Sara Razi

Sara Y. Razi is a leading antitrust attorney focusing on merger reviews and clearance, government antitrust investigations, antitrust litigation, and counseling on competition issues. She regularly represents clients before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and handles matters involving antitrust reviews and litigation in multiple jurisdictions. Since joining Simpson Thacher in 2013, she has secured clearances in complex and closely-watched mergers including:

• Koninklijke Ahold N.V. in FTC review and clearance of its $29 billion merger of equals with Delhaize Group;
• DIRECTV in DOJ review and clearance of its $48.5 billion sale to AT&T;
• Lorillard in FTC review and clearance of its $27.4 billion sale to Reynolds American;
• Dollar General in its acquisition of 323 Dollar Express stores from Sycamore Partners;
• CSL Ltd. in FTC review and clearance of its $275 million acquisition of Novartis AG’s influenza vaccine business;
• HCA in its simultaneous acquisitions of several hospitals from Tenet Health and Community Health Systems in Houston, TX; and
• HCA in a major DOJ merger litigation involving health insurers Anthem and Cigna.

Sara also represents clients in high-profile antitrust litigations including most recently US v. Anthem/CIGNA and In re Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation MDL.

Sara’s extensive private-sector and government antitrust experience spans a multitude of industries including technology, media, telecommunications, supermarkets and other retail, oil and gas, consumer products, healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices.

Described by Global Competition Review as one of the “best FTC merger advisers in the business,” Sara is recognized by The Legal 500 and Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation, and is a member of the team awarded “Antitrust Department of the Year” by Chambers USA in 2016, which highlighted the group’s “outstanding expertise and experience in antitrust matters.”

In addition, Sara was recognized as a Who’s Who Legal “Competition Future Leaders” 2017. She has been a featured speaker or panelist at dozens of conferences and events sponsored by the ABA Antitrust Section, American Health Lawyers Association, and other organizations.

Sara joined Simpson Thacher in 2013 from the FTC, where she served in senior roles for nearly a decade. As Deputy Assistant Director, she directed numerous antitrust investigations and litigation challenges during a time of reinvigorated healthcare merger enforcement and served as a lead litigator in federal district courts and administrative hearings, including FTC v. ProMedica Health System and FTC v. Phoebe Putney Health System.

As Attorney Advisor to FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras from 2004 to 2008, she advised on a wide range of antitrust investigations, litigation and policy matters, with emphasis on energy, healthcare, technology and intellectual property issues. Sara received several FTC awards during her tenure, including the Bureau Director’s Award, Award for Excellence in Supervision, and three Janet D. Steiger team litigation awards.

Sara earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from American University, Washington College of Law, in 2000, where she was Note and Comment Editor for the American University Law Review. She received her B.A. in molecular, cellular and developmental biology from the University of Colorado in 1995. She is admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Education:

• American University, Washington College of Law, 2000 J.D.
  • summa cum laude, Note and Comment Editor, American University Law Review
• University of Colorado, 1995 B.A. in molecular, cellular & developmental biology

Admissions:

• District of Columbia
• Maryland