Katharine O'Connor

Practice Areas

Katharine (Kate) O’Connor focuses her practice on complex antitrust litigation, antitrust investigations brought by the US antitrust regulators and state attorneys general, and counseling clients on antitrust compliance questions. Kate also regularly represents clients before the antitrust regulators related to mergers and acquisitions. Kate has experience representing clients in a wide array of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, food and finance.

Kate is a member of the firm’s antitrust and competition practice, which Global Competition Review has designated a “Global Elite” and “Illinois Elite” practice. She has been recognized by Global Competition Review, Benchmark Litigation, Legal 500 US and Super Lawyers as excelling in the field of antitrust.

Kate has tried cases before juries, judges and arbitration panels, presented evidentiary hearings in federal and administrative courts and argued before the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, federal district courts and state courts. She is a member of the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar.

While in law school, Kate was the managing articles editor of the University of Illinois Law Review and a legal extern to Magistrate Judge David G. Bernthal of the US District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

View more at: https://www.mwe.com/people/oconnor-katharine/

Work Highlights

Obtained highly favorable settlement on behalf of large physician practice organization in multiple disputes arising out of payor agreements

Obtained summary judgment defeating claims of monopolization, tying and exclusive dealing brought by an ambulatory surgery center against Southern Illinois Healthcare, a health system headquartered in Carbondale, Illinois

Counseled several healthcare providers and other healthcare industry participants on antitrust issues arising out of affiliations, joint ventures, competitor collaborations, and mergers and acquisitions across the country, as well as questions surrounding provider and payor contracting