Axinn is thrilled to announce that partners Rachel Adcox, Leslie Overton and Koren Wong-Ervin have been named to Global Competition Review’s 2021 list of Women in Antitrust. Last published in 2016, this list recognizes women at the forefront of competition law who have made groundbreaking contributions to the ever-changing, increasingly globalized competition landscape.
Shortlisted twice for GCR Litigator of the Year, first-time Women in Antitrust honoree Rachel Adcox advises clients on all aspects of high-stakes antitrust litigation and compliance matters. She has defended cases worth billions of dollars in potential antitrust damages in the last year alone and was named a Litigation Trailblazer by the National Law Journal in 2020, all while being the first woman to serve on Axinn’s three-person Executive Committee.
“Women are more visible and influential than ever before,” Adcox told GCR. “We are increasingly recognized as leaders and are sought out for our expertise, perspective and judgment.”
First named to GCR’s Women in Antitrust list in 2009, Leslie Overton is a former DOJ Deputy AAG who served in both the Obama and Bush administrations. She guides companies through merger reviews, civil non-merger investigations, cartel investigations and litigation involving federal, state and foreign antitrust authorities. Overton also serves as Axinn’s first Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer.
Regarding advice for female lawyers new to antitrust, Overton relayed to GCR, “Be intentional about building relationships now and throughout your career, and look for opportunities to support and encourage others, whether they are peers or junior or senior to you.”
Koren Wong-Ervin was first named to GCR’s Women in Antitrust list in 2016. She is a prominent antitrust thought leader and advisor who is making a substantial contribution to the practice of antitrust law through her scholarship and representations. Prior to working as the Director of Antitrust Policy and Litigation at Qualcomm, served at the Federal Trade Commission as an Attorney Advisor to FTC Commissioner Joshua Wright and as Counsel for Intellectual Property and International Antitrust.
On how the field has changed since first starting out, Wong-Ervin told GCR, “I’ve joined a firm with a number of strong, highly-respected female antitrust partners. Working with them, and seeing more representation across the legal industry, gives me hope for continued change.”
“We are proud to have three Axinn partners named to GCR’s Women in Antitrust list this year, recognizing the innovative work they have done and continue to do,” said John Harkrider, Co-Chair of Axinn’s Antitrust Group. “Rachel, Leslie and Koren go above and beyond to deliver remarkable results for their clients, all while serving as role models and mentors here at Axinn and throughout the antitrust community.”
Antitrust Group Co-Chair Michael Keeley added, “With three honorees, this acknowledgement underscores Axinn’s deep bench of leading antitrust advisors. Our team comprises former government officials and in-house attorneys, allowing us to provide an unmatched breadth of knowledge and expertise to the world’s top companies as they navigate an increasingly complex competition landscape.”