Ken O’Rourke leads O’Melveny’s Los Angeles Litigation Practice where he litigates and tries cases as a member of the firm's Antitrust & Competition group and the Intellectual Property & Technology group. Nationally, O’Melveny’s Litigation Department has won or been recognized as the winner, a finalist or honorable mention recipient of the American Lawyer’s “Litigation Department of the Year” contest every year it has been held, from 2002-2014.
Ken represents established and emerging companies in complex, multi-forum civil litigation in federal and state courts, including:
Antitrust cases—such as class actions, monopolization, international cartels, government investigations, unfair competition, and reverse-payment settlements;
Intellectual property lawsuits involving antitrust issues—such as patent misuse, Walker Process claims, and patents enforced on industry standards; and
Complex business, technical and financial controversies and litigation.
He represents leading companies accused of participating in international price-fixing cartels, litigated such cases as the U.S. Department of Justice’s lawsuits seeking to block US Airways' merger with American Airlines and AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s planned merger, and defended against Rambus Inc.’s worldwide litigation campaign to enforce patents on industry standard computer memory products, the most recent ruling of which was a $250 million sanctions award against Rambus and in favor of SK hynix for document spoliation. In 2013, Ken served as special prosecutor trying a criminal vehicle manslaughter case to a California jury.
Ken is Chair of the California State Bar Antitrust & Unfair Competition Law Section, and a member of the ABA Antitrust Section's International Cartel Task Force (2013-14). Ken is ranked by Chambers USA, with the 2012 edition quoting commentators who stated “he’s a spectacular lawyer,” and the 2011 edition noting that “he wins particular acclaim for his cartel work.” Ken is also recognized in the 2013 edition of “Who’s Who Legal - The International Who’s Who of Competition Lawyers.”
