Profile details
About Sarah Melanson
Sarah Melanson is a senior associate in our antitrust, competition and trade practice, based in Silicon Valley.
Sarah represents clients on a broad range of antitrust issues, including mergers and acquisitions, civil and criminal antitrust investigations and litigation, and antitrust counseling. Sarah has also represented clients on the national security review of foreign investments conducted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
During her time at Freshfields, Sarah spent 17 months on secondment at Google.
Sarah joined Freshfields after receiving degrees in law from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, regulation from the London School of Economics, and economics from New York University.
Recent work
Sarah’s experience includes advising:
- Google in United States, et al. v. Google LLC (E.D. Va.), and In re Google Advertising Antitrust Litigation (S.D.N.Y.), litigation brought by the Department of Justice, more than 30 state attorneys general, and various class action plaintiffs, alleging violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act in connection with Google’s ad tech business.
- Evonik during trial in its successful defense against the FTC's efforts to block its proposed acquisition of PeroxyChem, a competing hydrogen peroxide producer.
- Volkswagen AG as CFIUS counsel in its $2.6 billion co-investment with Ford Motor Co. in autonomous vehicle technology company Argo AI.
- Suzano on its $11bn acquisition of rival Brazilian pulp manufacturer, Fibria Celulose SA, which created the world’s largest hardwood pulp producer.
Qualifications
Education
- JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School (Certificate in Business Economics and Public Policy from The Wharton School).
- MSc, Regulation, London School of Economics and Political Science.
- BA, Economics, New York University, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.
Professional
- Admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and California.
- Admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.