Zachary M. Johns
Zachary M. Johns defends clients in the country’s most complex antitrust class actions and high-stakes commercial litigations. Zak defends clients against claims of price-fixing, artificial intelligence (AI) or algorithmic-driven collusion, bid rigging, market allocation, exclusive dealing, monopolization, tying, bundling, wage fixing, no poach, and information sharing. He regularly advises companies and trade associations in the life sciences, healthcare, financial services, commodities, technology, and consumer product industries on risk mitigation, litigation strategy, and antitrust compliance and training programs. Known for his strategic insight and practical approach, Zak is also a member of the firm’s litigation working groups on algorithmic pricing, AI, and mass arbitrations.
Zak is a Chambers-ranked litigator who brings substantial experience handling complex class action, multi-plaintiff, and single-plaintiff litigation from inception through trial and appeal. He has co-chaired an 11-day federal trial, delivering the opening statement and conducting multiday examinations of key witnesses, and has argued critical pretrial and midtrial motions in federal and state courts. He also co-chaired an evidentiary hearing to defeat a preliminary injunction bid in an antitrust matter. His litigation portfolio includes briefing dispositive motions, including motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, Daubert motions, and motions to oppose class certification, as well as taking and defending fact and expert depositions.
Zak has played a central role in cases involving claims of exclusive dealing, tying, monopolization, price-fixing, discrimination, and violations of federal and state antitrust, consumer protection, and business tort laws. Zak also represents clients confronted with emerging antitrust theories, including algorithmic collusion, AI enabled pricing models, machine learning antitrust risk, and tacit coordination via data sharing in large language models or other optimization software.
Committed to public service, Zak maintains an active pro bono practice. He volunteers for HIAS Pennsylvania, representing asylum applicants and individuals seeking citizenship. For example, Zak represented an asylum applicant from Eritrea who was persecuted on the basis of religion and secured a grant of asylum for the applicant following a trial. Zak also represents artists through the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts program. Zak serves on the board of trustees of the nonprofit PYO Music Institute for gifted, young classical musicians.
While in law school, Zak was a summer intern for Judge Gene E.K. Pratter of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and participated in a legal clinic representing low-income individuals in family law matters.
