Job Description
You picked antitrust because it was supposed to be the practice that sat at the intersection of everything — litigation, regulation, deal work, government investigations, industry strategy. The lawyers who actually understood how markets work. And then you got to your firm and discovered antitrust meant one of two things: you're a litigator buried in second request document review for an HSR filing that's been pending for fourteen months, or you're a transactional associate writing the same competitive impact memo for the same kind of merger over and over. The breadth that drew you to antitrust in the first place doesn't exist at most platforms. Firms silo you into either the litigation track or the regulatory track, and by year three you've already picked a lane you didn't mean to pick. A globally recognized AmLaw firm with a top-tier antitrust practice is hiring a mid-level associate in New York. The group does the full stack — DOJ and FTC merger reviews, civil antitrust litigation, criminal cartel investigations, and strategic counseling for clients in tech, life sciences, financial services, and consumer markets. The lawyers in this group include former senior agency officials, which means associates here are in the room when strategy gets built, not just executing somebody else's playbook. This is also a group that takes cases to trial. That's not a given in antitrust — most BigLaw antitrust groups settle or get matters resolved on dispositive motions and never see a courtroom. If you want to actually try a case in your career, this is one of the few seats where it's realistic. The work includes: Defending complex civil antitrust litigation, including class actions, through trial HSR filings, second requests, and merger clearance work before DOJ and FTC Criminal cartel and civil agency investigations Strategic antitrust counseling on M&A transactions, joint ventures, and competitive conduct Managing large-scale document productions and depositions in high-stakes matters What you bring: 3-5 years of antitrust experience at a major law firm or relevant government agency (FTC, DOJ Antitrust Division, or state AG) Exposure to civil litigation, merger review, or transactional antitrust — ideally more than one Strong legal writing and the ability to manage workstreams independently New York bar admission (or eligibility to waive in) What you get: A practice that doesn't make you choose between litigation and regulatory — you can build expertise across both Direct exposure to former senior agency officials and the strategic thinking that comes with it Trial-track litigation work in a practice area where most associates never see one Cravath scale ($260K-$365K depending on class year) plus bonus Apply here directly or send your resume confidentially to srushing@laterallink.com