Ryan Sandrock

Co-Chair, Antitrust

Direct:415.544.1944

Main:415.544.1900

Fax:415.391.0281

Overview

Ryan is the co-chair of Shook’s Antitrust Practice. He represents clients before federal, state, and international competition agencies, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and state attorneys general. He also is a trial lawyer and litigator with experience in state and federal courts around the country.

Ryan previously served at the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, working as a Digital Markets Trial Attorney. Ryan’s DOJ work included the landmark United States v. Google search case, merger litigation, tech investigations, price-fixing investigations, and coordination with state and international enforcers.

Before joining the DOJ, Ryan was an antitrust partner in Sidley Austin’s San Francisco office, where he helped clients win antitrust cases in the Northern District of California. He also litigated consumer protection matters as well as antitrust and non-antitrust consumer class actions. And before moving to San Francisco, Ryan worked in Chicago. He remains an active member of the Illinois bar and the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar.

Ryan is an adjunct professor at UC College of the Law, San Francisco, where he co-teaches Antitrust and Intellectual Property. He also has written for a wide range of publications on antitrust-related topics, including pieces on the direct purchaser rule, refusal to deal standards, and predatory pricing claims.

Before going to law school, Ryan taught American history and coached cross-country and track in Louisiana. He is a fan of Ohio sports teams and an avid, but slowing, runner.

Representative Matters

Antitrust Litigation—Section 1 (Sherman Act)

Defended real estate investment trust in matters regarding use of revenue management software, including private class actions, investigations by state and federal enforcers, and enforcement actions by state and federal enforcers. In re RealPage Rental Software Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 3071 (M.D. Tenn.); United States v. RealPage (M.D.N.C.); District of Columbia v. RealPage, Inc. et al.. (D.C. Super.); State of Arizona v. RealPage, Inc. et al.. (Ariz. Super.).
Defended real estate investment management company in class action regarding use of market data. In re Manufactured Home Lot Rents Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ill.)
Defended private university in lawsuit challenging financial aid determinations. Hansen v. Northwestern University, et al. (N.D. Ill.)
Defended manufacturer in litigation alleging price-fixing of polyurethanes. In re: Diisocyanates Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2862 (W.D. Pa.)
Defended electronics OEM in multiple class actions and investigations regarding alleged price-fixing of component parts. In re: Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1917 (N.D. Cal.); In re TFT-LCD (Flat Panel) Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1827 (N.D. Cal.)

Antitrust Litigation—Section 2 (Sherman Act) and California Unfair Practices Act

Challenged Google’s exclusionary conduct in advertising technology markets. Sovrn v. Google (S.D.N.Y.)
Defended real estate software company in dispute with competitor regarding alleged refusal to deal. Entrata v. Yardi (D. Ut.)
Defended laboratory testing company in multiple cases involving alleged below-cost pricing, including claims under Section 17043 of the California Unfair Practices Act. Rheumatology Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc et al v. Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company (N.D. Cal.); Eastman v. Quest Diagnostics (N.D. Cal).
Defended electronics OEM in litigation involving standard-setting. Haier America Trading, L.L.C. v. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. et al. (N.D. N.Y).
Defended hotel in cases regarding vertical agreements regarding pricing policies. In re: Online Travel Company Hotel Booking Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2040 (N.D. Tx.)
Defended healthcare company in antitrust action regarding drug pricing. Spindler v. Johnson & Johnson (N.D. Cal.)

Government Antitrust Investigations and Litigation—Section 1 (Sherman Act), Section 2 (Sherman Act) and Section 7 (Clayton Act)

Challenged acquisition regarding consolidation of competitively sensitive data. United States and Plaintiff States v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. and Change Healthcare Inc. (D.D.C.)
Challenged acquisition regarding sugar refineries. United States v. U.S. Sugar (D. Del.)
Reviewed and investigated HSR filings while serving as Digital Markets Attorney in Antitrust Division.
Investigated potential price-fixing conduct as part of grand jury matters.
Challenged Google regarding monopolization of search and search advertising markets. United States and Plaintiff States v. Google, (D.D.C.)

Antitrust Compliance

Drafted numerous antitrust compliance policies.
Advised employees and executives at all levels regarding practical antitrust compliance tips.
Defended company antitrust compliance policies before the Department of Justice.

Antitrust Investigation Response

Coordinated responses to global investigations and raids regarding alleged price-fixing.
Advised third parties regarding government CIDs and subpoenas in merger matters.

Antitrust and Intellectual Property

Taught Antitrust and Intellectual Property at University of California College of the Law-San Francisco (formerly Hastings) with Sam Miller, 2019-present.
Litigated FRAND issues as counterclaims and affirmative defenses in multiple patent infringement cases involving SEPs.
Defended semiconductor packaging company in patent and contract cases.

ERISA Litigation

Defended beverage company in putative ERISA class action alleging excessive recordkeeping fees and improper share classes. Hollien v. Monster (C.D. Cal.)
Defended financial services company in putative ERISA class actions. Pender v. Bank of America (W.D.N.C)

Complex Financial Litigation

Defended real estate company in multiple actions arising from the (then) largest leverage buyout in history.
Defended financial service providers in numerous actions, ranging from pro se complaints against credit card issuers to partnership disputes to nationwide class actions regarding financial service fees.

Publications

Defaulting to the Status Quo: The Google Search Remedies Decision, Volume 35, Issue 1, Competition, December 2025 (with Samuel Miller).

How Low Do Antitrust Laws Let You Go? Recent Decisions Regarding Discriminatory, Predatory, and Below-Cost Pricing, Volume 35, Issue 1, Competition, December 2025 (with Kevin Burke).

Antitrust Litigation 2025 Trends and Developments, Chambers and Partners, September 18, 2025.

Beyond Magnuson-Moss and Kodak—“Right to Repair” As an Antitrust Issue, Vol. 34, Issue 1,Competition, October 24, 2024.

The New Antitrust 2022-2023, Association of Corporate Counsel Tampa Bay, Fall 2022.

Illinois Brick After Apple v. Pepper, Antitrust, Vol. 34, No. 1, Fall 2019 (with Miriam C. Carroll).

Competing Refusal-To-Deal Tests at 7th, 9th Circs., Law360, Fall 2019.

Apple v. Pepper and the Future of the Direct Purchaser Enforcement Regime, Antitrust Magazine, Vol. 33, No. 2, Spring 2019.

Getting the Deal Through: Vertical Agreements 2019, U.S. Chapter, Law Business Research Ltd., Spring 2019.

Applying Illinois Brick to E-Commerce: Who Is the Direct Purchaser From an App Store? Competition, Fall 2018.

Below-Cost Pricing: Recent Defense-Friendly Decisions, Competition, Spring 2017 (with Stephen Chang).

Motorola Has Lost a Friend: Introduction to Critical Judgment Regarding the Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Competition Laws, Law Times Korea, January 13, 2015 (with Yonghee Yoon).

Circuit Ruling in LCD Price-Fixing Case Splits DOJ, Private Plaintiffs, The Recorder, December 2, 2014.

Rapid Data Breach Reporting Now Required By Vermont’s Attorney General, BNA’s Privacy and Security Law Report, June 18, 2012.

Presentations

State Level Voluntary Compliance Efforts and Related Antitrust Concerns, Auto Innovators Legal Forum, October 28, 2025.

Civil and Criminal Conduct Trials, ABA Antitrust Trials: Recent Experiences with Parallel Litigation, February 12, 2025.

Recent Developments in Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law, California Lawyers Association Golden State Institute, October 24, 2024.

Big Tech on Trial, American Bar Association Litigation Section Annual Conference, May 1, 2024.

Alphabet Soup: Government Enforcement from the Agency Perspective, Government Investigations and Civil Litigation Institute Annual Meeting, November 15, 2023.

Developments in Antitrust Law: Right to Repair, New Merger Guidelines and HSR Rules, 2023 Manufacturing Legal Summit, November 6, 2023.

The Rising Right to Repair Movement: Magnuson-Moss and More, American Bar Association CLE, June 26, 2023.

FTC and DOJ Antitrust Priorities 2023, Update of the Law CLE webinar, June 8, 2023.

Tips for Handling Non-Competes and Employment Issues in Today’s Antitrust Climate, American Bar Association Webinar, May 4, 2023.

What’s the Latest from the FTC and DOJ - Be in the Know, Association of Corporate CounselColorado In-House Counsel Forum, April 20, 2023.

The New Antitrust, Association of Corporate Counsel Northeast Webinar, December 6, 2022

Current Antitrust Issues For Health, Biotech, and Pharmaceutical Companies, Association of Corporate Counsel Health, Biotech & Pharma CLE Institute, October 19, 2022.