Rebecca Nelson devotes her practice to antitrust and trade regulation, both in the counseling and litigation phases. She regularly advises clients with respect to antitrust issues associated with potential business combinations, as well as a full range of contracts, pricing and sales practices. She has been involved with the litigation and arbitration of monopolization, attempted monopolization, deceptive trade practices, dealer termination and price fixing claims. She has also represented clients under investigation by state Attorneys General and the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive advertising and trade practices.

A core part of Ms. Nelson’s practice is her work all phases of mergers and acquisitions – from advice regarding the antitrust implications of proposed business combinations, through preparation of premerger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, coordination of corresponding international competition law filings, preparation of advocacy materials for the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, working with economists, and overseeing compliance with requests for additional information and documentary material (“Second Requests”). In that capacity, she has worked on several transactions valued in excess of $1 billion, prepared hundreds of premerger filings and has led teams responding to several major Second Requests.  Ms. Nelson has also led teams of attorneys in preparing responses to government-issued civil investigative demands and subpoenas in antitrust investigations. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Nelson served as law clerk to the Hon. P. Trevor Sharp, Middle District of North Carolina.

Bar and Court Admissions

Missouri, 1994

Illinois, 1993

United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

Education

Duke University, J.D., 1993

Duke University, A.B., 1990

Languages

Spanish

Publications

• Co-Author, Robinson-Patman Handbook, forthcoming 2010
• "Proposed Revisions of the Horizontal Merger Guidelines Are Released," Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law, Vol. 48, No. 4, June 2010
• Co-Author, Antitrust Law Developments Annual Review, 2009
• Co-Author, “Post-Termination Trademark and Trade Secret Infringement,” Franchise and Dealer Termination Handbook (2d Ed.), 2008
• Co-Author “Leegin:  The Supreme Court Overrules Doctor Miles and Ushers in a New Approach to Price Maintenance,” Distribution, Vol. 11, No. 2, September 2007
• Co-Author, “Disappointed Dealer Prevails on State Claim, Loses Federal Price Discrimination Issue,” Franchise Law Journal, 2006
• “The Antitrust Implications of Creative Pricing Strategies,” St. Louis Bar Journal, 2002
• Co-Author, “The Emerging Role of Efficiencies in Merger Analysis,” St. Louis Bar Journal, 1999

Speeches and Seminars

• Presenter, “Antitrust and the Roberts Supreme Court:  Changes in the Law That You Need to Know,” Seminar, January 18, 2008
• Presenter, “Volvo v. Reeder-Simco – The Reviews are In,” Teleseminar by the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law, May 31, 2006

Professional Affiliations

• Illinois Bar Association – Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section Council; (Chair, 2002-2003)
• American Bar Association – Member, Antitrust Section

Civic Involvement and Honors

• The Best Lawyers in America, Antitrust Law, 2012-2013
• The Best Lawyers In America, St. Louis Antitrust Lawyer of the Year, 2012
• KC Magazine - Top Attorneys In Missouri & Kansas
• Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers