Kristen Limarzi of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. (Courtesy photo)

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has added more talent to its already formidable antitrust and appellate lineups, bringing the former chief of the appellate section in the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust division, Kristen Limarzi, into the firm's partnership in Washington, D.C.

"After 11 years in the section, it was time to move on," Limarzi said when asked about the timing of the move. "I did look at various firms as potential options, but Gibson presented such an exciting opportunity for me. Their litigation practice is unparalleled."

Limarzi said that her time at DOJ allowed her to explore a wide range of antitrust related issues, and that being at a firm like Gibson Dunn, with blue-chip, institutional clients with complex antitrust needs, would allow her to continue to do so.

"Kristen will be a terrific addition to the firm," Ken Doran, chairman and managing partner of Gibson Dunn, said in a statement. "She has a stellar reputation for her intellect, breadth of antitrust knowledge, judgment and ability to work collaboratively across agencies.  She is widely respected both within and outside government, and will be a tremendous resource for our clients."

She will focus on "investigations, litigation and counseling on antitrust merger and conduct matters, as well as appellate and civil litigation," according to a firm release.

Limarzi, coming from the public sector, won't have the stable of clients a private sector lateral hire would bring. But she said her reputation from DOJ and Gibson's reputation and existing client portfolio will smooth the transition.

"We are thrilled to have Kristen join us," Scott Hammond, co-chair of Gibson Dunn's antitrust and competition practice group and former colleague of Limarzi's at DOJ, said in a statement. "She is a gifted writer and oral advocate and is widely respected within the Department of Justice and beyond."

After spending her first five years at DOJ as a trial attorney, Limarzi was promoted to section chief in September 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile. As section chief, she led a team of roughly a dozen attorneys in cases involving appellate litigation in civil and criminal enforcement actions and participation as amicus curiae in private antitrust actions, according to a Gibson Dunn press release.

She also represented the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Surface Transportation Board and has advised the Office of the Solicitor General on the "interplay between competition and intellectual property laws," according to her firm bio.

Limarzi said she thought it was an "exciting" time to be an antitrust lawyer, with a lot of regulatory questions on the federal, state, local and international level likely to be resolved in the coming years, particularly related to the technology sector.

Prior to her stint at DOJ, Limarzi was an associate at King & Spalding in D.C. for almost five years.

Gibson Dunn has seen its overall head count increase by about 40% since 2010, and total firm revenues have nearly doubled from that time, to $1.8 billion in 2018.

Read More

The American Lawyer Announces Litigation Department of the Year Finalists

DOJ Weighs in on Florida Bar's Battle with Traffic Ticket Startup Tikd