Lauren Norris Donahue

Practice Areas

Lauren Norris Donahue is a partner in the firm's Antitrust, Competition, and Trade Regulation and White Collar Defense and Investigations practice groups. She advises clients on all aspects of antitrust law, including government enforcement, complex commercial litigation, domestic and international internal investigations, mergers and acquisitions, and antitrust compliance. She represents clients in a broad array of industries, including healthcare, technology, manufacturing, real estate, consumer goods and services, and transport and logistics.

Lauren has successfully represented numerous domestic and international corporations and individuals in high-stakes antitrust litigation and government investigations involving cartel conduct, such as price-fixing, bid-rigging, and market allocation, as well as monopolization. She has led internal investigations involving whistleblowers; assisted clients in responding to grand jury subpoenas, CIDs, and other forms of government process; and defended clients in criminal and civil antitrust actions, including class actions.

Lauren also counsels clients on the antitrust aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. Lauren has helped guide the firm's clients through US and international merger clearance and regularly advises on antitrust issues related to both horizontal and vertical mergers, gun-jumping, and pre-merger due diligence and integration planning.

Lauren’s practice includes counseling clients on antitrust compliance to help companies mitigate antitrust risks. She has represented US and multinational corporations in the establishment and maintenance of antitrust compliance and audit programs, regularly provides antitrust compliance training, and has been involved in the presentation of companies’ antitrust compliance programs to the Department of Justice Antitrust Division.

Lauren also advises the firm's healthcare clients on a variety of antitrust and competition issues, including competitor collaborations, information exchanges, group purchasing arrangements, hospital and physician group mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and clinical integration.

Lauren has been individually recognized for antitrust in Illinois by Chambers USA, Thomson Reuters, Lawdragon, and Crain’s. The firm's Antitrust, Competition, and Trade Regulation group has been recognized by Chambers USA for Antitrust in Illinois, by Best Law Firms® Tier 1 Antitrust Law, and as the “Cartel & Trade Regulation Law Firm of the Year in Illinois” by the international review and assessment programs of both Corporate INTL Magazine and Global Law Experts. Lauren is a frequent author and speaker on numerous topics relating to antitrust, government investigations, and compliance issues.

Lauren's commitment extends to providing pro bono legal services, and she has successfully represented several individuals seeking asylum in the United States. She is also actively involved in the firmwide Women in the Profession Committee and is the chair of both the Chicago office's Women in the Profession Group, and the Chicago office's Associate Development Committee.

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association, Antitrust Section and Young Lawyers Division

Chicago Women in Antitrust Network, Co-Chair

American Health Lawyers Association, Antitrust Practice Group Member

Publications

Co-author, “Competitive Implications of Pricing Algorithms Under the United States Antitrust Laws,” CPI Antirust Chronicle, 28 February 2024

“State Pre-Merger Notification Requirements for Healthcare Transactions,” The Health Lawyer, 20 December 2023

Co-author, “Ninth Circuit: Apple Case Leads to Additional Clarity on Section 1 Claims,” GCR US Courts Annual Review, Ch. 7 (4th ed.), 2023

“U.S. Antitrust Agencies Propose Significant Changes to Premerger Notification Requirements,” Reuters, 30 June 2023

“No-Poach Guilty Plea Flags How to Mitigate Risks,” Bloomberg Law, 22 September 2022

"Antitrust Enforcement of No-Poach Agreements in Health Care and Unique Considerations for AMCs," American Health Law Association, 18 August 2022

"U.S. Courts Annual Review, Ninth Circuit,” Global Competition Review, 6 July 2020 (co-author)

“Mitigating Antitrust Risks with DOJ-FTC Pandemic Guidance," Competition Law360, 31 March 2020 (co-author)

“HR Professionals Beware: Antitrust Violations in the Employment Arena May Subject Employers and their HR Personnel to Criminal Prosecution,” Business Law Today, December 2016

"FTAIA Case Update: Seventh Circuit Decision in Motorola," Mobility LLC v. AU Optronics Corp, European Competition Law Review, 2015

"Criminal Antitrust Enforcement Poses Significant Risks for FDA-regulated Industry," FDLI Update, November/December 2015

"Antitrust Compliance: Practical Ways to Mitigate Antitrust Risk," K&L Gates’ Global Boardroom Risk Solutions Newsletter, December 2014 (co-author)

"Exclusive Dealing: An Antitrust Analysis," The 101 Practice Series: Breaking Down the Basics, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Spring 2013

"Highlights from the FTC’s Recent Workshop on Preventing Patent “Hold-Ups” in the Standard-Setting Context," ABA Antitrust Section, Joint Conduct Committee E-Bulletin, Fall 2011

"Foreign Investment Update: Proposed Regulations to the Recently Amended Exon-Florio Provision," Client Alert, Antitrust and Trade Regulation Group, May 2008

Education