Rachel J. Adcox
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Whether successfully leading clients through high-stakes trials or negotiating advantageous resolutions where billions of dollars hang in the balance, Rachel Adcox is a standout amongst antitrust practitioners.

Rachel’s teams have proven uniquely adept at managing not only high-risk civil litigation but concurrent civil and criminal actions at both the state and federal levels. At every step, Rachel is able to present a full range of legal solutions for her clients, taking a proactive, business-minded approach that generates superior outcomes. As lead counsel on multiple major litigations for Fortune 100 companies, her clients routinely rely on her skill, judgment, and “clear, reasoned, and confident” advice. Her peers and clients likewise describe her as “an outstanding litigator,” and “the best of the best.”

As a result, Rachel has garnered numerous accolades for her work, including being recognized by Chambers USA as an Antitrust Litigation Specialist, by Legal 500 as a Leading Lawyer in Antitrust Civil Litigation/Class Action Defense, and by the National Law Journal as a Litigation Trailblazer. She has also been repeatedly short-listed for Lawyer of the Year, Litigator of the Year, and Matter of the Year by Global Competition Review, and was named to Global Competition Review’s prestigious list of Women in Antitrust in 2021.

Behind the scenes, Rachel is also a trusted confidential adviser and advocate on cartel and compliance matters before US and international enforcers. Prior to joining Axinn, she was a Trial Attorney at the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice.

Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association Sections of Antitrust Law, Litigation, and Criminal Law
  • Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association

Experience

  • Currently lead counsel defending Tyson Foods in multiple major treble-damage class action litigations and regulatory investigations alleging industry-wide conspiracies to raise the prices of broiler chickens, pork, turkey, and beef, as well as a conspiracy to depress broiler grower pay.
  • Currently lead counsel defending Alvogen Inc. in the sprawling Generic Drugs MDL, a suit alleging participation in an industry-wide conspiracy to raise prices of generic medications through the allocation of markets.
  • Currently lead counsel for RelayHealth, a subsidiary of McKesson, in a treble-damages class action case alleging a conspiracy to monopolize electronic prescribing.
  • Currently lead counsel for the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies in a treble-damages class action case alleging a conspiracy to prevent PharmacyChecker.com from accessing internet platforms.
  • Currently representing multiple defendants in the Auto Parts class action MDL in Detroit, Michigan.
  • As part of its long-standing representation of Independence Blue Cross of Pennsylvania (“IBC”), Axinn is currently defending IBC in the recently-filed class-action MDL against the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and individual Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. The lawsuit, which alleges primarily that the plans' designated service areas are anticompetitive, is the most important challenge to the Blue System in its 80-year history.
  • Represented Redbox in actions challenging Disney’s sales and distribution practices.
  • Represented a Japanese auto-parts company in connection with cartel investigations by the DOJ, the European Commission, and the Canadian Competition Bureau.  Axinn negotiated significant reductions in the scope of the U.S. investigation and prevented any adverse action by foreign governmental authorities.
  • Represented Yardi Systems, Inc., a provider of property management software, against antitrust and commercial tort claims brought by Entrata, Inc.
  • Represented George's Foods in the successful defense of its acquisition of a Virginia poultry complex.  The acquisition was challenged by the DOJ after consummation, but settled in George's favor prior to discovery. 
  • Represented a major poultry and livestock processor in a series of DOJ civil investigations of major agricultural corporations.  In each case, Axinn was able to bring the matter to a conclusion without any significant document production or any corporate testimony.
  • Appointed by the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, represented a union member in a Duty of Fair Representation suit against his union.  In so doing, Ms. Adcox became one of only a handful of attorneys in the District to successfully litigate such a claim.

Honors

  • Nominated for Global Competition Review Lawyer of the Year in both 2022 and 2023, an award given to “a competition lawyer of any age whose superior skill, practical judgement and excellence in client service demonstrates that they are among the very best in the field.”
  • Named to Global Competition Review’s list of Women in Antitrust (2021)
  • Nominated for Global Competition Review Litigator of the Year in both 2019 and 2021, this award is given to “a competition litigator whose superior technical skill, practical judgement and excellence in serving clients in court demonstrates that they are among the very best in the field.”
  • Chambers USA – District of Columbia: Antitrust: Litigation Specialists (2019 – 2022)
  • Named to The National Law Journal’s list of Litigation Trailblazers (2020)
  • Corporate Counsel Women, Influence & Power in Law Honoree: Law Firm Women’s Legal Awards Category (2019)

  • In February of 2018, Axinn was nominated for Global Competition Review Litigation of the Year – Cartel Defence for its work on behalf of Nishikawa Rubber Company in the Auto Parts litigation.  This award recognizes “creative, strategic and innovative litigation on behalf of a defendant in a private action for cartel damages.”

  • The Legal 500 United States – Leading Lawyer for Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense (2022)
  • Who's Who Legal: Competition (2021-2022)
  • Who’s Who Legal: Competition Future Leaders (2018 – 2020)
  • Named to "Women Worth Watching 2017" by Profiles in Diversity Journal 
  • Vice Chair of the ABA Antitrust Section's Competition Torts Committee (2015 – 2017)
  • Law clerk to the Honorable Peter B. Krauser, Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals (2007 – 2008)

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Education

  • JD, with Honors – The George Washington University Law School (2007)
  • BS, with High Honors – Michigan State University (1996)

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • US District Court Northern District of Illinois
  • US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • US District Court District of Columbia
  • US District Court District of Colorado
  • US District Court Eastern District of Michigan
  • US District Court Maryland
  • US Supreme Court
  • US Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation

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