Antitrust Cartel and Investigations
Notable Representations, Key Contacts
Weil has represented major global corporations, individuals, and associations across a broad range of industries in the most significant cartel investigations and litigations over the past 25 years, including:
- generic pharmaceuticals
- e-books
- vitamins
- auto parts
- LCD
- orthopedic implants
- milk
- helicopter services
- clothing fasteners
- MSG
- CRT
- capacitors
- crop inputs
- freight forwarding
- military insignia
- air cargo
- auction houses
- carbon fiber
Cartel investigation capabilities
We routinely represent clients across all phases of domestic and global antitrust investigations, including U.S. DOJ criminal investigations—from “dawn raids,” to grand jury subpoena compliance, to investigation defense, leniency applications, and—U.S. state Attorneys General investigations, and global, multi-jurisdictional investigations led by multiple agencies. Our attorneys also defend clients in sophisticated and high-stakes class actions, U.S. state Attorneys’ General lawsuits, and other private follow-on litigations that follow from cartel investigations. We:
- Help make key early strategic decisions on whether to seek leniency or otherwise cooperate in the United States or other jurisdictions;
- Develop a working relationship with government lawyers to best defend the client’s interest;
- Coordinate with counsel in other jurisdictions to ensure consistency in defense strategy, themes and arguments;
- Make careful strategy calls in criminal cases so as to preserve optionality and protect the defense in any civil litigations and investigations in other jurisdictions; and
- Work with clients to proactively address compliance issues to reduce the likelihood of repeat violations.
The Weil team has consistently secured favorable results in proceedings, earning the practice recognition among the top cartel defense firms in the world by Global Competition Review and Legal 500. We have exceptional credibility with the courts and agencies most directly involved in investigations and criminal defense.
Our global reach: The “Hot Spots”
Weil has coordinated international cartel defense in many of the leading “hot spot” jurisdictions for enforcement, from leniency applications to investigatory procedures. Where we do not have offices, we have cultivated long-standing relationships with experienced cartel counsel to enable us to advise clients in all the major jurisdictions around the globe, including:
- Brazil
- Canada
- Mexico
- United Kingdom
- European Union
- Japan
- Korea
- Australia
- Switzerland
