Katrina Robson
Partner
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Katrina M. Robson is a globally recognized antitrust trial lawyer, with experience trying merger, single-firm conduct and restraint of trade cases. Her advocacy has made material differences in the business of some of the country’s most recognized companies. She defended AT&T and Time Warner’s $100 billion telecommunications-media merger against a challenge by the Department of Justice in the “antitrust trial of the century”, one of only three trial attorneys representing both clients; won a rare rule-of-reason jury verdict for US Airways in its antitrust action against Sabre, a technology-based global distribution services company; and obtained clearance for Schwab’s $26 billion acquisition of TD Ameritrade, US Airways’ $11 billion merger with American Airlines, and General Mill’s acquisition of organics icon Annie’s.
Katrina has represented Fortune 500 companies in dozens of proceedings ranging from agency investigations to private and government litigation. She also counsels clients on a variety issues, including monopolization, vertical restraints and integration, merger advocacy and clearance, general antitrust compliance, and global litigation strategy. Her expertise has been recognized by leading publications including Legal 500 US (for both antitrust and general commercial disputes) and Global Competition Review (on its international list of “Women in Antitrust”).
Katrina commits substantial time to leadership in the legal community. She serves as a member of Law360’s Competition Editorial Advisory Board and Vice Chair of the Trial Practice Committee in the ABA’s Antitrust Section, has served on the ABA Antitrust Section’s Membership & Diversity Committee and O’Melveny Women’s Leadership Academy, a forum for discussing the leadership challenges confronting women in today’s business environment, and has been a guest speaker for AT&T at its Leadership Council on Legal Diversity event.
Honors & Awards
- Ranked by Chambers USA for Antitrust: Litigation Specialists (2022)
- Named to the “Top 250 Women in Litigation” list and recognized as a “Litigation Star” in Competition/Antitrust by Benchmark Litigation (2022)
- Named to the "500 Leading Litigators in America" list for Antitrust Litigation by Lawdragon (2022)
- Profiled in Women@Competition’s “40 in their 40s, Notable Women Competition Professionals (Americas)”
- Named a Next Generation Partner and recognized for Antitrust Law (2017-2020), Merger Control (2019-2022), Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense (2021-2022) and General Commercial Disputes (2018) by The Legal 500 US
- Featured in Global Competition Review’s “Women in Antitrust 2016,” recognizing the 150 leading private practitioners, in-house counsel, enforcers, economics, and academics from around the world
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- District of Columbia
- California
Education
- Harvard University, J.D.: Executive Editor, Journal of Law and Public Policy; President, Board of Student Advisers
- University of California at Santa Barbara, M.A., Education
- University of California at Santa Barbara, B.A., English: Phi Beta Kappa
Professional Activities
Professional Leadership
- American Bar Association, Antitrust Section, Vice-Chair, Trial Practice Committee
- Competition Editorial Advisory Board, Law360
- 2016 Consumer Protection Law Developments (Editorial Board)
Speaking Engagements & Articles
- “The Pandemic’s Impact on Interim Operating Covenants: Lessons From The Now-Resolved Sycamore - L Brands Dispute,” The M&A Journal (August 1, 2020) (co-author)
- “How Do You Put the Bricks Together: Evidence that Makes a Difference at Merger Trials” ABA Antitrust Podcast (October 2019)
- “Full Compensation for Injured Parties: Where Do We Stand More than Four Years after the Adoption of the Antitrust Damages Directive?” GCR 11th Annual Brussels Conference (July 2019)
- “MFNs in Litigation,” ABA Fall Forum (November 2017)
- “Big Stakes Antitrust Trials,” 27th Annual Golden State Antitrust Institute (August 2017)
- 65th ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting Mock Trial (March 2017)
- “FTC Enforcement Actions Address False “All Natural” Claims,” ABA Antitrust Section Newsletter (December 2016) (co-author)
- “Antitrust Economic Workshop,” Fordham International Antitrust Law and Policy Conference (2016)
- “Nuts & Bolts: Reacting to a Potential Challenge,” ABA Antitrust Section Roundtable (January 2015)
- “Antitrust Discovery Handbook,” ABA Antitrust Section (2013) (contributor)
- “The New Landscape of Children’s Online Privacy,” Corporate Counsel (August 2013) (co-author)
- “FTC v. Actavis: Reconciling Conflicts in Rule of Reason,” Law360 (July 2, 2013) (co-author)
- “The Law of Loyalty Discounts: Two and a Half Theories,” Corporate Counsel (June 21, 2013) (co-author)
- “The Impact of Wal-Mart v. Dukes on Antitrust Class Action Defense,” ABA Antitrust Business Torts & Civil RICO Committee (August 2011) (co-author)
- “Assessing the Reasonableness of the Rule of Reason: The World after Leegin,” International Antitrust Law & Policy: Fordham Competition Law 2009 (co-author)
- Obtained clearance for Schwab’s acquisition of TD Ameritrade.
- Won arbitration for major corporate conglomerate involving a multi-billion contract.
- Defended AT&T and Time Warner against DOJ’s challenge to US$100 billion merger.
- Obtained clearance of US Airways/American Airlines merger after litigation with DOJ.
- Obtained clearance for General Mills’ acquisition of Annie’s.
- Advising cryptocurrency trade association regarding competition issues associated with digital tokens.
- Representing Wells Fargo in multiple actions alleging price-fixing related to bonds for government-sponsored enterprises.
- Representing Global Music Rights in antitrust litigation against Radio Music License Committee alleging monopolization and price-fixing.
- Represented Honeywell International in various antitrust matters, including distributor disputes and merger-related advocacy. Defended Honeywell in MDL class action proceeding alleging price-fixing in the auto parts industry.
- Representing Bitcoin.com in antitrust business-to-business litigation alleging conspiracy related to network upgrades.
- Represented American Airlines in class action MDL alleging price-fixing in the airline industry.
- Obtained jury verdict on behalf of client US Airways against global technology firm relating to anticompetitive vertical agreements.
- Obtained dismissal for Marriott in MDL proceedings alleging resale price maintenance and price-fixing in the hotel industry.
- Defended a major designer and distributor of footwear in a FTC investigation alleging violations of Section 5 and 12 of the FTC Act.
- Represented various companies in litigated FTC merger challenges, including estimatics solutions, food distribution service, and fluid management product companies.
- Obtained summary judgment for IGT against US$200 million Walker Process antitrust claims.