Juan A. Arteaga

JUAN ARTEAGA, a nationally recognized leading first-chair antitrust lawyer, is a go-to litigator for clients facing high-stakes antitrust litigation in federal district and appellate courts throughout the United States. As a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Juan regularly serves as a trusted adviser and effective advocate for clients in sensitive civil and criminal antitrust investigations with significant legal, business, and reputational risk. Clients turn to Juan with their most complex antitrust matters because he offers an unparalleled and powerful combination of strategic judgment, deep antitrust knowledge and government experience, and a strong understanding of business objectives, along with the resolve and advocacy skills to defend them in litigation and at trial when necessary.

“Juan distinguishes himself as an exceptional advocate, with a deep understanding of antitrust and a meticulous and unrelenting work ethic. He achieves exceptional results for his clients.”
Chambers USA 2025

Drawing on over 20 years of experience as a lead defense counsel and senior antitrust enforcer, Juan has successfully defended clients across all industries in numerous “bet-the-company” litigation and trials, including government enforcement actions, multidistrict litigation, and class actions. He has prevailed in litigation on behalf of clients in cases involving the entire spectrum of antitrust issues, from Section 1 conspiracy and Section 2 monopolization claims under the Sherman Act, Section 7 merger challenges under the Clayton Act, to claims under state antitrust laws. Most recently, Juan has represented clients in government and private antitrust litigation involving new and dynamic markets, including artificial intelligence, algorithmic pricing, and technology platforms.

In addition to his litigation work, Juan has helped numerous clients successfully defend their business practices in civil and criminal antitrust investigations conducted by the DOJ, Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and congressional committees. He has also helped companies obtain antitrust clearance of their most important transactions while avoiding costly second requests and merger challenges. Juan has achieved these results in merger and non-merger government investigations by crafting strategies that effectively anticipate and address enforcers’ concerns and by developing legal and factual arguments that present a client’s story in a persuasive and credible manner.

Juan has been recognized as one of the country’s leading antitrust lawyers by various legal publications, including Chambers USA (New York Antitrust, 2021–2025), Lawdragon (“500 Leading Litigators in America,” 2021–2026; “500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers,” 2025–2026), Law360 (“Competition Rising Star,” 2017), and New York Law Journal (“Distinguished Leader,” 2018; “Antitrust “Rising Star:” 2016). His cases are regularly reported in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, and Washington Post, as well as many industry and legal publications.

As a Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the DOJ Antitrust Division, Juan oversaw merger and conduct investigations and litigation across a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, financial services, telecommunications, defense, transportation, consumer products, and higher education. During his tenure, he played a leadership role in multiple merger challenges that resulted in transactions being abandoned or blocked. Juan also previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Antitrust Division.

Juan is an active leader in the antitrust bar and legal community. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Antitrust Section and co-chairs its Cartels and Criminal Practice Committee. He also serves as the vice chair of the Trial Practice Committee of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Law Section.

Antitrust Litigation

• CSX Transportation in obtaining summary judgment in price-fixing multidistrict litigation seeking billions in damages arising out of alleged conspiracy to impose fuel surcharges.
• Princeton University in securing dismissal of putative class action alleging that the Ivy League Athletic Conference and its member schools unlawfully conspired to prohibit athletic scholarships.
• Samsung and Mozilla in liability and remedies trials in DOJ and state attorneys general online search engine monopolization lawsuit against Google, including securing rejection of proposed remedies that would have significantly harmed Samsung’s and Mozilla’s businesses.
• George Washington University in securing dismissal of putative class action alleging that College Board and various private universities conspired when adopting certain financial aid policies and practices.
• MasterCard in trial and appellate proceedings that resulted in successful enforcement of DOJ Final Judgment against Visa.
• JPMorgan Chase and various subsidiaries in securing dismissal of antitrust claims in putative class actions seeking billions in damages for alleged manipulation of various benchmarks for financial instruments.

Antitrust Government Investigations

Civil Conduct

• Global credit rating agency in persuading DOJ to submit written comments raising concerns about rival’s proposed anti-competitive rules, which resulted in rules being abandoned.
• Various technology and mobile device companies in DOJ and FTC “Big Tech” investigations, including investigations related to general search engine services, artificial intelligence, cloud platforms, online payment platforms, online application stores, and mobile device operating systems.
• Multiple health insurers in persuading DOJ to close market allocation investigation without enforcement action.
• Highly selective college in persuading DOJ and New York State Attorney General to close multiple investigations related to early admission programs and financial aid practices without enforcement action.
• Ivy League school in investigations by Judiciary Committees for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives regarding Ivy League admissions, tuition, and financial aid policies and practices.
• Healthcare provider in DOJ investigation regarding anti-steering contract provisions.

Criminal

• Government contractor in persuading DOJ to close grand jury investigation related to potential bid-rigging for defense contracts without the filing of criminal charges or enforcement action.
• Fortune 50 company in DOJ grand jury investigation related to potential no-poach agreements, which was closed without the filing of any criminal charges or enforcement action.
• Home care provider in persuading New York State Attorney General to close investigation into potential no-poach and wage-fixing agreements without enforcement action.
• Global financial institution in DOJ investigation related to potential manipulation of various benchmarks for financial instruments.
• Global financial institution in DOJ municipal bonds bid-rigging and fraud investigations.
• Foreign companies and executives in DOJ auto parts price-fixing, bid-rigging, and market allocation investigations.

Mergers

• Novant Health in securing FTC and state attorney general approval of US$5.2 billion acquisition of New Hanover Medical Regional Center.
• Novant Health in securing FTC approval of US$2.4 billion acquisition of three South Carolina hospitals from Tenet Healthcare Corporation.
• Novant Health in investigation and preliminary injunction proceedings that resulted in district court rejecting FTC’s challenge to Novant Health’s US$320 million acquisition of two North Carolina hospitals.
• United Technologies in securing DOJ and foreign competition agencies’ approval of US$30 billion acquisition of Rockwell Collins.
• AT&T in DOJ investigation and trial that resulted in district court rejecting DOJ’s challenge to the company’s US$85 billion acquisition of Time Warner.
• Major health insurer as third party in DOJ’s investigation of United Health Group’s US$13 billion acquisition of Change Healthcare, Inc.

Non-Antitrust Litigation and Investigations

• Government contractor in DOJ False Claims Act investigation regarding representations related to compliance with cybersecurity regulations and contractual commitments.
• Macquarie Capital and multiple affiliates in securing dismissal of action alleging various fraud, alter ego, and tortious interference claims arising out of asset purchase transaction.
• AT&T in resolving false advertising and unfair business practices action brought by Sprint related to AT&T’s “5GE” advertisements.
• KKR and various officers in securing dismissal of securities fraud action arising out of M&A transaction.
• Morgan Stanley board members in obtaining dismissal of multiple shareholder derivative actions alleging breach of fiduciary and fraud claims.
• Special Committee and Audit Committee of the board of global investment banks in various internal investigations related to multi-billion write-down of proprietary investments and sale of certain securities products.

The above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• New York City Bar Association
  • Vice President, 2023–2024
  • Member, Nominations Committee, 2022
  • Member, Judiciary Committee, 2011–2013, 2018–Present
  • Chair and Member, Minority in the Courts Committee, 2006–2011
• New York State Bar Association Antitrust Section
  
  • Executive Committee, 2022–Present
  • Co-Chair, Cartels and Criminal Practice Committee, 2022–Present
• Chair, Board of Directors, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corp., 2018–Present
• Director, Advisory Board, Legal Outreach, 2006–Present
• Member, American Bar Association Antitrust Section
• Member, Hispanic National Bar Association
• Member, Puerto Rican Bar Association

Juan also maintains an active pro bono practice. He regularly serves as pro bono counsel in civil rights, immigration, housing, family, and criminal matters. Most recently, Juan helped a survivor of sexual violence and gender-based persecution secure asylum after a multi-day evidentiary hearing. He also helped vacate the wrongful murder conviction of a New York state inmate during federal habeas proceedings. Juan’s commitment to pro bono has been recognized by organizations such as The Legal Aid Society, Human Rights First, LatinoJustice, Her Justice, and the Puerto Rican Bar Association.

In addition, Juan’s commitment to improving the legal profession and expanding opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups has been recognized by the New York City Bar Association, Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Leadership Council for Legal Diversity, Hispanic National Bar Association, and Council of Urban Professionals, among others.