New York partner Beau Buffier (Antitrust) has been named a “Rising Star” by Law360. Law360’s Rising Stars Awards recognize attorneys under the age of 40 “whose legal accomplishments belie their age.”

Buffier is a highly acclaimed lawyer who has accomplished a lot in a short period of time and at a young age. His Law360 profile, published on April 1, discusses one of the high-profile matters that earned him a spot on the Rising Stars list—Zillow’s recent $2.5 billion acquisition of online real estate rival Trulia. Although some expected the FTC to be skeptical of the proposed acquisition, the agency approved the deal without conditions thanks to Buffier and his team. "We knew it could get rocky, but we were confident we could get the FTC to see it would not harm real estate agents or consumers," he said.

Buffier became interested in antitrust law after working on a large competition case as a temp during law school at a major firm in his native Australia. He was captivated by the assignment and has been hooked ever since. "Everyone else seemed to think that being assigned to this matter was the worst thing in the world, but I was apparently one of the odd ones who found it fascinating,” he remarked.

After becoming a partner at age 30—the youngest lawyer promoted to partner in the firm's history—he was promoted to co-head of the global antitrust practice in 2011 after only 10 years at the firm. Part of the reason for his rapid ascent is his commitment to client service. “My approach has always been to treat my clients' problems as my own, so they know you will always go the extra mile for them,” he said. "When they know you are that committed to them, you find that they also want to help you succeed in your professional life.”