Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff in United States
Berger Montague
The antitrust litigation team at Berger Montague is based entirely in Philadelphia and acts for plaintiffs in antitrust law violations in any industry sector. Well-known for its heavy involvement in numerous matters pertaining to manipulation in the financial space, the department is spearheaded by a quartet consisting of Eric Cramer, Merrill Davidoff, Laddie Montague Jr and David Sorensen. The pillar of Cramer's practice are antitrust class actions, for instance on behalf of workers claiming that anticompetitive practices have suppressed their pay. Class action in commodities, securities and environment sectors are Davidoff's strong suits. Montague Jr fields a wealth of experience in nationwide class actions and Sorensen attracts praise for this role in several cases against pharmaceutical companies for delaying generic competition. Promoted to managing shareholder in January 2019, Michael Dell’Angelo shines in matters related to price-fixing and other anti-competitive behavior affecting a variety of financial instruments.
Practice head(s):
Eric Cramer; Merrill Davidoff; Laddie Montague Jr; David Sorensen
Other key lawyers:
Michael Dell’Angelo; Caitlin Coslett
Key clients
Tabu Salon and Spa
Comfort Case Family Dental, P.C.; Rossman Endodontics
Rochester Drug Co-Operative
UFC’S Cung Le & Nathan Quarry
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
FX Primus Ltd
International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local No. 14 Pension and Health and Welfare Funds
AmerisourceBergen Corp.
McKesson Corp.
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Work highlights
- Served as class counsel on behalf of lead plaintiff, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, in Alaska Electrical Pension Fund et al. v. Bank of America Corporation et al.
- Represented individual direct purchasers of Provigil (modafinil), including national wholesalers AmerisourceBergen Corp., Cardinal Health, Inc., and McKesson Corporation in an antitrust class action related to efforts to delay the introduction of sleeping disorder generic Provigil
- Serves as lead counsel in the multi-state indirect purchaser antitrust class action Contant, et al. v. Bank of America Corp., et al., against sixteen of the world’s largest dealer banks which allegedly colluded to manipulate prices on foreign currency instruments
- Serving as counsel to a class of direct purchasers of aluminum and tantalum electrolytic capacitors and film capacitors against major capacitor manufacturers
- Served as counsel for a class of direct purchasers of brand and generic Lidoderm (lidocaine 5% patches) in In re Lidoderm Antitrust Litigation, alleging they were overcharged for their purchases due to the delay of generic versions.
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP has an impressive track record acting for plaintiffs on a wide range of antitrust litigation, including but not limited to conspiracies, non-competitive agreements and monopoly. The firm attracts particular praise for its pioneering role in international pricing cases. Bill Isaacson, who represents both plaintiffs and defendants out of the Washington DC office, is in charge of the antitrust litigation department. Founding partner and eminent litigator David Boies is located in New York and recently appeared for plaintiffs to challenge several antitrust cases in the healthcare space. Washington DC-based Scott Gant is retained by clients at trial and appellate level to litigate in antitrust, intellectual property and constitutional law. The firm's Fort Lauderdale office boasts Carl Goldfarb, who acted in a number of anticompetitive behavior suits brought against consumer goods and healthcare businesses in the past year. Plaintiffs with new and emerging business models turn to Washington DC partner Christopher Renner in antitrust matters involving anticompetitive exclusionary conduct.
Practice head(s):
Wiliam Isaacson
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Subscriber and healthcare provider plaintiffs of Blue Cross Blue Shield
Vitamin C Importers
Class of consumers who purchased contacts lenses online from 1-800 Contacts, Walgreens and Luxottica
SourceOne Dental
Leading Appliance Retailers
Sysco
U.S. Foods
Group of oncologists in Southwest Florida
Sentry Data Systems
Au pair class action suit
Work highlights
- Representing subscribers and healthcare providers in multi-district litigation that challenges how Blue Cross Blue Shield entities do business
- Serving as co-interim class counsel in eight consolidated cases alleging that 1-800 Contacts and 14 of its competitors violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act by entering into illegal, written agreements to suppress internet advertising
- Went to trial for SourceOne Dental against Benco Dental Supply Co. in relation to an alleged conspiracy to exclude SourceOne as a competitor in the distribution of dental supplies
- Represented purchasing cooperatives for appliance retailers clients and retailers that include Office Depot, P.C. Richards and CompuCom, in price fixing actions in the electronics industry in In Re: Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Antitrust Litigation
- Representing Sysco and U.S. Foods, in In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation regarding alleged price fixing by major poultry producers
Hausfeld LLP
Having established itself rapidly as 'class leaders in the field of plaintiff antitrust enforcement' over the course of little more than a decade since its foundation, Hausfeld LLP recently emphasized its overseas growth strategy with the opening of a Stockholm office. The firm fields an outstanding bench of dedicated antitrust practitioners led by the 'extremely polished' Scott Martin in New York and Bonny Sweeney in San Francisco. Founding chairman Michael Hausfeld's personal practice is located in Washington DC, with his antitrust involvement ranging from monopolization, tie-ins and exclusive dealing to price-fixing cases. Operating out of San Francisco, Megan Jones specializes in recovering damages for companies who are victims of cartels. Washington DC practitioner Brian Ratner represents purchasers in a wide range of sectors including automotive, utility, transportation and financial services. Taking on antitrust violations across the globe, the Washington DC-based Melinda Coolidge represents both Fortune 200 companies and purchaser classes.
Practice head(s):
Scott Martin; Bonny Sweeney
Other key lawyers:
Michael Hausfeld; Scott Martin; Brent Landau; Brian Ratner; Megan Jones; Melinds Coolidge; Reena Gambhir
Testimonials
‘Class leaders in their field of plaintiff antitrust enforcement. Innovative free structures. A pleasure to deal with.’
‘Brian Ratner and Melinda Coolidge are both first class. They are personable, knowledgeable and deliver results.’
‘Best in class for plaintiff antitrust work. Superb attention to detail and very commercial.’
‘Scott Martin is a pleasure to work with. He is extremely polished, an expert in the field and a pleasure to work with.’
‘Very smart, client focused, extremely knowledgable and experienced, and totally dedicated.’
‘Melinda Coolidge and Scott Martin go above and beyond at all hours to provide the best level of customer service. They are always there with an explanation.’
Key clients
BMW
GKN
Metro AG
PSA Peugeot Citroen SA
Deutsche Bahn AG
Suez Environmental SA
Veolia
Auto Europe
Hertz Europe
Suffolk County Water Authority
Work highlights
- Serving as co-lead counsel for a class of over 100,000 dentists in In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation, alleging an illegal group boycott and price fixing conspiracy
- Represents a proposed class of plaintiffs, who allege that Celgene engaged in a multi-faceted scheme to maintain its monopoly and interfere with competitors’ efforts to enter the market with generic versions of Thalomid and Revlimid
- Serving as co-lead counsel as well as on the plaintiff’s steering committee in In re Blue Cross Antitrust Litigation, alleging that over 30 Blue Cross/Blue Shield entities across the country have entered into agreements not to compete with each other for customers of health insurance
- Serving as court-appointed class counsel for a proposed class of direct purchaser plaintiffs in In re Packaged Seafood Products Antitrust Litigation, alleging a price-fixing conspiracy between leading packaged tuna manufacturers
- Filed a consumer class action lawsuit on behalf of a class of end-user purchasers of certain disposable contact lenses manufactured by the four leading domestic producers Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (“JJVC”), Alcon, Bausch & Lomb and CooperVision
Susman Godfrey LLP
Susman Godfrey LLP is a strong market player in antitrust litigation with significant experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. The team comprised of 'outstanding intellects up and down the chain' takes on cases for a range of Fortune 500 companies and is committed to bet-the-company litigation. With practitioners distributed through Texas, California and New York, the department is led by a quartet comprised of Stephen Susman and Barry Barnett in Houston, Marc Seltzer in Los Angeles and the New York-based Bill Carmody. Founding partner Susman shows a wealth of experience across the antitrust litigation board and both Barnett and Carmody field convincing trial expertise; whereas Seltzer regularly achieves large financial recoveries in precedent-setting class actions. The Los Angeles-based Kalpana Srinivasan is particularly active at the intersection of intellectual property and unfair competition, all the while displaying strong know-how of the technology industry. In January 2019, Randy Wilson returned to private practice in Houston after serving as District Judge for 15 years.
Practice head(s):
Stephen Susman; Marc Seltzer; Bill Carmody; Barry Barnett
Other key lawyers:
Kalpana Srinivasan; Neal Manne; Vineet Bhatia; James Southwick; Randy Wilson
Testimonials
‘Outstanding intellects up and down the chain. The firm is experienced on both sides of the “v.” and both in the trial and appellate courts throughout.’
Key clients
Walmart
Vitol
T-Mobile
NASDAQ
Masimo Corporation
Novell, Inc.
Aetna
Alaska Airlines (f/k/a Virgin Airlines)
Intel
ACE
Melissa Ferrick, on behalf of the class she represented against Spotify
Vaporstream
HouseCanary
Peak Web
Jibe Audio
Walmart
Plaintiffs in In: re: LIBOR Antitrust Litigation
Bitdefender
Plaintiffs in In re Qualcomm Antitrust Litigation
Plaintiffs in In Re: Auto Parts
Work highlights
- Serving as co-lead counsel to plaintiffs in multi-district litigation involving price-fixing in the market for component parts
- Represented Walmart on antitrust claims against the largest companies in the packaged seafood industry for conspiring to fix the prices of canned tuna products
- Serving as court-appointed co-lead counsel representing a class of consumers impacted by Qualcomm’s monopoly in the modern chipset market
- Representing a direct purchaser class in a consolidated antitrust proceedings arising out of the LIBOR-rate fixing scandal
- Served as co-lead counsel for nationwide antitrust class action against the largest distributors of dental supplies and equipment
Zelle LLP
Plaintiff-side antitrust litigation boutique firm Zelle LLP fields a diverse 'top-notch' team on both US coasts and is chaired by the San Francisco-based 'formidable adversary' Judith Zahid and James Robertson Martin in Washington DC. The practice is mainly active in two areas, namely individual recovery actions on behalf of corporate plaintiffs and class actions on behalf of direct and indirect purchasers. Jennifer Duncan Hackett, in Washington DC, extends her personal practice beyond antitrust litigation, also assisting clients with pre-merger notifications, Hart-Scott-Rodino filings and gun-jumping issues. San Francisco-based Qianwei Fu puts an emphasis on consumer and opt-out-claimant representation in cartel and monopolization cases across energy, automotive, transportation and technology industries. In October 2019, Miriam Vishio left the Washington DC team to take up a post with the DOJ. At the same time, counsel Sabrina Nelson from McGuireWoods LLP joined the team in Washington DC.
Practice head(s):
Judith Zahid; James Robertson Martin
Other key lawyers:
Jennifer Duncan Hackett, Christopher Micheletti; Qianwei Fu; Sabrina Nelson
Testimonials
‘The antitrust team at Zelle is aggressive and hardworking, but still very easy to deal with.’
‘Judith Zahid has done a great job leading Zelle’s San Francisco office and their antitrust practice. She is a remarkable mentor and a formidable adversary.’
‘The team has top-notch antitrust lawyers with special acumen in antitrust law. They are capable of handling even the most difficult antitrust cases.’
‘Jennifer Hackett has an exceptional ability to manage the day-to-day antitrust litigation, coordinate counsel from many plaintiffs’ firms, and coordinate with defense counsel.’
‘James Martin has tremendous writing ability and the ability to convey difficult antitrust and financial concepts in his practice.’
‘Judith Zahid is a standout: measured, steadfast and adept at corporate settings. Has keen instinct for packaging legal advice to C-suite.’
Key clients
FDIC
Freddie Mac
United HealthCare
Work highlights
- Representing United HealthCare Services, Inc. in an individual antitrust matter against the makers of thirty generic pharmaceutical drugs and alleging a widespread price-fixing and market allocation conspiracy
- Representing Freddie Mac and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver for 38 Closed Banks in the LIBOR antitrust litigation
- Representing automotive dealer plaintiffs in a case alleging that German luxury car manufacturers colluded to curb innovation and technological advances and to lower quality
- Representing consumer purchasers of packaged seafood products alleging a conspiracy by packaged seafood producers Bumble Bee Foods LLC, StarKist Company, Tri-Union Seafoods LLC, and King Oscar, Inc., to fix prices for packaged seafood products in violation of federal and state antitrust, consumer protection and unfair competition statutes
- Serving as co-counsel for SC Innovations, Inc (formerly d/b/a Sidecar Technologies, Inc.) in a competitor suit against Uber, alleging stifled competition in the ride-hailing application market
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
In the antitrust space, litigation heavyweight Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC is focused on bringing original cases, but also represents plaintiffs in follow-on cases. The department excels at representing workers against employers with regard to sharing of wage data and no-poaching cases as well as class actions involving technology and securities. The practice group is co-chaired by Brent Johnson and Benjamin Brown, who also oversees the firm's Fifth Amendment takings litigation. Johnson assumed the role as co-chair in January 2020. Other key figures in the DC office include the 'extremely smart' Richard Koffman; Daniel Small, who represented the plaintiffs in two lawsuits regarding President Trump's alleged violations of the US Constitution's emoluments clauses; and Kit Pierson, noted for his 'excellent presence in court'. New York-based Sharon Robertson is praised for her work in pay-for-delay pharmaceutical lawsuits. The Washington DC office welcomed Daniel McCuaig from the DOJ's antitrust division in August 2019, and Laura Alexander left to take up a position at The American Antitrust Institute at the end of 2019.
Practice head(s):
Benjamin Brown; Brent Johnson
Other key lawyers:
Richard Koffman; Daniel Small; Daniel McCuaig; Kit Pierson; Sharon Robertson
Testimonials
‘CMST has top quality antitrust lawyers who work well in teams and have extensive experience.’
‘Rich Koffman is extremely smart with excellent judgment.’
‘Dan Silverman is very knowledgeable about economics and econometrics and knows well how to work with experts.’
‘Kit Pierson is wise and has an excellent presence in court.’
Work highlights
- Acted as co-lead counsel for the end-payor class in In re Lidoderm Antitrust Litigation, a pay-for-delay generic suppression multidistrict litigation
- Served as co-lead counsel for Arnell Prato, DDS, PLLC and all other plaintiffs in In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation
- Represented Gerald Carlin and all dairy farmer class members against DairyAmerica Inc. and affiliate California Dairies in a milk price conspiracy suit
- Represented Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital and the Direct purchaser class in In re Blood Reagents Antitrust Litigation, alleging that a former Johnson & Johnson unit conspired with another company to fix prices on blood test reagents.
- Representing Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters Employee Benefits Fund, Abatement Workers National Health and Welfare Fund, and Monroe Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 671 Welfare Fund, and a proposed class of direct purchasers of hospital healthcare services in a lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (“BCBSM”) challenging its anticompetitive contracts with hospitals
Joseph Saveri Law Firm
As a plaintiff-oriented antitrust boutique, the exclusively San Francisco-based Joseph Saveri Law Firm is sought after for representation in both civil and class action litigation. The constantly expanding firm, which is 'not afraid to take risks', is frequently involved in challenges to price-fixing, monopsony, no-poaching agreements, monopolization and sham petitions. Steven Williams and founding partner Joseph Saveri head up the team with a strong track record in sports and sports league cases, pharmaceuticals, technology and electronics. The team also displays niche knowledge at the intersection of antitrust and false claims qui tam actions. Gwendolyn Giblin, who was one of four attorneys to join the firm in June 2019, is well-versed in cases surrounding consumer protection. The other additions are qui tam expert Anupama Reddy, civil litigator Esther Oh and Heather Du, who specializes in antitrust class actions. September 2019 marked the arrival of Christopher Young, who also puts a core focus on litigating antitrust class actions.
Practice head(s):
Joseph Saveri; Steven Williams
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Joe and his team are not afraid to take risks.’
‘Joe has pushed litigation to successes that are profound and greatly benefited from his initiative.’
‘This law firm combines intelligence, experience and precision.’
‘Joseph Saveri has a nearly thirty year track record of success in antitrust litigation and has achieved astonishing results.’
‘Steve Williams is without peer in his familiarity and skill in every aspect of complex antitrust litigation.’
‘Joseph Saveri Law Firm is nationally known for its lead counsel roles in complex direct purchaser antitrust lawsuits, often brought together in one forum as multi-district litigations (MDL) that frequently involve foreign defendants.’
‘Joe Saveri’s strengths compared to his peers include tremendous thoroughness in the case evaluation and later discovery process, integrity and trust with co-counsel, the defense bar and scores of federal judges, as well as the ability to work with skilled mediators, co-counsel and defendants to reach fair settlements, approved by the courts, that substantially benefit class members through recovery of overcharges, often in the hundreds of millions of dollars.’
‘Joe Saveri law firm is a first-rate plaintiff’s complex class action antitrust law firm. This is simply put, a top firm without a doubt.’
‘Joe Saveri and Steve Williams both possess a strong intellect and a great work ethic.’
Key clients
Class of direct purchasers of capacitors used in electronic devices
End-Payor Plaintiffs in an antitrust class action filed against Allergan, Inc.
Elite Professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Fighters
Consumers of Nestlé’s Poland Spring brand “100% Natural Spring Water”
Consumers who purchased Cipro
Content moderator (and potential class of same)
Proposed Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs Class of individuals and companies who purchased interior molded doors from Defendants JELD-WEN, Inc. and Masonic Corporation
Work highlights
- Serving as sole lead counsel to the class of direct purchasers of aluminum, tantalum and film capacitors used in electronic devices in In Re Capacitors Antitrust Litigation
- Acting as interim co-lead counsel for end-payor plaintiffs in an antitrust class action filed against Allergan, Inc., for an alleged scheme to delay generic competition to Allergan’s blockbuster Restasis drug
- Serving as co-lead counsel for Elite Professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Fighters in a class action suit against Ultimate Fighting Championship (“UFC”) for alleged monopoly and monopsony
- Serving on the plaintiff steering committee in In re EpiPen Marketing, Sales Practices and Antitrust Litigation challenging price-gouging in the market for the life-saving EpiPen
- Serving as co-lead counsel representing a class of consumers of Nestlé’s Poland Spring brand “100% Natural Spring Water” bottled water product line, alleging the line is mislabelled
Labaton Sucharow LLP
The entirely New York-based Labaton Sucharow LLP fields impressive know-how of antitrust issues related to financial instruments and commodities manipulation in addition to industry expertise in pharmaceuticals and healthcare. A wide array of plaintiffs ranging from small family businesses to investors and corporations count on the 'professional and respectful' firm to pursue price-fixing, monopolization and bid-rigging violations. Co-team heads are Gregory Asciolla and Jay Himes; Asciolla shines in representing both business and public pensions funds in antitrust as well as commodities class actions, and Himes focuses on price-fixing class actions. Life sciences cases such as claims against pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device companies are a strong suit of Christopher McDonald. Karin Garvey, who was promoted to partner in January 2019, has experience with multi-jurisdictional cases and often acts as co-lead or lead counsel in pharmaceutical class actions. In this area, key support comes from of counsel Matthew Perez, who is equally active in financial services cases.
Practice head(s):
Gregory Asciolla; Jay Himes
Other key lawyers:
Christopher McDonald; Karin Garvey; Matthew Perez; Robin van der Meulen
Testimonials
‘Labaton is a leader in handling class action litigation which will benefit members of the class.’
‘Chris McDonald as the lead litigator and Gregory Asciolla partner have demonstrated command of the aspects to lead a class action litigation in process, details and follow-through.’
‘The Labaton antitrust team is composed of antitrust litigation experts. All have a deep knowledge of antitrust law, and are well versed in key procedural and substantive strategies to litigate toward resolution.’
‘Labaton attorneys are always professional and respectful, even as opposing counsel in hotly litigated cases.’
‘Greg Asciolla and Robin van der Meulen are a formidable team to litigate against. Both are persistent, persuasive, and well-respected by peers and opponents alike.’
‘Karin Garvey and Matthew Perez are also excellent.’
‘In my opinion what separates Labaton Sucharow from other practices are the people: both Greg Asciolla and Nico Minerva are always there for us and have never failed to get us an honest answer and describe all the parameters and/or pitfalls of each and every case.’
‘They always bring us the right cases for us, as opposed to bombarding us with volume just to satisfy their own internal agendas. Additionally, they are very respectful of our privacy rules and always work with us to find an appropriate workaround if something makes us uncomfortable.’
‘This is one of the strongest antitrust teams in the country, with top-notch performers and former antitrust enforcers.’
‘The team is well-versed in antitrust jurisprudence and has the highest standards for their work product.’
Key clients
Boston Retirement System
Genesee County Employees’ Retirement System
UFCW Local 1500 Welfare Fund
Massachusetts Bricklayers and Masons Health & Welfare Fund
Ionsouth-Mobile LLC
Work highlights
- Serving as co-lead counsel for Boston Retirement System in a class action alleging a conspiracy by several global financial institutions to manipulate the $13 trillion market for U.S. Treasuries
- Serving on the plaintiff’s steering committee for UFCW Local 1500 Welfare fund in a massive multidistrict litigation alleging that some of the largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world unlawfully raised prices of dozens of key generic drugs sold in the U.S
- Served as co-lead counsel on behalf of end-payor plaintiffs Massachusetts Bricklayers and Masons Health & Welfare Fund in a pay-for-delay lawsuit involving Endo Pharmaceutical’s painkiller Opana ER
- Served as class counsel to Genesee County Employees’ Retirement System in a lawsuit alleging manipulation of the ISDA fix benchmark
- Co-lead counsel for Modern Settings LLC in a nationwide class action against the major platinum and palladium dealers Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Standard Bank, and BASF, alleging a massive platinum and palladium price-fixing conspiracy
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP challenges global cartels, conspiracies, monopolies and other anti-competitive practice on behalf of companies, consumers, investors and employees alike. The plaintiff-only department handles antitrust issues in a wide range of areas with a special strength in cases at the nexus of antitrust and employment law such as no-poach agreements and resulting wage suppression. In addition to its hub in San Francisco, where all following practitioners are based, the antitrust litigation team also fields members in New York City and in Nashville. Eric Fastiff and Richard Heimann preside over the group that is also heavily involved in bringing class actions against pharmaceutical corporations. Combining antitrust with business tort, employment and IP litigation, Dean Harvey regularly faces tech giants and other market leaders on behalf of plaintiffs. Lin Chan's personal practice revolves around antitrust cases against global cartels and industry titans on behalf of employees and consumers.
Practice head(s):
Eric Fastiff; Richard Heimann
Other key lawyers:
Dean Harvey; Brendan Glackin; Katherine Benson; Lin Chan
Key clients
Employees of major franchise food organizations
Consumers of generic drugs
Consumer purchasers of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
Dr. Danielle M. Seaman, M.D.
The Hospital Authority of Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.
Employees and ex-employees of Knorr-Bremse and Wabtac Railway Electronics
End-payor class indirect plaintiff purchasers of Allergan’s dry-eye drug Restasis
Purchasers of bail bonds in California
The Charles Schwab Corporation and several of The Charles Schwab Family of Funds and the Bay Area Toll Authority
A trio of named elite swimmers and a putative class of similar Olympic-class swim athletes worldwide
Work highlights
- Representing plaintiff employees in a series of “no-poach” employment antitrust suits against various franchise food organizations including McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Little Caesar’s Pizza, Burger King, and Jimmy Johns sandwich shops
- Representing the health and welfare fund of New York City’s largest public employee union in In re Generic Pharmaceuticals Pricing Antitrust Litigation alleging price-fixing of generic pharmaceuticals
- Serving as Interim Co-Lead Indirect Purchaser Counsel representing consumers in a class action filed against LG, GS Yuasa, NEC, Sony, Sanyo, Panasonic, Hitachi, LG Chem, Samsung, Toshiba, and Sanyo for allegedly conspiring to fix and raise the prices of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
- Representing Dr. Danielle M. Seaman, M.D., in a class action lawsuit challenging wage suppression by Duke University and officials at the University of North Carolina
- Representing Nashville General Hospital in a proposed class-action antitrust case against defendants Momenta Pharmaceuticals and Sandoz, Inc., for their alleged price-fixing of enoxaparin, the generic version of the anti-coagulant blood clotting drug Lovenox
MoginRubin LLP
Founded in 2017, MoginRubin LLP is the new kid on the block in antitrust and competition law. The plaintiff-oriented litigation boutique undertakes both individual and class action cases, as the client portfolio includes Fortune 1000 companies, middle-market manufacturers and start-ups as well as Forbes 400 individuals, investment professionals and entrepreneurs. Banking, retail, real estate and chemicals are among the industry sectors covered recently. Managing partner Daniel Mogin, in San Diego, and Jonathan Rubin in New York lead the constantly evolving practice: San Diego-based Jennifer Oliver was promoted to partner in May 2019 and the same office welcomed associate Timothy LaComb from Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP in June 2019. Both combine their litigation practice with a strong background in merger advisory. In San Diego, the co-chairs are further supported by associate Michael Kuzma, who is not only familiar with the Japanese legal system but also fluent in spoken and written Japanese.
Practice head(s):
Dan Mogin; Jonathan Rubin
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
National ATM Council
Kleen Products LLC
Haverhill Retirement System
7 West 57th Street Realty Company LLC
Multiple Direct Purchasers (Automotive Parts)
Katherine Warnock
Med Vets, Inc.
Payment Logistics Limited
Rhino Linings Corp.
National ATM Council
Work highlights
- Serving as interim lead counsel for the proposed class of Independent ATM Operators in a nationwide class action alleging violations of the Sherman Act by Visa and MasterCard
- Served s co-lead counsel in a Sherman Act case representing a certified nationwide class of direct purchasers, Kleen Products LLC, against the largest integrated manufacturers of container board and corrugated packaging
- Representing Haverhill Retirement System, the proposed direct purchaser class in a Sherman Act case alleging conspiracy to fix spreads and benchmark prices in the foreign exchange market
- Served as lead counsel for 7 West 57th St Realty Company LLC in a direct action representing the individual borrower alleging LIBOR manipulation seeking over $450 million
- Representing multiple proposed direct purchaser classes in Sherman Act cases alleging conspiracy to fix prices of numerous automotive parts
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
Acting on both sides of the fence, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP is particularly involved in cases at the intersection of antitrust and patent law. On the plaintiff side, the team represents individuals and classes as well as large corporations with a strong focus on actions brought in the financial services sector. Operating out of New York, Daniel Brockett brings valuable expertise in the areas of securities, commodities, structured finance and derivatives litigation to the table. Stephen Neuwirth in New York, who is retained by blue-chips as both plaintiff and defense attorney, shares the department lead with Los Angeles-based Harold Barza. Steig Olson adds to the firm's strong bench in New York, with his personal practice also revolving around antitrust issues in the financial space. Yet another New York-based practitioner, Sami Rashid is an expert in class certification issues arising in antitrust cases.
Practice head(s):
Stephen Neuwirth; Harold Barza
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Alaska Electrical Pension Fund
The Home Depot
Allianz GI, Anchorage Capital, the AP funds, BlackRock, BlueCrest, Brevan Howard, CalSTRS, Erste Abwicklungsanstalt, Norges Bank, PFA, PIMCO, Portigon AG, Mass PRIM, and SEI Trust Company
Public School Teachers’ Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago, the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, and Genesee County Employees’ Retirement System; and proposed class of investors in interest rate swaps.
Spencer Roland Bueno and proposed class of direct purchaser plaintiffs.
United Parcel Service (“UPS”)
SUEZ Water Environmental Services, Inc., SUEZ Water New Jersey, Inc., SUEZ Water Princeton Meadows, Inc., SUEZ Water Pennsylvania, Inc., SUEZ Water New York, Inc., and a proposed class of direct purchasers of liquid aluminum sulfate.
Prudential Investment Portfolios 2, f/k/a Dryden Core Investment Fund, o/b/o Prudential Core Short-Term Bond Fund And Prudential Core Taxable Money Market Fund; The City of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority; Darby Financial Products and Capital Ventures International; Salix Capital
American Precious Metals, Ltd.; Patricia Benvenuto; Michel de Chabert-Ostland; Edward R. Derksen; Frank Flanagan; Quitman Fulmer; Thomas Galligher; KPFF Investment, Inc.; Duane Lewis; Larry Dean Lewis; Kevin Maher; Robert Marechal; David Markun; Trieste Matte; Blanche McKennon; Kelly McKennon; Thomas Moran; Nando, Inc.; J. Scott Nicholson; Ken Peters; Santiago Gold Fund LP; Steven Summer; Richard White; White Oak Fund LP; David Windmiller
All persons in the United States who were charged an ATM Access Fee at a bank ATM between October 1, 2007 to the present.
The City of Philadelphia
(1) Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System; (2) Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association; (3) Orange County Employees Retirement System; (4) Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association; and (5) Torus Capital, LLC.
FCA US LLC
RareGen, LLC
Alcoa Corporation, Amalgamated Sugar Company, American Rock Salt Company, Arconic, Inc., Campbell Soup Company, Conagra Brands, Inc., Coffeyville Resources (CVR), Dominion Energy, Inc., Duke Energy, Eastman Chemical Company, Grain Craft, Inc., Hyundai Motor America, IPSCO Tubulars Inc., Kia Motors America, Keystone Fuels, LLC, LaFarge North America, Inc., Mercedes-Benz USA, Motiva Enterprises LLC, Normerica Inc., NOVA Chemicals, Inc., Old World Industries, LLC, PCS Sales (USA), Inc., Phillips 66 Company, Talen Energy Supply, Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc., Vulcan Materials Company, and Westlake Petrochemicals, LLC.
Alleged class of dentists
Work highlights
- Co-lead counsel for plaintiffs Alaska Electrical Pension Fund; Genesee County Employees’ Retirement System; the County of Montgomery, Pennsylvania; the County of Washington, Pennsylvania; and the City of New Britain, Connecticut in an antitrust class action, alleging that major Wall Street banks conspired to rig an important benchmark for derivatives, known as ISDAfix
- Representing The Home Depot in connection with its antitrust claims against Visa and Mastercard relating to various practices that allegedly lead to anticompetitive payment-card fees
- Representing a large group of major asset managers, hedge funds, pension funds, and other institutional investors, including for example BlackRock, Brevan Howard, CalPERS, PIMCO, and Portigon, to pursue recoveries for claims relating to manipulation of the foreign exchange (“FX”) market by Wall Street banks
- Serving as co-lead class counsel on behalf of investors harmed when a group of banks conspired to manipulate the market for gold and gold-related investments
- Serving as interim co-lead counsel for The City of Philadelphia on behalf of issuers of variable rate demand obligations, or “VRDOs”
Robins Kaplan LLP
Trial firm Robins Kaplan LLP is retained by individuals and businesses to represent them in both classes and direct actions. New York partner Hollis Salzman is in joint charge of the department together with Craig Wildfang of the Minneapolis office. The former is praised as 'highly capable' and excels at recovering settlements for victims of anticompetitive conduct, whereas the latter handles cases in a wide range of industries including financial services, insurance and agricultural commodities. Kellie Lerner, who also represents defendants, is based in New York and often initiates new antitrust actions at the firm. The 'very experienced and pleasant to work with' Thomas Undlin works in Minneapolis, where his practice ranges from antitrust to breach-of-contract, securities and intellectual property cases. At the same office, the 'extremely responsive, sharp and open-minded' Stacey Slaughter shows a strong suit in representing plaintiffs in antitrust cases in the financial services space.
Practice head(s):
Hollis Salzman; Craig Wildfang
Other key lawyers:
Kellie Lerner; Thomas Undlin; Stacey Slaughter; Aaron Sheanin
Testimonials
‘The Robins Kaplan antitrust lawyers are creative with proven track records of success. They are willing to take chances on cases, but are smart about their decisions and work in the best interest of their clients.’
‘They are always responsive, pull their weight on cases, stand out as leaders, and have good ideas for moving the litigation forward. Specifically, Kellie Lerner, Hollis Salzman, Aaron Sheanin, Stacy Slaughter, and Geoff Kozen are all top-notch attorneys.’
‘Highly capable team, run primarily by the successful and respected Hollis Salzman and Kellie Lerner.’
‘Hollis Salzman stands out as being highly capable, having sound judgment and substantial experience, and as someone who provides opportunities to her female peers and colleagues to substantially contribute on cases she is leading, every chance she gets.’
‘Aaron Sheanin, who began as a lateral and this year was made partner, is a rising star in their antitrust group and an excellent addition to their antitrust team.’
‘Stacey Slaughter is extremely responsive, sharp, open-minded with an international mindset.’
‘Thomas Undlin is a very experienced and wise litigator. Very pleasant to work with.’
‘The firm has terrific resources, including excellent in-house graphics capabilities, and uniformly dedicates appropriate personnel to ensure that work is done timely and well.’
‘Hollis Salzman and Kellie Lerner are both well-recognized in the bar. Hollis is extremely good at working with lawyers from different firms.’
Key clients
Oxbow Carbon LLC
BCBS of Minnesota/ BCBS of Massachusetts
Legacy Health Systems
Federated Mutual Insurance Company
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Graco Inc
Best Buy
Supervalu
Torrent Pharmaceuticals
Principal Financial Group, Inc.
Work highlights
- Represented a proposed class of consumers and businesses harmed by price-fixing in the auto parts industry
- Serving as lead counsel to a class of over seven million U.S. merchants who accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards in a class action over card swipe fees
- Represented a proposed class of persons in the United States who obtained an automotive loan through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its subsidiaries or divisions, and who were harmed by Wells Fargo’s force-placed insurance
- Represented a proposed class of indirect purchasers of capacitors in litigation against leading manufacturers of capacitors sold in the U.S.
- Representing direct purchasers of the mumps vaccine from Merck, who allege unlawful monopolization of the U.S. market for the drug
Ballard Spahr LLP
Ballard Spahr LLP is retained by both plaintiff and defense side to litigate in the antitrust space. The department shows a strength in cases related to monopolization and conspiracy combined with sector expertise in pharmaceutical, chemical, financial and manufacturing. Leslie John spearheads the antitrust team out of Philadelphia, while her personal practice focuses on pharmaceuticals and healthcare clients. Two New York-based attorneys are often involved in plaintiff representation: 'true antitrust scholar' Jay Fastow leads the loss recovery group and Denise Plunkett is well-equipped to handle claims in the payment card, financial services, and pharmaceutical industries. James Lockhart left in June 2019 to take up a GC position with RJM Construction.
Practice head(s):
Leslie John
Other key lawyers:
Jay Fastow; Denise Plunkett; Stephen Kastenberg
Testimonials
‘The antitrust team’s approach to an antitrust case is seamless and effective. As the General Counsel I have been impressed with their organization and ability to manage multiple clients in a large antitrust case.’
‘Ed Rogers is efficient in leading the plaintiff group by being acutely aware of time constraints and valuing the time of his clients. He is also a good strategist and saw value in bringing in other plaintiffs.’
‘Jay Fastow’s knowledge of antitrust law and cases is deep. Then his ability to use that in negotiations is impressive.’
‘A team that punches above its weight in antitrust circles, particularly on the plaintiffs’ side, and is unafraid to take on Section 2 and other complicated cases.’
‘Jay Fastow is brilliant: a true antitrust scholar, but also an excellent trial lawyer and appellate advocate.’
Key clients
GlaxoSmithKline LLC
American Board of Internal Medicine
Comcast Corporation
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
MarketPlace PHL
Electric Utility Industry Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance
Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Biotech
Warner Chilcott
CSL Behring, LLC
Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA)
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Work highlights
- Filed federal lawsuits on behalf of 19 municipalities and municipal water authorities alleging that numerous chemical companies and individuals violated engaged in a conspiracy that increased the price of aluminum sulfate, a chemical used to treat water
- Representing Nasdaq in claims for breach of contract, unfair competition and conversion against a private label service provider for exchange traded funds
Berman Tabacco (formerly Berman DeValerio)
Plaintiff-only litigation boutique Berman Tabacco (formerly Berman DeValerio) assists companies, public pension funds and individual consumers with the prosecution of price-fixing, market allocation agreements, patent misuse, monopolization and group boycotts. The 'well-coordinated' team led by San Francisco partners Joseph Tabacco and Todd Seaver further specializes in using cy pres awards in antitrust recoveries. The 'very knowledgeable' Tabacco combines antitrust with securities cases and Seaver displays deep knowledge of specialized finance. At the firm's second hub in Boston, Patrick Egan takes a leading role in securities and financial institutions cases. In addition to a strong suit in representing pension funds, the department is also active in pharmaceuticals, automobile and consumer electronics.
Practice head(s):
Joseph Tabacco; Todd Seaver
Other key lawyers:
Christopher Heffelfinger; Patrick Egan
Testimonials
‘There has never been a surprise, they are always prepared and a have deep knowledge of the issue. It is a pleasure to observe a team that so well coordinated.’
‘Joe Tabacco is very knowledgeable and it seems he has photographic mind, nothing gets by him. His presentation skills are outstanding and relationships with judges are excellent.’
Key clients
California State Teachers’ Retirement System
Electrical Workers Pension Fund Local 103, I.B.E.W.
Fire & Police Pension Association of Colorado
New England Carpenters Health Benefits Fund
Oklahoma Firefighters Pension & Retirement System
Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System
Orange County Employee Retirement System
Univisions-Crimson Holding, Inc.
Work highlights
- Represented plaintiffs, a group of individual dairy farmers who sold raw milk according to prices set by the federal government, in antitrust action alleging defendants misreported critical data used by the government to set raw milk prices
- Serving as co-lead class counsel for direct purchaser plaintiffs Univisions Crimson holding in a multidistrict antitrust litigation arising from an alleged worldwide conspiracy to fix prices of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
- Representing two public pension funds, California State Teachers’ Retirement System and Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System, in action alleging that bank traders and their affiliates from over twenty U.S., Japanese and European banks colluded to manipulate the Euroyen TIBOR and Yen LIBOR rates
- Represented New England Carpenters Health Benefits Fund in antitrust action alleging defendant Celgene engaged in a scheme to block generic competition for two drugs, brand names Thalomid and Revlimid, thereby effectively monopolizing the market for at least seven years
- Representing Electrical Workers Pension Fund and I.B.E.W. Health Benefit Plan in action alleging defendants colluded to manipulate the prices of bonds issued by Government Sponsored Entities (“GSE bonds”) in the secondary market to extract profits for themselves at the expense of plaintiff investors
Grant & Eisenhofer P.A.
Grant & Eisenhofer P.A. exhibits a strength in representing plaintiffs in pay-for-delay cases and other healthcare-related matters. Nevertheless, the plaintiff-only firm is active in class actions and individual actions involving numerous industries such has financial products and consumer goods. The New York-based Deborah Elman brings a significant background in public health to the table. She co-heads the antitrust litigation department in collaboration with Robert Eisler, based in Wilmington, DE. Eisler's expertise includes commercial and class action litigation at the trial and appellate levels, particularly in matters surrounding securities and derivatives.
Practice head(s):
Robert Eisler; Deborah Elman
Other key lawyers:
Chad Holtzman
Work highlights
- Co-lead counsel representing a class of merchants seeking equitable relief in a suit alleging that Visa, MasterCard, and several major card-issuing banks have engaged in collusive practices to fix payment card interchange fees at artificially high rates
- Co-lead counsel in a case alleging that some of the world’s largest financial institutions colluded to fix the price of silver futures to ensure they received artificially high returns as part of The London Silver Market Fixing Ltd
- Serving as co-lead counsel in a case against Keurig Green Mountain for monopolizing the single-serve coffee brewer and cup market in the United States
- Representing end-payor plaintiffs in an antitrust case against Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. and Par Pharmaceutical Inc. alleging Novartis and Par agreed to delay the launch of a generic version of hypertension drug, Exforge
- Serving on the Executive Committee for an institutional investor in a case concerning Abbvie’s and Amgen’s unlawful scheme and monopolization of the market for Humira
Heins Mills & Olson, PLC
Heins Mills & Olson, PLC is a Minneapolis law firm practicing antitrust, consumer protection and securities litigation. The firm represents plaintiff classes alleging price-fixing, antitrust violations, vertical trade restraints, monopolization and other anti-competitive conduct. Sam Heins and Vincent Esades are names to note.
Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP
Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is a highly regarded litigation boutique with extensive experience of class actions in a range of fields, perhaps most notably securities litigation, but also in significant antitrust cases. In 2020 the team achieved a settlement in a class action brought against Apple, which alleging that the tech giant had slowed the performance of certain older models of its iPhone. Among the team's new cases over the past year is its co-representation of a group of plaintiffs in a consolidated action against several large caustic soda manufacturers alleging a conspiracy to limit supply throughout the market. Robert Kaplan is the name to note in the practice group.
Practice head(s):
Robert Kaplan
Other key lawyers:
Gregory Arenson
Ruyak Cherian LLP
Ruyak Cherian LLP brings both class actions and company-to-company cases across the country. Washington DC-based partners Richard Ripley and Robert Ruyak are the key contacts at the firm.