Clients put their trust in Arends’ antitrust work

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Wendy Arends recalls early indications of wanting to become an attorney. As a child, she sat at a little desk, answering her pretend phone and counseling make-believe clients.

“As an adult, before I went to law school, I worked in government and it made me want to better understand and learn more about the laws and judicial system that are a fundamental underpinning our country’s system of democracy,” she said. “I also realized that due to the ever-evolving nature of law, a legal career would present me with constant opportunities for growth.”

Arends’ work for clients tackles complex issues that arise in corporate transactions due to antitrust and competition concerns. While she represents clients across multiple industries, Arends continues to focus on antitrust issues in the health care arena, which has seen a number of transformative corporate transactions and enforcement actions amid a wave of consolidation in recent years.

“I find it very fulfilling to help clients navigate the strategic and legal issues regarding antitrust matters, including merger reviews, challenges and other questions that come up when two competitors would like to collaborate in order to provide an innovative product or service, or when a client is part of a consolidated industry,” she said. “In addition, the antitrust bar has a fantastic community of women attorneys practicing at a very high level who are a great resource.”

Antitrust law has traditionally been male-dominated, and fewer than 15 percent of the nationally ranked lawyers in Chambers USA’s antitrust section are women.

“In this respect, Wendy is a terrific role model for young women lawyers, demonstrating that women can succeed in this field of law,” said colleague Steve Renau. “Being a role model is nothing new for Wendy. She attended law school as a ‘non-traditional’ student who already had significant work experience under her belt when she arrived on campus, having worked in the Clinton administration after college.”

Arends is a member of the Women’s Competition Network, a committee member of the American Bar Association’s Janet D. Steiger Fellowship project and vice chair of the ABA Antitrust Section’s State Enforcement Committee.

In addition, she has incorporated her concern for victims of domestic abuse into her pro bono and community service work. She has volunteered in support of Domestic Abuse Intervention Services and the Wisconsin State Bar Hotline, as well as provided pro bono representation for domestic abuse victims in family law matters.