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

At Arnold & Porter, Bill Baer, Sonia Kuester Pfaffenroth and practice co-head Debbie Feinstein recently re-joined the team in Washington DC; Baer and Pfaffenroth from the DOJ, and Feinstein from the FTC. In New York, Jennifer Patterson conducted an internal investigation of alleged price-fixing by the US subsidiary of an international auto parts manufacturer client, and is currently advising another manufacturer on its leniency application in two foreign jurisdictions. A major Korean company recently appointed James W Cooper to represent it in a DOJ investigation into allegations of bid-rigging for fuel service contracts. Jonathan Gleklen heads the national antitrust offering and Saul Morgenstern leads the New York branch. Litigation expert James L Cooper is also a key name to note.

The antitrust lawyers at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton 'are very focused, have strong connections with the regulators, and give practical and valuable advice'. The team is valued by clients for its 'immediate, efficient and precise fact-finding abilities'. Brian Byrne and Mark Nelson are part of a team counseling a number of major financial institutions on global investigations regarding the alleged manipulation of several foreign exchange benchmark rates. In other highlights, senior counsel Mark Leddy, Jeremy Calsyn, Kenneth Reinker and Elaine Ewing continue to act for a number of auto parts manufacturers in the landmark global investigation into alleged industry-wide price-fixing violations. Cunzhen Huang was recently promoted to counsel and Alexis Collins to partner in the Washington DC office, where all named attorneys are based.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's antitrust team - jointly led by Scott Hammond, Los Angeles-based Daniel Swanson, and Sean Royall, who splits his time between Dallas and Washington DC - was recently strengthened by the arrival of Richard Parker from O'Melveny & Myers LLP. In recent highlights, a Texas-based team that included Royall secured a landmark victory for AT&T against the DOJ regarded its contested $106bn acquisition of Warner Bros, and a California-based that included Swanson defeated Qualcomm's attempt to collect royalties from a group of Taiwanese Apple contract manufacturers. Cynthia Richman teamed up with Swanson to represent a global technology conglomerate in its response to a DOJ investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices in the licensing of feature-length movies for theatrical showings. In Denver, Richard Cunningham was promoted to counsel. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless indicated otherwise.

The Latham & Watkins LLP antitrust team 'is very good about communicating and setting expectations'; its lawyers 'are responsive to their clients' concerns, whether it is about staffing, strategy or budgeting'. On an individual level, San Francisco's 'seasoned attorney' Niall Lynch is noted for his 'wisdom, patience and strategic guidance', and Ashley Bauer is 'outstanding in many ways' and 'is always on top of every fact of the case'. The 'exceptionally knowledgeable, commercial, user-friendly and responsive' Elizabeth Prewitt recently joined the team from Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, while Farrell Malone and Kirsten Ferguson were promoted to the partnership in Washington DC and San Francisco, respectively. Key clients include Toshiba, Ocean Spray Cranberries and Union Pacific Railroad. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The antitrust team at White & Case LLP has a strong record supporting its stellar client base in regulatory matters under the leadership of Washington DC-based Mark Gidley. He recently collaborated with Boston-based Michael Kendall to represent Richard Usher - a former currency trader at JPMorgan Chase - in criminal charges filed by the DOJ as part of the foreign exchange benchmark manipulation case; Gidley and Kendall impress clients with their 'outstanding experience and amazing ability to get to the truth in trial'. Also notable is Washington DC-based Christopher Curran, who acted for Maruyasu in DOJ, EU and other international antitrust investigations into the auto parts industry - as well as associated class action litigation arising from its indictment in 2016 - and who continues to counsel Toshiba on a vast array of antitrust issues. Other notable clients include Endo Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer and Allergan. In New York, Jack Pace, John Chung and Robert Milne are key names to note, and Peter Carney is also another core team member in Washington DC.

Washington DC-based Thomas Mueller spearheads the cartel offering at WilmerHale and recently defended a former high-ranking official against charges brought by the DOJ in the context of its investigation into the foreign exchange benchmark manipulation case. Steven Cherry represented DENSO in the landmark global cartel case against auto part manufacturers as well as in private civil cases arising from its indictment by the DOJ. The firm's enviable client roster also includes names such as Intel, Baker Hughes and the Regal Entertainment group. Other key names to note include Leon Greenfield, Boston-based Mark Ford, and Heather Tewksbury Nyong’o, who sits in the Palo Alto office. Named lawyers sit in Washington DC, unless otherwise stated.

Baker Botts L.L.P. services a stellar client base that includes names such as Ingevity, Merck and Novartis. The team is jointly led by John Taladay and Stephen Weissman in Washington DC and Catriona Hatton, who splits her time between Brussels and London. Among recent work, it recently obtained a significant victory on behalf of a group of airlines and the International Air Transport Association in their case against GE and a leading aircraft engine manufacturer before the European Commission alleging anticompetitive practices in the sector. In other highlights, Weissman acted for a global pharmaceutical company in an investigation into an alleged horizontal price-fixing scheme among drug manufacturers led by the Brazilian antitrust regulator, and Washington DC partners Joseph Ostoyich and William Lavery continue to advise Patterson Companies on a suit filed by the FTC claiming that the client and two competitors in the dental equipment industry conspired to boycott group purchasing organizations and refuse to discount. Mark Botti and Anthony Swisher recently joined the Washington DC office from Squire Patton Boggs, and Peter Huston arrived from the DOJ to strengthen the firm's San Francisco office.

The antitrust team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP makes use of its 'very robust technical knowledge' and recently bolstered its offering through the hires of Eric Mahr and Andrew Ewalt from the DOJ; Mahr was previously director of litigation of the antitrust division and Ewait was counsel to Mahr. In a recent highlight, practice head Paul Yde and the 'excellent' Mary Lehner are representing United Airline in the ongoing DOJ investigation into allegations of seat capacity and pricing collusion among US airlines, which also includes a civil investigation into cross-ownership investments by financial institutions. A global media company also appointed a team led by Yde and counsel Hiram Andrews to represent it before the DOJ in relation to digital platform issues. Also notable are Bruce McCulloch, who continues to advise a leading international manufacturer in the auto parts cartel case, and Justin Stewart-Teitelbaum, who was recently promoted to counsel. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

A key member of the antitrust team at Hogan Lovells US LLP is Washington DC-based Kathryn Hellings, who has recently acted for a leading pharmaceutical company as well as a major foreign container shipping company in separate DOJ investigations. Other key names in the Washington DC office include Andrew Lee and senior associates Daniel Shulak and Susan Musser.  On the West Coast, San Francisco-based Megan Dixon is currently representing a major European bank in multi-jurisdictional investigations and associated litigation. Key clients include Airbus, American Express, Daimler AG and Mitsui.

Jones Day's John Majoras (based in Washington DC) continues to work with Los Angeles' Eric Enson and the Tokyo office to advise a manufacturer on the landmark DOJ investigation into the global auto parts cartel. In the pharmaceutical space, Michael Knight and Geoffrey Oliver, who are also based in DC, represented a pharmaceutical company in an FTC investigation of a drug used to treat opioid addiction, as well as in a private class action brought by wholesalers on the same grounds. Bruce McDonald sits in Houston and is currently counseling an oil and gas client on an internal investigation into the pricing practices of a newly acquired subsidiary. San Francisco-based Craig Waldman jointly leads the global practice with Bernard Amory, who sits in the Brussels office. Marc Siegel in San Francisco is another name to note. David Wales moved to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Ben Bradshaw and Ian Simmons jointly lead O'Melveny & Myers LLP's antitrust practice from the Washington DC office. The team's stellar client base includes major airlines, energy and natural resources businesses, and technology companies. In recent highlights, Bumble Bee Foods appointed a group led by New York's Mark Racanelli to represent it in a DOJ investigation into a price-fixing conspiracy, and San Francisco's Michael Tubach continues to act for German automotive supplier Eberspächer in two criminal investigations by the DOJ looking at allegations of price fixing for exhaust systems and parking heaters. Also notable are experienced litigator Kenneth O’Rourke and Benjamin Singer, who recently joined the Washington DC office from the DOJ. Richard Parker left the firm to join Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Ted Hassi moved to Debevoise & Plimpton LLP.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's antitrust team continues to defend Deutsche Bank in the landmark foreign exchange benchmark manipulation investigations, and is currently representing a US holding company and its subsidiary in a grand jury investigation into major industrial supply markets. The group is jointly led by Kenneth Gallo, Jonathan Kanter and Charles Rule, with the support of litigation expert Aidan Synnott ; Synnott and Gallo sit in New York, while Kanter and Rule are DC based. The group is currently acting for a multinational insurance company in an internal investigation into its US operations following an investigation launched by a European regulatory agency. Other key names include William Michael, Craig Benson and Joseph Bial, who are all based in New York.

Winston & Strawn LLP recently bolstered its antitrust capacities through the promotion to partner of Jonathan Amoona in New York, Diana Hughes Leiden  in Los Angeles, Ian Papendick in San Francisco, and the hire of Eric Meiring from the DOJ in the Washington DC office. The 'substantive knowledge of the cartel group is extremely high' and the team 'truly sets itself apart through its complete lack of ivory tower issues'. Particularly noted are Chicago-based James Herbison and Michael Mayer, who are 'both top notch, professional, responsive and open to different strategies'. Associate Kevin Wolff sits in Chicago and is also recommended by clients. The team is jointly led by Jeffrey Kessler and Eva Cole from New York.

Allen & Overy LLP's US antitrust practice is led by Washington DC-based John Roberti, who is currently representing a major international conglomerate in cartel investigations in South America, including a multi-jurisdictional internal investigation. In other highlights, a leading international player in the agriculture industry appointed Roberti to advise on its response to a fine imposed by an international antitrust regulatory body, and the team defended an individual executive in a DOJ investigation into alleged cartel behavior in the energy sector.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP's antitrust team distinguishes itself through its 'broad base of experience and consistently exceptional results'; it is currently acting for an auto parts supplier as well as several of its executives in the ongoing DOJ investigation into the auto parts industry. Key figures in the team include James Mutchnik and litigation specialist Daniel Laytin, both of whom are based in the firm's Chicago office. Mutchnik is acting for Geo Specialty Chemicals in the criminal DOJ investigation pertaining to water treatment chemicals sold to municipalities in North Carolina and other states. In addition, Tenneco appointed the group to advise on its response to the European Commission's dawn raid of its European facilities as well as a subpoena filed by the DOJ. Also notable is San Francisco-based Eliot Adelson, who recently intervened in a number of antitrust matters in the media and telecoms space. Other key clients include Deutsche Bank, Clemens Food, Hitachi and Murata.

The full-service antitrust practice at McDermott Will & Emery LLP is spread across the country, with attorneys in Washington DC, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Orange County, and 'advises clients with a full and accurate understanding of the facts'. A team led by Stefan Meisner is currently acting for a Japanese auto parts manufacturer in a multi-district litigation in the context of the global DOJ investigation, and practice head Raymond Jacobsen, Jr. is currently working with Paul Thompson to defend Impax Laboratories in multi-district litigation arising from the pricing of generic drugs. In Chicago, David Hanselman assisted Eagle Materials and its subsidiary with class action complaints filed by direct and indirect purchasers of plasterboard. Individuals named are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated. Mary Strimel returned to her role at the FTC and Hillary Webber departed for in-house position.

Steven Reed leads the global antitrust group at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP from the Philadelphia office. Reed is currently acting for a generic drug manufacturer in a government investigation into allegations of price fixing and customer allocation. In other highlights, Silicon Valley's Mark Krotoski and New York-based Richard Taffet are currently advising a major technology company on a DOJ investigation into a potential Sherman Act violation as well as allegations of collusion regarding the development of technical standards. Deputy practice leader Jon Roellke sits in the Washington DC office alongside Clayton Everett, Jr and Scott Stempel. Roellke has a strong record assisting clients with antitrust issues in the financial services sector, while Everett and Stempel have recently handled matters in the technology and electronics space. Ryan Kantor recently joined the practice from the DOJ in Washington DC.

Lisa Phelan recently joined the antitrust team at Morrison & Foerster LLP from the DOJ, where she gathered 'unmatched experience of the regulators'. Vishal Mehta and of counsel Megan Gerking arrived from Baker Botts L.L.P. and Covington & Burling LLP respectively. Bradley Lui is currently representing individuals in the landmark aut parts cartel case brought by the DOJ, and is advising a shipping company on a joint investigation by the DOJ and Australian competition regulator. Also notable are 'unequaled and extensively experienced' practice head Roxann Henry, who successfully defended an individual against proposed dual criminal and civil charges by the DOJ pursuant to new prosecutorial policies, and Demme Doufekias, who is currently assisting the director of a pharmaceutical company in a price-fixing investigation brought by the DOJ. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's Michael Cohen is currently leading a team, which includes Los Angeles' Leo Caseria, in the defense of Reynolds and Reynolds against state and federal antitrust claims filed by automobile dealers, data brokers and automotive software providers in consolidated multi-district litigation. In San Francisco, practice head Michael Scarborough, of counsel Gary Halling and special counsel James McGinnis defended Samsung in a grand jury criminal price-fixing investigation launched by the DOJ as well as various international investigations and related civil claims. Century City-based David Garcia and San Francisco-based Dylan Ballard are also key contacts.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP fields antitrust experts and experienced litigators such as John Terzaken, Abram Ellis and Jeffrey Knox to service its enviable client base on the full range of cartel issues. The group has recently advised on sensitive and high-stakes DOJ investigations into the consumer foods, aviation fuel, financial services and healthcare sectors pertaining to allegations of price fixing, collusion and hiring practices. Also notable are Sara Razi and Brooke Cucinella, who recently joined the New York office as partner from the DOJ. All other named partners are based in Washington DC.

The team at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is currently advising clients on a number of sensitive government investigations, including a number of investigations by the FTC into the pharmaceutical space, and a DOJ inquiry into the air cargo transportation industry. In recent highlights, the team was appointed by PokerStars to assist with a government investigation into the online poker market, and acted for Horizon Lines in a grand jury investigation regarding ocean transportation in domestic trades. Steven Sunshine spearheads the team from Washington DC; key names in New York are Tara Reinhart and David Leland.

Vinson & Elkins LLP's recent cartel work includes advising Hitachi on its involvement in the DOJ's global criminal investigation into the auto parts industry, and acting for a Chinese chemical company and its US subsidiary regarding its receipt of a grand jury subpoena emerging from a DOJ investigation. The team was recently bolstered by the arrival of Darren Tucker, Hill Wellford and counsel Greg Wells from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Other key names include Craig Seebald, Houston-based James Reeder, head of merger investigations William Vigdor and Lindsey Vaala, who was recently promoted to counsel. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

The 'expert and responsive' Corey Roush heads the antitrust practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP from the Washington DC office. In recent highlights, the team acted for the former director of a generic pharmaceutical company in a criminal grand jury investigation, and represented individuals as well as major financial institutions in investigations launched by the authorities into alleged violations in the securities and foreign exchange markets.

Lesli Esposito sits in DLA Piper LLP (US)'s Philadelphia's office and was recently appointed by Mid-Atlantic Dental as third-party witness in the FTC's investigation and action against the three largest dental care providers. In San Francisco, Lisa Tenorio-Kutzkey acts as global antitrust department head and recently obtained a favorable judgment for an individual pursued by the DOJ on the grounds of big-rigging in the real estate foreclosure market in the Bay Area during the residential housing crisis. Robby Robertson recently arrived in the Chicago office from Hogan Lovells US LLP and is also a key name to note alongside Philadelphia's John Huh.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP's Robert Bell recently cleared two individual executives of charges in a criminal DOJ investigation and continues to represent them in an investigation led by a foreign competition authority. Marc Weinstein is based in New York and is acting for clients in the financial and media sectors. Practice head William Kolasky is also a key name to note and is currently part of the team defending a generic pharmaceutical company in a DOJ investigation into allegations of a price-fixing conspiracy. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC apart where otherwise indicated.

Linklaters LLP's Tom McGrath leads the cartel offering from the New York office. The team recently advised a leading advertising holding company on a DOJ investigation into allegations of collusion and bid-rigging in the advertising industry. Douglas Tween - who leads the US government enforcement and cartel sub-team - cleared an individual of money laundering, bank and wire fraud, and false statement counts in relation to an alleged conspiracy to defraud banks participating in an export financing program. Other highlights include a cross-border criminal DOJ investigation into price-fixing violations in the financial services sector. Washington DC's Jeff Schmidt  is another key name.The firm's client roster also includes Siemens, BP and Glencore.

Mayer Brown's global antitrust offering is led by Washington DC-based Mark Ryan, who has substantial experience representing clients in high-stakes investigations and criminal litigation before the FTC and DOJ. The group was recently strengthened by the promotions to partner of Matthew Provance in Chicago and Stephen Medlock in Washington DC. Other key names include Adam Hudes and Carmine Zarlenga in Washington DC.

Miller & Chevalier Chartered's 'nimble and experienced' antitrust team is based in Washington DC and is almost entirely dedicated to cartel litigation. The 'truly outstanding' Kirby Behre and 'rising star' Lauren Briggerman 'are very strong, strategic and responsive cartel defense attorneys'; they jointly lead the practice and are currently representing a foreign manufacturer in price-fixing, bid-rigging and market allocation allegations in the promotional products industry. In other highlights, the pair is also defending high-ranking individuals in the pharmaceutical space in civil and criminal investigations by the DOJ. Associate Sarah Dowd is also a key name to note.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP works with a stellar client base that includes the likes of Home Depot, Norwegian Air and Ralphs. The team is jointly led by San Francisco managing partner Roxanne Polidora and litigation expert Jacob Sorensen. In a recent highlight, the team is advising a major retailer in a state-level investigation implicating the client's distribution network. Christine Scheuneman retired from the practice.

Ropes & Gray LLP's Michael McGovern in New York 'is an outstanding, savvy, strategic and thoughtful legal mind' who 'always comes up with innovative and novel approaches'. He recently collaborated with Washington DC- and San Francisco-based practice head Mark Popofsky to represent a healthcare technology company in its response to a grand jury subpoena filed by the DOJ regarding the manufacturing, marketing, pricing and sale of certain products. In Boston, the main name to note is Matthew McGinnis.

Shearman & Sterling LLP's Djordje Petkoski, David Higbee and Ryan Shores in Washington DC are currently acting for major Japanese manufacturer Rubycon in a criminal DOJ investigation and associated civil and class action lawsuits. The firm has strong expertise in the financial sector, and New York partner Adam Hakki looks after clients such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas and Barclays; he is currently advising a leading financial institution on DOJ investigations into the equity trading market. On the West Coast, San Francisco-based Patrick Robbins is representing senior executives within foreign manufacturing companies in separate criminal DOJ investigations into alleged price-fixing practices in the technology and automotive sectors. Also notable are Washington's Todd Stenerson and New York's Jessica Delbaum, who are currently handling sensitive matters pertaining to 'no-poach' agreements and anti-competitive practices in the generic drugs space.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's global antitrust offering is headed by Steven Newborn in Washington DC. Steven Reiss and Adam Hemlock continue to represent an international manufacturer and its US subsidiaries in the ongoing DOJ investigation into the auto parts cartel. Hemlock is also leading the advice to the former CEO of a US manufacturer of generic over-the-counter drugs in a DOJ investigation into price-fixing practices, while Reiss is acting for a senior executive in an investigation into alleged bid-rigging in the television commercial production industry.

The antitrust team at Williams & Connolly LLP fields experts such as Jonathan Pitt, John Schmidtlein and Benjamin Greenblum from its single office in Washington DC and acts for a diverse client base in criminal and civil litigation. The group has previously overseen sensitive disputes in the ocean shipping, financial services and automotive sectors, among others, and has worked with the likes of Celgene, Google, CoStar and CVS. In recent developments, Colette Connor, Steven Cady, Liam Montgomery, Christopher Mandernach and Katherine Trefz were promoted to the partnership.