Kate Patchen is co-chair of Covington’s Antitrust Litigation and Government Investigations Practice Groups. She represents clients in complex antitrust class actions, government investigations, and matters before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission. Kate also advises companies on competition compliance, joint ventures, and risk management strategies.

Before joining Covington, Kate spent 16 years with the DOJ's Antitrust Division, including serving as Chief of the San Francisco Field Office, where she oversaw the Office’s civil and criminal enforcement programs. She led and supervised international cartel investigations, merger investigations, and represented the government in high-profile antitrust trials.

Following her tenure at the DOJ, Kate served as Director and Associate General Counsel for Competition and Litigation at a large technology company, where she led a global team of antitrust attorneys. She managed complex investigations across multiple jurisdictions, counseled senior executives on competition and regulatory matters, and managed the company’s antitrust litigation in high-profile matters.

Kate serves as an advisor to the Executive Committee of the California Lawyers Association’s Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section and is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section. She is a frequent speaker on antitrust law and enforcement topics at national and international programs.