Sonia Kuester Pfaffenroth focuses her practice on helping clients address complex antitrust issues in the US and globally. She rejoined the firm in 2017 from the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) where she served most recently as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil and Criminal Operations. In that role, Ms. Pfaffenroth was responsible for supervising both civil and criminal antitrust enforcement efforts, as well as the Division's work with antitrust and competition law enforcement agencies worldwide.

While at the DOJ, Ms. Pfaffenroth oversaw a number of the Division's most significant matters, including the Division's challenges to the Anthem/Cigna and Aetna/Humana mergers and the American Express litigation. In addition to her responsibilities with respect to the Division's international program, she also supervised a broad range of legal policy initiatives and competition advocacy efforts. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Enforcement at the Antitrust Division and Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel to former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Bill Baer.

Before leaving to join the DOJ in 2013, Ms. Pfaffenroth was a partner at the firm, where she represented companies in a range of industries in international cartel investigations, merger and acquisition reviews and civil antitrust litigation, as well as providing day-to-day antitrust counseling.

Ms. Pfaffenroth originally joined Arnold & Porter in 2005 after clerking for Judge Paul Friedman of the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

Experience

  • Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, in federal and state class action and non-class action litigation alleging antitrust and marketing related claims regarding one of its leading products. Obtained complete defense verdict in trial in bankruptcy proceeding, defeating certain antitrust and civil RICO claims.
  • Bayer in federal litigation alleging claims of monopolization, tying, and exclusive dealing involving companion animal flea and tick products.
  • Fuel company in DOJ criminal and civil bid rigging and False Claims Act investigations.
  • Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in DOJ criminal investigation regarding automotive lighting systems and in related civil litigation.
  • Fujikura Ltd. & Fujikura America Inc. in direct and indirect purchaser class actions alleging price-fixing regarding automobile wire harnesses and related products.
  • Financial division of a major multinational corporation in connection with criminal and regulatory investigation of the municipal bond reinvestment markets by the DOJ and certain state attorneys general, as well as in related multidistrict litigation.
  • Laboratoires Fournier in an antitrust jury trial in the US District Court for the District of Delaware involving allegations of predatory innovation. Case settled just prior to jury deliberations.
  • Zimmer Holdings in DOJ criminal price-fixing investigation involving orthopedic implant devices and in related class action litigation.

Perspectives

Antitrust Agency Insights: Developments at the U.S. Antitrust Enforcement Agencies — Second Quarter 2023
Antitrust/Competition Newsletter
DOJ’s Antitrust Division Announces Progress in Revamping Bank Merger Review Guidelines
Advisory
Competition Litigation Comparative Guide - US Chapter
Mondaq
Antitrust Agency Insights: Developments at the U.S. Antitrust Enforcement Agencies — First Quarter 2023
Antitrust/Competition Newsletter
Antitrust/Competition Issues: Planned New Bank Merger Guidelines and DOJ Cartel Guidance
2023 Banking Institute, Charlotte, NC
More

Recognition

The Legal 500 US
Antitrust: Cartel (2018-2019, 2022)
Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions (2018-2019, 2022)
Antitrust: Merger Control (2019)
Global Competition Review
"Women in Antitrust" (2021)
Women@CompetitionAmericas
"40 in their 40s" – Notable Women Competition Professionals in Americas (2019)

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., Stanford Law School, Order of the Coif
  • B.A., Carleton College, magna cum laude
Admissions
  • District of Columbia
  • California
Government & Military Service
  • Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil and Criminal Operations, Antitrust Division, US Department of Justice
  • Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Enforcement, Antitrust Division, US Department of Justice
Overview

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