Winston & Strawn LLP

Highly regarded for its strength in tech and sports-related antitrust litigations, Winston & Strawn LLP's expertise spans class actions, multidistrict litigations, and the full range of civil litigation across the tech, food, fashion, and real estate industries. Jeffrey Kessler and Eva Cole co-head the global antitrust practice from the firm’s New York office. Kessler has a broad practice spanning antitrust, sports law, and antitrust-related intellectual property issues; he has significant experience representing international companies in civil and multidistrict litigations, and also takes point on antitrust cases in the sports sector. Cole has stand-out expertise in the electronics, sports, retail, and private equity industries, focusing on cartel investigations and follow-on class actions in these spaces. James Herbison, described by clients as ‘one of the brightest antitrust minds in the country’, leads the Illinois offering from Chicago and has a strong track record handling the full range of antitrust litigation, including price-fixing, merger enforcement, and patent issues. Herbison works alongside Michael Mayer, who focuses his practice on class actions and tech antitrust litigations, counting consumer electronics companies and manufacturers among his clients.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘We've been very pleased with the team at Winston that has supported us in several important antitrust/competition litigation and regulatory matters. Very client responsive, providing practical business-focused advice.’
‘Jim Herbison and Mike Mayer have all provided fantastic support. They have become trusted counselors to our business who can always be counted on for their support when needed. ’
‘Winston's antitrust bench is deep and experienced; rather than simply offer theoretical, ivory tower antitrust insights, their advice is practically offered. In addition, because of Winston's outstanding trial practice, their antitrust team is an integrated one with tremendous antitrust experience combined with outstanding trial and appellate expertise.’
‘Jim Herbison is one of the brightest antitrust minds in the country; in addition his commercial litigation experience puts him near the top of all antitrust litigators. Jeff Kessler in the NY office is also a tremendous resource in certain specialized antitrust topics.’

Key clients

Activision Blizzard
Actor’s Equity Association
Avanci, LLC and Avanci Platform Int’l Ltd.
Baxter International
Chanel
Chicago Parking Meters, LLC
Claxton Poultry Farms
Delta Dental Insurance Company and affiliates
Discover Financial Services
Equifax, Inc.
JTEKT Corporation
KAR Auction Services Inc. (ADESA, Inc.)
KSA Lighting & Controls, Inc.
Metaswitch Networks
Motorola Solutions, Inc.
National Pork Producers Council
NorthShore University HealthSystem
NTN Corporation
Nuveen, LLC
Panasonic Corporation and related entities
Prada
Rabobank Cooperative
Tory Burch

Work highlights

Delivered an antitrust class action victory for Claxton Poultry when the court granted Claxton’s motion for summary judgment after years of discovery.
Secured dismissal—affirmed by the 7th Circuit, after which the Supreme Court denied cert—of a proposed antitrust class action filed against Chicago Parking Meters LLC, claiming that its 75-year-long, US$1.15B concession agreement to operate Chicago’s on-street parking meters violated the Sherman Act.
Won dismissal of antitrust litigation alleging Sherman Act violations against the lead creative producer for Paradise Square against Actors’ Equity Ass’n—a union representing actors in Broadway theaters—on grounds that the statutory labor exemption shielded the union’s conduct.