Katrina Robson
Partner, Antitrust & Competition
Katrina Robson is a partner in Willkie’s Antitrust & Competition Group. She is based in the Firm's Washington, DC office.
A globally recognized antitrust litigator, Katrina has tried some of the most significant antitrust disputes in recent years, including historic cases related to clearance for multi-billion dollar mergers. She represents clients in complex, high-profile antitrust and competition litigation against both government agencies and private parties. Her representations include merger, single-firm conduct and restraint of trade cases, agency investigations, and private and government litigation. She also counsels clients on a variety of issues, including monopolization, vertical restraints and integration, merger advocacy and clearance, general antitrust compliance and global litigation strategy.
Katrina 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. She obtained a cutting-edge monopolization verdict on behalf of US Airways in its antitrust action against Sabre, a two-sided technology platform company. Katrina also obtained clearance for Schwab’s $26 billion acquisition of TD Ameritrade, US Airways’ $11 billion merger with American Airlines, and General Mills’ acquisition of organics icon Annie’s.
Katrina has been recognized by leading publications including Chambers & Partners (as a “sought-after antitrust litigator” with “great trial experience”), Legal 500 US (for both antitrust and general commercial disputes) and Global Competition Review (on its international list of “Women in Antitrust”). A leader in the legal community, Katrina serves as Vice Chair of the Insurance and Financial Services Committee in the ABA’s Antitrust Section, is a regular contributor to antitrust law publications, and led a pro bono team to win a “monumental” trial decision declaring the educational funding system in Pennsylvania unconstitutional.
A globally recognized antitrust litigator, Katrina has tried some of the most significant antitrust disputes in recent years, including historic cases related to clearance for multi-billion dollar mergers. She represents clients in complex, high-profile antitrust and competition litigation against both government agencies and private parties. Her representations include merger, single-firm conduct and restraint of trade cases, agency investigations, and private and government litigation. She also counsels clients on a variety of issues, including monopolization, vertical restraints and integration, merger advocacy and clearance, general antitrust compliance and global litigation strategy.
Katrina 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. She obtained a cutting-edge monopolization verdict on behalf of US Airways in its antitrust action against Sabre, a two-sided technology platform company. Katrina also obtained clearance for Schwab’s $26 billion acquisition of TD Ameritrade, US Airways’ $11 billion merger with American Airlines, and General Mills’ acquisition of organics icon Annie’s.
Katrina has been recognized by leading publications including Chambers & Partners (as a “sought-after antitrust litigator” with “great trial experience”), Legal 500 US (for both antitrust and general commercial disputes) and Global Competition Review (on its international list of “Women in Antitrust”). A leader in the legal community, Katrina serves as Vice Chair of the Insurance and Financial Services Committee in the ABA’s Antitrust Section, is a regular contributor to antitrust law publications, and led a pro bono team to win a “monumental” trial decision declaring the educational funding system in Pennsylvania unconstitutional.
Experience
Katrina was previously a partner at O’Melveny & Myers in Washington, DC.
- Ranked by Chambers USA for Antitrust: Litigation Specialists (2023)
- 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)” (2019)
- 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
- American Bar Association, Antitrust Section, Vice-Chair, Insurance and Financial Services Committee
- Board Member, Public Interest Law Center
- “The Implications of a Whole-of-Government Approach: Why Financial Services Companies Ignore the FTC’s Proposed Rule Banning Non-Competes at Their Peril,” The Exchange (2023) (co-author)
- “Closing the Gaps: DOJ Cracks Down on Information-Sharing,” The Exchange (2023) (co-author)
- “What’s Yours Is Mine: What a Seventy-Year-Old Recording Industry Consent Decree Says about Modern Antitrust Law,” Antitrust Chronicle, Competition Policy International (February 25, 2021) (co-author)
- “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)
- Obtained jury verdict on behalf of client US Airways against global technology firm relating to anticompetitive practices.
- 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.
- Represented 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.
- RepresentedBitcoin.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 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.
* Katrina advised on some of these matters prior to joining Willkie.
Credentials
Education
Harvard Law School, J.D., 2003 University of California, Santa Barbara, M.A., 1996 University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A., 1995