, and a trial is scheduled to begin on August 26.

Kroger, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is seeking a preliminary injunction against the FTC's proceedings, which the grocer argues are unconstitutional.

Vorys has approximately 375 lawyers and nine offices. The firm was ranked 157th among the 200 highest-grossing firms in American Lawyer's 2024 rankings. Weil was ranked 26th.

According to SEC filings, Kroger has spent about $535 million on merger costs since agreeing to acquire Albertsons in 2022, Bloomberg reported. These fees include legal, banking and consulting fees, as well as employee retention bonuses.