Robert Lepore

Robert Lepore is a partner in Willkie’s Antitrust & Competition practice. He is based in the Firm’s Los Angeles and Washington, DC offices. 

Robert is a former Section Chief of the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. He most recently led the Transportation, Energy and Agriculture Section, leveraging his skills as an antitrust trial lawyer to achieve government wins in high-profile, multi-billion merger challenges, including JetBlue/Spirit Airlines. 

In his 13 years at the Antitrust Division, Robert oversaw more than 40 investigations and four trials in a range of industries—including airlines, travel technology, electricity, livestock, telecommunications, software, railroads, shipping, oil field services, seeds, and agricultural biotechnology. He oversaw review of Hart-Scott-Rodino filings, and negotiated a number of groundbreaking settlements across many diverse industries. He routinely interacted with and served as a Division spokesperson to other federal, state and international agencies: among others, the Department of Transportation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Surface Transportation Board, Department of Commerce, Federal Communications Commission, European Commission, and offices of state attorneys general.  

As a trial attorney in the Antitrust Division’s Telecommunications and Media Enforcement Section earlier in his career, he served as a team lead on industry-changing telecommunications mergers, including the proposed Comcast/Time Warner merger. 

Robert is a recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, and a nine-time recipient of the Assistant Attorney General Award.