Whether leading clients through complex multidistrict litigation cases or negotiating criminal fine reductions in the hundreds of millions of dollars, Rachel Adcox, partner at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, has proven herself a standout among antitrust practitioners. Her work in groundbreaking litigation is a testament to the trust her clients place in her skill and judgment. She also says that helping to found and grow Axinn’s Washington, D.C. office is her greatest professional accomplishment to date.
Early in her career, Adcox was appointed by the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia to represent a union member pro bono in a duty of fair representation suit against his union, becoming one of only a handful of attorneys in the District to litigate such a claim successfully. She was recognized by Global Competition Review for her early accomplishments, when it profiled her as a new partner in its feature, “The Class of 2014.”
In addition to leading by example, Adcox is an avid ambassador for women in the legal profession. She devotes considerable energy to advancing the visibility and status of women in her firm and in the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section. She is also an active promoter of the network of women cartel practitioners.
“To me, diversity means seeking out and accepting a variety of approaches and viewpoints, which most often come from people who have traveled a different road,” explains Adcox. “Ideas can’t be fully fleshed out in an echo chamber – you need to come at problems from different angles. A homogenous group of people may be very collegial, but they are far less likely to spur each other to creative or innovative solutions.”
She offers this advice to women on their way up: “It is a great time to be a woman in the legal profession. The opportunities and tools for success are there for you like never before. And to the extent you find yourself in a situation where there are not so many others in the room like you, consider that being memorable is a huge part of the battle, and turn it to your advantage.”
