United States > Antitrust > Cartel > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Named lawyers are based in Washington DC, except where otherwise noted.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is at the forefront of advising clients on civil and criminal government investigations and follow-on litigation. Mark Leddy, who became co-chair of the global competition practice in 2017, has worked alongside Jeremy Calsyn, Brian Byrne, Elaine Ewing and Kenneth Reinker to assist automotive parts manufacturers with various international cartel investigations. In the financial services arena, members of the team represented clients such as HSBC and Citigroup in Libor and ISDAfix investigations (among others) and related civil litigation. Omron, Whirlpool and Bosch are other notable clients. Leah Brannon is a key figure. Daniel Culley divides his time between Washington DC and Brussels.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has an outstanding track record in US and international cartel investigations and related litigation. Jarrett Arp recently co-led a global team representing UBS in Libor and foreign exchange investigations. Trey Nicoud and Rachel Brass (who are based in San Francisco) are defending Mitsuba and American Mitsuba in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) arising from the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into price-fixing in the auto parts industry; Nicoud and Brass represented the clients in the investigation itself. The firm’s work has also spanned areas such as container shipping and consumer electronics. Other recommended individuals include Daniel Swanson (who divides his time between Los Angeles and Brussels) and Cynthia Richman. Swanson jointly heads the practice with Sean Royall and Scott Hammond. Denver-based Richard Cunningham made partner in January 2018, while Peter Sullivan has retired. In June 2018, Richard Parker joined the Washington DC office from O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

Latham & Watkins LLP’s US team, which includes global co-chairs Amanda Reeves and San Francisco-based Christopher Yates, is highly active in national and global cartel matters. A group including Marguerite Sullivan, New York-based Lawrence Buterman, Michael Egge and San Francisco-based Daniel Wall defended Sumitomo against global antitrust investigations and related civil litigation connected with alleged anti-competitive practices in the auto parts industry. Niall Lynch in San Francisco and New York-based Jeff Hammel are the lead advisers to Omnicom in the DOJ’s ongoing bid rigging grand jury investigation, which is part of a wider criminal antitrust investigation into the advertising agency market. In another matter, Lynch and associate Meaghan Thomas-Kennedy represented StarKist in an investigation into alleged price-fixing in the packaged tuna industry. In 2017, Joshua Holian transferred from the San Francisco office to the Brussels office. Christopher Campbell in San Francisco made partner, while Allyson Maltas was promoted to counsel.

White & Case LLP has an impressive reputation defending clients in DOJ and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigations, as well as those brought by antitrust regulators overseas, and also in related civil litigation. Christopher Curran, Eileen Cole, Claire DeLelle and others are representing Maruyasu Industries in the DOJ’s investigation into alleged price-fixing and market allocation of auto parts. The firm is also assisting individuals and companies with investigations related to generic drugs, capacitors and container shipping, among other areas. Mark Gidley is the global practice head. Other names to note include Martin Toto and John Chung (both are based in New York), Peter Carney and George Paul. In recent developments, Ross Elfand and David Suggs (who both practice in New York) made partner, as did Frank Hogue.

At WilmerHale, global co-chair Thomas Mueller is among the notable practitioners in the team, which excels in negotiating leniency protection and non-prosecution agreements for clients as well as securing the closure of investigations without enforcement action being taken. Mueller and Palo Alto-based Heather Tewksbury are representing Citigroup’s head of European spot foreign exchange trading in an investigation brought by the DOJ and other antitrust agencies into alleged manipulation of the forex market. Mueller and Tewksbury also represent the CEO and chairman of a generic pharmaceutical drugs company in the DOJ’s generic drugs price-fixing investigation. Molly Boast in New York, Steven Cherry and Mark Ford in Boston are among other recommended individuals.

Arnold & Porter’s practice was boosted thanks to three notable individuals re-joining the firm; new global antitrust head Debbie Feinstein moved from the FTC, where she was director of the Bureau of Competition. In addition, Bill Baer (a former assistant attorney general for antitrust and acting associate attorney general) and Sonia Pfaffenroth (a former deputy assistant general for civil and criminal operations) arrived from the DOJ. James L. Cooper, James W. Cooper and Wilson Mudge are representing MinebeaMitsumi in civil litigation arising from the DOJ’s criminal prosecution of alleged price-fixing of ball bearings. Nucor, Visa and Philip Morris USA are other clients. Jonathan Gleklen leads the US antitrust practice.

Baker Botts L.L.P.’s John Taladay, who is a co-chair of the practice along with Stephen Weissman, is representing the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and 27 airlines in the European Commission (EC) investigation into allegedly restrictive after-market practices by CFM (a joint venture between GE and Safran) and Honeywell in the aviation industry. Members of the team are also acting for Toyoda Gosei in an MDL involving more than 30 individual actions and over 50 individual defendants, and are representing the client as the leniency applicant in the DOJ’s trial against Tokai Kogyo. Heather Choi is experienced in handling criminal and civil enforcement matters initiated by the SEC, DOJ and FTC, among other federal and state enforcement authorities. Other key figures are Erik Koons, James Rill, Joseph Ostoyich and Stacy Turner.

Hogan Lovells US LLP’s international platform makes it a strong choice for cartel investigations spanning the US, EU and places further afield. Its team includes San Franciso-based Megan Dixon, who was formerly a prosecutor at the DOJ (where she focused on international cartel cases). In addition, Kathryn Hellings acted as the assistant chief of the DOJ’s National Criminal Enforcement Section. Recently promoted partner Justin Bernick has experience in government antitrust investigations. Senior associate Daniel Shulak is another name to note in the group; his recent work spans areas such as generic pharmaceutical drugs, financial services and container shipping. Former FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez joined the firm in September 2017 and succeeds Janet McDavid as leader of the US team. Andrew J. Lee recently joined from Steptoe & Johnson LLP.

In 2017, Jones Day hired Marc Siegel to its San Francisco office from the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, where he had worked for 30 years, operating at the forefront of criminal cartel enforcement and policy development. Also based in San Francisco are Craig Waldman and Margaret Ward. The highly regarded group (which spans various other offices in the US) also includes John Majoras and Los Angeles-based Eric Enson, who are leading a cross-border team in advising a client on cartel investigations by multiple competition authorities into an alleged cartel in the auto parts industry. Michael Knight and Geoffrey Oliver are representing a client in an FTC investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices concerning a drug used to treat opioid addiction. Chicago-based Erin Shencopp and recently promoted partner Aimee DeFilippo are also noted. David Wales departed the firm.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP’s antitrust team is led by Ian Simmons and has an excellent reputation in high-stakes criminal and civil investigations (and related civil litigation). Its recent investigations work includes acting for Bumble Bee Foods in a DOJ investigation into price-fixing in the seafood industry, and acting for several clients in the auto parts sector. Michael Tubach in San Francisco and Ted Hassi are other active practitioners.

At Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, a New York-based team consisting of Roberto Finzi, Brad Karp, Elizabeth Sacksteder, Aidan Synnott, Theodore Wells Jr and Moses Silverman is acting as lead US counsel to Deutsche Bank in multi-jurisdictional investigations into the setting of various Interbank Offered Rates. The group is also assisting the same client with around 50 related individual and class actions. Other key clients in relation to cartel matters include Cigna, MasterCard and Sharp. Washington DC-based attorneys include Charles Rule, Joseph Simons, Joseph Bial and Kenneth Gallo.

Winston & Strawn LLP stands out in matters involving heavily regulated industries, such as lithium ion batteries, capacitors and optical disc drives. New York-based Eva Cole, who is a member of the ABA Section of Antitrust Law’s International Cartel Task Force, undertakes a significant amount of work for clients in the electronics, sports and private equity industries. Heather Kafele (who joined from Shearman & Sterling LLP in 2017) and others acted for a number of Japanese auto parts manufacturers in the DOJ’s cartel investigation and in related follow-on price-fixing litigation. Seth Farber in New York is another name to note in the team; his clients include Corning, Nishikawa Rubber, Panasonic and NTN.

Allen & Overy LLP’s John Roberti succeeds John Terzaken as team head, following the latter’s move to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in 2017. Roberti specializes in civil antitrust investigations and litigation, and was the lead adviser to Samsung SDI in investigations by state attorneys general and in opt-out litigation related to the client’s alleged involvement in international price-fixing conspiracies in the cathode ray tube (CRT) industry. In another matter, Roberti, New York-based Michael Feldberg and others acted for the Bosch Companies in civil litigation arising from a DOJ cartel investigation into the automotive parts industry. David Esseks in New York is experienced in criminal and regulatory investigations involving securities and commodities, among other areas.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP demonstrates strong capabilities in DOJ and international civil and criminal behavior investigations, as was evident in 2017 when Bruce McCulloch and counsel Richard Snyder worked with members of the Frankfurt office to represent Kiekert in the DOJ’s price-fixing investigation in the auto parts industry. In the aviation sector, US antitrust practice head Paul Yde, Mary Lehner, Snyder and New York-based counsel Hiram Andrews are representing United Airlines in the DOJ’s investigation into alleged price-fixing and seating capacity co-ordination. Tom Ensign is another key figure, as are senior associates Justin Stewart-Teitelbaum, Jennifer Mellott and Jan Rybnicek.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a strong proposition in cartels matters, with its workload spanning a broad cross-section of US and international antitrust investigations and litigation. James Mutchnik in Chicago and Cormac Connor are representing Geo Specialty Chemicals in civil litigation arising from a DOJ criminal investigation into an alleged price-fixing and customer allocation conspiracy over water treatment chemicals sold to municipalities and other customers in North Carolina and elsewhere. In the automotive parts space, Mutchnik and San Francisco-based Eliot Adelson are advising Tenneco on a global investigation. Yi-Chin Ho and Tammy Tsoumas, who are based in Los Angeles, are also recommended.

Mayer Brown’s team is led by Mark Ryan and has a strong track record acting for corporates and individual executives. In addition to handling matters initiated by federal and state authorities in the US, the firm’s global reach gives it a strong footing in investigations and litigation in Europe and Asia. Ryan, Richard Favretto, William Stallings and Robert Bloch bring the experience of having held high-ranking positions in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. Nestlé USA, Google and Cargill are among the firm’s notable clients.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP’s Stefan Meisner and Daniel Powers are acting for a Japanese auto parts manufacturer in an MDL being heard at the Eastern District of Michigan arising from a concluded DOJ-led price-fixing and bid-rigging investigation. Another key figure is Mary Strimel, who previously served as chief of one of two antitrust criminal enforcement sections at the DOJ in Washington DC. Raymond Jacobsen leads the team, which also includes Paul Thompson and Chicago-based Joel Chefitz.

Morrison & Foerster LLP’s US team, which forms a key part of the wider global cartel practice, has a 30-year track record assisting clients with investigations and litigation domestically and overseas. The firm acts for companies and individuals across a wide range of industries, with particular experience in technology, transportation, automotive parts and financial services. Roxann Henry, US team head Jeff Jaeckel, Bradley Lui and David Cross have first-rate reputations.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP’s team has experience defending companies and executives in investigations and litigation involving issues such as price-fixing, bid-rigging and other types of collusive agreements. Michael Cohen is representing The Reynolds and Reynolds Company in an FTC investigation concerning allegations of collusion over automotive enterprise dealership management operating system software. Gary Halling and Michael Scarborough, who are located in San Francisco, acted for various Samsung SDI entities in DOJ Antitrust Division and foreign enforcement investigations, as well as related class action and direct action lawsuits, relating to alleged price-fixing of lithium ion batteries between 2000 and 2011.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP strengthened its cartel investigations practice in 2017 with the hire of John Terzaken from Allen & Overy LLP. Terzaken has recently assisted corporate executives and companies with criminal antitrust investigations into areas such as oncology services, generic drugs and bond trading. Jeffrey Knox represented a European transportation company in a price-fixing investigation. Mark Stein is based in New York.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s team has a wealth of experience in handling government investigations and related litigation for clients. Tara Reinhart, David Leland and New York-based Warren Feldman are representing a global pharmaceuticals company in the DOJ’s investigation into an alleged price-fixing conspiracy concerning generic pharmaceutical drugs. Elsewhere, practice head Steven Sunshine and Tiffany Rider are acting as co-ordinating counsel to Corning Incorporated in CADE’s investigation of the ceramic-substrates industry in Brazil.

Baker McKenzie LLP assists clients with US and multi-jurisdictional investigations and related litigation across a wide range of industries, including auto parts, defense and pharmaceuticals. Craig Lee, who leads the firm’s global cartel task force, formerly served as assistant chief of the Washington Criminal 1 section of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. Another ex-DOJ lawyer, Creighton Macy, joined in 2017, having most recently acted as chief of staff and senior counsel. William Devaney in New York and San Francisco-based Robert Tarun are other key figures.

DLA Piper LLP (US)’ global cartel practice is led by San Francisco-based partner Lisa Tenorio-Kutzkey, whose experience of criminal cartel investigations includes those involving allegations of bid-rigging, price-fixing, market allocation and other types of conspiracies. Tenorio-Kutzkey has previously acted for companies and individuals from industries such as ocean transportation, pharmaceuticals and technology, among others. In June 2018, experienced antitrust litigator Robby Robertson joined the Chicago office from Hogan Lovells.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP is currently handling investigations for clients in areas such as electronic components, auto parts, financial services and e-commerce. Elizabeth Prewitt in New York, who is one of only a few US lawyers on the IBA Cartel Working Group, chairs the antitrust practice with William Kolasky. Other notable practitioners are Robert Bell and Marc Weinstein; the latter formerly served as co-chief of the Major Crimes Unit at the Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

Linklaters LLP’s US cartel practice, which is led by Douglas Tween, assists corporates and individual executives with criminal and regulatory investigations, internal investigations, civil litigation and compliance advice. Tween’s team, which operates as part of a wider global network, features prominently in the most significant global antitrust investigations; recent mandates include Libor, CRTs, credit default swaps, auto parts and other areas.

Miller & Chevalier Chartered has ‘strong white-collar experience, so it can handle cartel matters presenting a range of issues beyond potential antitrust violations’. Team head Kirby Behre is ‘highly experienced, practical and strategic’. Another practitioner who garners client praise is ‘very dependable and thorough’ Lauren Briggerman. The firm has built a strong track record of negotiating favorable outcomes for individuals and corporate executives in DOJ and international cartel investigations. Recent matters include auto parts, generic pharmaceutical drugs and drywall, among others.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP handles major government investigations and all other related aspects of cartel defense (including litigation) for executives and companies across a number of industries, including automotive, electronics and transportation. Silicon Valley-based Mark Krotoski was formerly assistant chief of the National Criminal Enforcement Section at the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. Other key figures at the firm are Daniel Savrin, who practices in Boston, and Dallas-based David Monteiro. Hill Wellford, Clayton Everett, Willard Tom and Scott Stempel are names to note in Washington DC. Darren Tucker departed for Vinson & Elkins LLP. Philadelphia-based Steven Reed leads the global antitrust practice.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP handles all aspects of criminal grand jury and civil antitrust investigations, and also advises on cartel prevention. Follow-on civil litigation (including direct and indirect purchaser class actions, and opt-out litigation) is another cornerstone of the practice, which represents corporate executives and companies. Clients include Sharp, China Airlines and Mikuni. Practice head Roxane Polidora is located in San Francisco, as is Jacob Sorensen, while Aaron Dyer is based in Los Angeles and Fusae Nara practices in New York.

Ropes & Gray LLP fields 15-plus former enforcement attorneys and federal prosecutors from bodies such as the DOJ, FTC and SEC. New York-based Michael McGovern previously acted as an assistant US attorney in the Southern District. Christopher Conniff is also based in New York. The firm’s recent work includes assisting clients with federal investigations into areas such as generic pharmaceutical drugs, financial benchmarking (including ISDAfix and Libor) and freight forwarding. Mark Popofsky heads up the antitrust practice.

Shearman & Sterling LLP bolstered its global antitrust offering in 2017 by adding a team of partners in Washington DC from Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, comprising David Higbee, Djordje Petkoski, Ryan Shores and Todd Stenerson. Bruce Hoffman also made the move but has since been appointed acting director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. The firm covers a broad range of DOJ, EC and standalone EU member state investigations and follow-on litigation; recent areas of activity include interbank benchmark rates, auto parts and lithium ion batteries, among others. Petkoski and others are representing capacitors manufacturer Rubycon in an international price-fixing investigation and in related civil litigation. Higbee is the firm’s global antitrust head. Heather Kafele joined Winston & Strawn LLP.

Steptoe & Johnson LLP’s US team has vast experience in FTC and DOJ investigations, where it assists clients from industries such as technology, telecoms, aviation and insurance. It also plays a key role in EC-led investigations, where it works with members of the firm’s London and Brussels offices. Edward Schwartz leads the team, which also includes Kenneth Ewing.

At Vinson & Elkins LLP, Matthew Jacobs in San Francisco as well as Craig Seebald and Alden Atkins are acting as the lead advisers to Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas in a DOJ investigation into alleged price-fixing in the automotive parts industry, and in related civil litigation; the DOJ investigation is linked with similar investigations in the EU, Canada and Japan. Seebald and Jacobs also represent Joseph Giraudo in federal grand jury real estate bid-rigging litigation.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP’s cartel team, which is jointly led by New York-based duo Steven Reiss and Adam Hemlock, covers a broad spread of cartel defense work for companies and individuals in industries such as aviation, consumer electronics and automotive, among others. In addition to handling DOJ-led criminal antitrust investigations, the group assists clients with investigations in the EU and elsewhere around the world as well as in related civil litigation. The group’s experience includes matters involving issues such as bid-rigging, market allocation and price-fixing.

The credibility of Williams & Connolly LLP’s practice is illustrated by its work for names such as Bank of America, Celgene and Intel. It also acts for individual corporate executives. The firm handles a mix of criminal and civil antitrust investigations as well as litigation. Reflective of the breadth of its experience, its team is currently assisting clients with investigations into automotive parts, Libor, forex and ocean shipping services, among other areas. John Schmidtlein, Jonathan Pitt and David Zinn are recommended.