Wilson Sonsini brings three antitrust leaders to this year's Golden State Institute, the California Lawyers Association Antitrust and Consumer Protection Section's marquee event. Partners Ken O'Rourke, Jeff VanHooreweghe, and Julia Tarver Wood will join panels addressing AI's growing impact on antitrust practice and enforcement, and the Section will honor Ken with its 2026 Antitrust Lawyer of the Year award. The conference draws private and public sector attorneys, in-house counsel, academics, experts, judges, and law students for sessions on recent developments in the law, trials, and enforcement.

Antitrust Ethics in Action 4.0

Ken O'Rourke and Jeff VanHooreweghe chair this panel, which will explore the ethical and practical challenges AI poses for antitrust practice and ADR. In-house counsel, litigators, a mediator, and a federal judge will play out scenarios at "mock" speed, addressing attorneys' ethical responsibilities, including competence, confidentiality, and the responsible use of AI.

Unscrambling the Digital Egg: Remedies in AI Antitrust Enforcement

Julia Tarver Wood will moderate this panel, which will examine how courts and regulators have struggled to design remedies for antitrust violations in fast-evolving technology markets, and how AI has compounded those challenges. Academics and litigators will discuss recent remedies in Big Tech and AI cases.

2026 Antitrust Lawyer of the Year

The Section will honor Ken at the Golden State Institute's closing dinner, recognizing his career as an antitrust litigator and leader and his contributions to the antitrust bar.

For more information, please visit the event website.