Antitrust & Trade Regulation

Our practice consistently earns national and international recognition — rankings that reflect our deep experience and leadership shaping the antitrust landscape. Many of our lawyers serve in leadership positions within the ABA Antitrust Section and frequently are quoted by industry media for their insights on enforcement trends and policy developments.

Clients count on us as trial advocates, regulatory advisers and strategic partners. Our lawyers represent a broad spectrum of clients — from individuals to multinational corporations — across all areas of antitrust law, including civil and criminal enforcement and investigations, compliance counseling, pricing, distribution, and M&A. Whether developing customized compliance programs or representing clients before the FTC, DOJ Antitrust Division, CMA, European Commission or in court, we are known for our practical approach and seamless collaboration.

The group also offers antitrust training, compliance programs and counseling sessions to major companies in the transportation, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, media, healthcare and infrastructure sectors.

How We Help

McGuireWoods’ Antitrust & Trade Regulation Practice Group provides business-minded guidance across the full spectrum of antitrust and competition law. We partner with clients to address critical legal risks, ensure compliance, and support their most complex transactions, investigations and disputes. The team offers advice on key areas of antitrust and competition law in the United States and Europe, including:

• antitrust counseling, audits and compliance programs that span the globe;
• antitrust litigation, including class actions;
• competitor vs. competitor cases, on the defendant and plaintiff sides;
• grand jury investigations and criminal prosecutions;
• civil antitrust investigations and enforcement actions;
• international cartel investigations; and
• merger and acquisition clearance.

Representative Experience

• Buyers and sellers regarding the antitrust implications of major corporate transactions, including Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification and investigations in the United States and the coordination of pre-merger notification filings in other jurisdictions around the world;
• Leading petroleum exploration and production company in defense of class action alleging global conspiracy to reduce oil output and inflate gasoline prices;
• Healthcare company as lead defense counsel in a major civil class action involving alleged no-poach and wage-fixing conspiracies;
• Staffing company as lead counsel in an Illinois attorney general action involving alleged no-poach agreements, including arguing a matter of first impression before the Illinois Supreme Court;
• Global manufacturer in the coordination of a successful merger clearance while handling investigations by authorities in the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa;
• Manufacturer as co-lead in litigation against a competitor involving claims of monopolization, attempted monopolization, deceptive trade practices and violations of state common law;
• Real estate company in an amnesty application related to bid-rigging;
• Manufacturing company against a competitor in a case alleging monopolization, attempted monopolization and tying;
• Corporation in an amnesty application related to a DOJ no-poach antitrust investigation;
• Major financial services company in connection with a government investigation and related civil class action alleging an agreement with a competitor not to hire each other’s employees;
• Manufacturing company in a civil class action alleging wage-fixing and agreements not to recruit employees from competitors; and
• Company under investigation for alleged antitrust violations related to government contracting;
• Senior executive in the food and beverage sector whose company was a leniency applicant in a DOJ antitrust investigation.