Jonathan Klarfeld

Practice Areas

Jonathan S. Klarfeld, based in Washington, D.C., leads Ropes & Gray’s antitrust practice and is recognized as a leading antitrust strategist with deep experience in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. He brings clients the benefit of more than two decades of distinguished experience in antitrust enforcement, investigations, and litigation, with a particular focus on healthcare transactions and regulatory matters. Before joining Ropes & Gray in 2014, Jonathan spent more than 13 years at the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition in Washington, D.C., where he held senior leadership roles and directed many significant merger investigations and enforcement actions. His deep insight into the antitrust review process, consent negotiations, and litigation strategy enables him to deliver sophisticated, practical guidance on complex healthcare and cross-industry transactional matters.

During his tenure at the FTC, Jonathan served as a staff attorney, counsel to the director, and ultimately as Deputy Assistant Director in the Mergers I Division. In that role, he managed all aspects of the antitrust enforcement division in case selection, oversight and enforcement recommendation development. He also oversaw and participated in investigational hearings and depositions, negotiated consent agreements and litigated matters across a wide range of industries. He led milestone cases in the healthcare sector, including the commission’s actions in Omnicare/PharMerica and the investigation of Express Scripts/Medco, as well as other significant matters across diverse industries.

Jonathan’s government service also includes a detail as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he gained valuable trial experience and participated in all phases of criminal prosecution. He began his legal career as a litigation associate at Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol.

Clients rely on Jonathan’s unique perspective as a former senior antitrust enforcer, his strategic approach to antitrust challenges, and his proven track record in navigating complex government investigations, merger reviews, and antitrust litigation. His broad expertise, leadership of the firm’s antitrust practice, and Washington, D.C. presence make him a trusted advisor for organizations facing their most challenging antitrust issues.