29 Jun 2026
Kirkland & Ellis Welcomes Antitrust Partners John Harkrider and Craig Minerva
"Kirkland & Ellis has added antitrust partners John Harkrider and Craig Minerva to its antitrust practice; they will work on investigations, merger reviews and regulatory compliance."
John Harkrider advises multinational corporations and private equity firms and their portfolio companies across the full spectrum of antitrust matters, including investigations, merger reviews and regulatory compliance. He has led or co-led antitrust reviews for transactions totaling nearly half a trillion dollars in aggregate value. He is ranked by Chambers USA (Band 1) and Legal 500 U.S., and has been recognized by Who’s Who Legal, Global Competition Review and The American Lawyer. Mr. Harkrider joins Kirkland & Ellis as a partner from Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, where he was a founding partner.
Craig Minerva advises clients on all aspects of civil antitrust matters with a focus on high-stakes, multinational transaction reviews. While at the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division he oversaw many high-profile merger cases and received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award and the Assistant Attorney General Award. He is recognized in the Legal 500 U.S. and the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers and Leading Dealmakers. Mr. Minerva joins Kirkland & Ellis as a partner from Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP.
Both Mr. Harkrider and Mr. Minerva are recognized thought leaders in antitrust and competition law; their co-authored work received a Concurrences Antitrust Writing Award and a Burton Foundation Distinguished Legal Writing Award in 2026 for the article entitled “Antitrust in a Time of Trade War.”