Foley Adds Former DOJ and FTC Antitrust Official Jonathan Lasken in Washington, D.C.
Addition of experienced first-chair litigator expands the firm’s antitrust litigation and enforcement depth across key sectors
Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that Jonathan Lasken has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as a partner in its Antitrust & Competition Practice Group, further strengthening the firm’s capabilities in high-stakes antitrust litigation, government investigations and enforcement, and merger review.
Lasken comes to Foley from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, where he served as assistant chief and senior litigation counsel, following an earlier tenure as senior trial counsel in the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition. His experience spans a broad range of civil antitrust matters, with particular depth in the technology, health care, and energy sectors.
“Jonathan deepens our antitrust bench and expands our ability to advise clients facing high-stakes litigation and enforcement matters,” said Jeff Blease, chair of Foley’s Litigation Department. “His firsthand experience at both the DOJ and FTC, combined with his work leading significant competition matters in the technology, health care, and energy sectors, brings valuable perspective to our team and the clients we serve.”
At the DOJ and FTC, Lasken held senior roles in major antitrust litigations, including the DOJ’s case against Apple and its Google Ad Tech litigation, and the FTC’s challenges to the proposed combinations of Peabody and Arch Coal, Hackensack Meridian Health and Englewood, NVIDIA and Arm, and Lockheed and Aerojet. He served as first-chair trial counsel, argued motions, directed case teams, and addressed complex legal and competition issues across technology, health care and life sciences, energy, private equity, consumer products, aerospace, and defense markets. He also held leadership responsibilities involving mergers, investigations, coordination with international enforcers, and other strategic priorities across the Division.
Earlier in his career, he served in the DOJ’s Appellate Section and practiced at Hunton & Williams LLP, now Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP.
“Jonathan’s addition underscores Foley’s continued investment in Washington, D.C., and our commitment to expanding capabilities in areas of significant client demand,” said David Sanders, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. “His arrival builds on the momentum we are seeing here and further strengthens our presence in one of the nation’s most important regulatory and enforcement centers. We are delighted to welcome him to Foley.”
“Joining Foley presents an exciting opportunity to return to private practice and build on the antitrust enforcement, investigation, and litigation experience I developed in government,” said Lasken. “The firm’s collaborative culture, strong national platform, and deep capabilities in the health care, technology, and energy sectors made Foley an ideal fit for me. I’m thrilled to join the firm and look forward to working with my new colleagues to help clients navigate the evolving antitrust landscape.”
Lasken is the third lateral partner to join Foley’s expanding litigation team in Washington, D.C., in the past three months, following the arrivals of international arbitration partner Christina Beharry and labor and employment partner Cathryn Le Regulski.
About Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP is a preeminent law firm that stands at the nexus of the Energy & Infrastructure, Health Care & Life Sciences, Innovative Technology, and Manufacturing Sectors. We look beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and act as trusted business advisors to deliver creative, practical, and effective solutions. Our 1,100 lawyers across 27 offices worldwide partner on the full range of engagements from corporate counsel to intellectual property work and litigation support, providing our clients with a one-team solution to all their needs. For nearly two centuries, Foley has maintained its commitment to the highest level of innovative legal services and to the stewardship of our people, firm, clients, and the communities we serve.
