Axinn Hires Former DOJ, FTC Lawyers to Expand Antitrust Practice

The approximately 120-lawyer firm has increased its headcount by more than 60% over the past decade and has made recruiting senior antitrust officials a central part of its long-term growth strategy, Bloomberg Law reported.

Among the firm’s recent hires are Daniel Matheson, the former chief trial counsel for the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, along with former Justice Department antitrust attorneys Katrina Rouse and Jimmy Moore, according to Bloomberg Law.

Managing partner Jeny Maier said the firm’s emphasis is on attracting high-caliber lawyers rather than pursuing rapid expansion.

“Bottom line, it comes down to the caliber of our people,” Maier told Bloomberg Law. She said the firm’s lawyers develop strategies for transactions and litigation that have resonated with clients.

Axinn has represented companies including Google, Tyson Foods and TikTok in antitrust matters. The publication reported that the firm is part of a broader trend of specialized law firms positioning themselves as alternatives to larger legal practices by recruiting attorneys with government and Big Law experience.

Maier told Bloomberg Law that the firm’s approach differs from firms focused primarily on increasing size, saying Axinn is aiming for sustainable growth.

Related: Kirkland Expands Antitrust Bench With Pair of Axinn Partners

The firm’s expansion comes after a period of transition. Bloomberg Law reported that Axinn rebranded in June following the departure of name partner John Harkrider to Kirkland & Ellis, where veteran antitrust attorney Craig Minerva also joined. Maier told the publication the firm plans to strengthen its capabilities in technology-focused intellectual property and commercial litigation.

Bloomberg Law also reported that Axinn has sought to remain competitive in recruiting by offering associate salaries above many large law firms. The firm increased its compensation scale last year, with starting salaries of $250,000 and senior associate salaries reaching $460,000. By comparison, Bloomberg Law reported that Milbank LLP’s most recent salary scale, announced in June, ranges from $235,000 to $455,000, with many large firms not yet matching those increases.

The firm’s hiring strategy coincides with significant turnover at the Justice Department during President Donald Trump’s second term, according to Bloomberg Law. The publication reported that the department has experienced a record number of departures and has responded by offering signing and retention bonuses to recruit and retain attorneys.

While the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division initially saw fewer departures than other parts of the department, Bloomberg Law reported that antitrust chief Gail Slater departed earlier this year. Bloomberg News also reported in April that the division’s top antitrust litigator and three senior trial attorneys were leaving their posts.

Axinn has hired roughly a half-dozen former Justice Department antitrust prosecutors over the past two years. Those additions include former Associate Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wimberly, who joined the firm in May 2025, and Jacklin Chou Lem, the former civil chief of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, who arrived later that year.

Source: Bloomberg Law