The following is an excerpt from Practice Perspectives: Vault's Guide to Legal Practice Areas.
Kristin Sanford is a partner in Weil’s antitrust group based in Washington, DC. Her practice focuses on M&A, government investigations, and general antitrust counseling. She has experience across a wide range of industries, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, and retail.
In 2024, Lawdragon named Kristin to its 500 X—The Next Generation list.
Prior to joining Weil, Kristin interned in a former commissioner’s office at the FTC. Kristin is a member of the ABA’s Section of Antitrust Law, served as a young lawyer representative for the Section’s Task Force on International Divergence of Dominance Standards (2017-2019), and has been a contributing editor to ABA’s Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments.
Kristin obtained her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where she served as a law fellow in the Legal Research and Writing Department and managing editor of The Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. She earned her B.A., with distinction, from Duke University. Prior to law school, Kristin was a revenue management analyst for American Airlines.
Describe your practice area and what it entails.
Antitrust is a multifaceted practice area, and we have robust capabilities across the full range of matter types, including M&A, litigation, class actions, cartel work, and investigations. I focus on mergers, complemented by some litigation and investigations. Many of my matters have cross-border implications, and Weil frequently advises on global transactions that involve agencies and courts all over the world.
What types of clients do you represent?
In antitrust, the work can touch clients in any industry. I often work in the life sciences sector with medical device, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical companies. I regularly counsel Johnson & Johnson and Abbott in acquisitions of medical device or pharmaceutical companies, for example. I also advise clients in the retail and technology spaces, among other sectors.
What types of cases/deals do you work on?
Weil works on our clients’ most high-stakes matters. On the merger side, we advise on truly transformative acquisitions. For example, I was part of the team that represented Cedar Fair in its merger with Six Flags, which we successfully navigated through the DOJ’s approval process. We advise clients on how to draft and structure their merger agreements, including devising divestitures or other remedies when needed to secure regulatory approval.
As strategic business advisors, we work with clients to evaluate risk for business practices that they are contemplating. Our goal is to help our clients reach their business goals while limiting antitrust risk. We also help clients through litigation and government or internal investigations. While we hope our clients can avoid litigation, Weil differentiates itself by always being trial-ready.
How did you choose this practice area?
Years before deciding to go to law school, I worked for American Airlines. The airline industry has had its share of antitrust issues over the years, including certain cases that you learn about in introductory antitrust law classes. While I was working there, the airline went through the regulatory clearance process for two joint ventures with other airlines and high-stakes litigation based on allegations of anticompetitive conduct by another company. It was fascinating to see the legal matters play out from the business side and especially to see how it made a difference to American’s bottom line. Based on those experiences, I went to law school to become an antitrust lawyer. I later learned that Weil was one of the law firms that successfully handled the litigation. I now practice with some of the brilliant attorneys who played a key role.
What is a “typical” day like and/or what are some common tasks you perform?
A large part of being a good lawyer is doing lots of research. We find information from precedent, agencies and courts, and client documents. We also speak to our clients to determine what they care about, what their goals are, and how to develop the best plan to support them.
Another significant part of my day is spent investing in the firm and my team, whether that be engaging with mentees and giving feedback to my team, working on pro bono matters, or going to recruiting events to connect with candidates.
What training, classes, experience, or skills development would you recommend to someone who wishes to enter your practice area?
The most relevant law school classes involve legal writing—which is critical for any practice area—and, of course, Antitrust 101 or advanced antitrust courses. On-the-job training is also invaluable for developing substantive antitrust, writing, oral advocacy, and client-management skills. The best way to develop those skills is to seek and apply feedback on a frequent basis.
What is unique about your practice area at your firm?
Students often try to decide between transactional and litigation practices, and antitrust is one of very few areas where you don’t have to choose. It involves transactions, litigation, and investigations all together. Weil advises on the full suite of antitrust matters, so there’s something for everyone all within one practice. That’s great for associates who want to be flexible and are open to different types of antitrust work that may come across their desks.
How do you see this practice area evolving in the future?
The regulatory environment is constantly evolving, especially at this moment when the political administration is changing. This is a great time to be in antitrust as we’re all figuring out the current landscape together. Joining an antitrust practice when there is a lot of change means there will be no shortage of opportunities to do novel, engaging work.
What kinds of experience can summer associates gain at this practice area at your firm?
Weil’s summer program prioritizes substantive experience. Our summer associates certainly go to amazing events and have fun social experiences, but they also take on real work. They assist with assignments that add value to our clients. In the antitrust group, summer associates join at least one case team for the entire summer. They see how those matters progress over the course of their 10 weeks and are frequently included in meetings, whether client- or agency-facing or internal. In addition, summers get a variety of experiences by handling ad hoc assignments and pro bono work.
Because Weil’s class is fairly small, summers have a great bonding experience getting to know their peers. They have fun and build camaraderie, so they are already close and have a team mentality when they return as full-time associates.
What are some typical career paths for lawyers in this practice area?
The career options for antitrust attorneys are broad and exciting. In addition to the traditional law firm path, many U.S. antitrust attorneys work for the FTC or DOJ Antitrust Division. With many large companies now hiring in-house antitrust specialists, the in-house career path is open as well.