Attracting client praise for its ‘tenacious litigation prowess,’ Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP’s antitrust litigation team handles international monopoly cases for large tech sector clients, as well as defending clients in antitrust merger matters and handling competitor-on-competitor disputes. Practice co-heads Leo Caseria and Ann O’Brien, praised by clients for their ‘unparalleled’ subject matter expertise, oversee the team from the Washington DC office. Caseria has a strong record defending clients in cases involving claims of monopolization, price gouging, and conspiracy, with particular success at the early stages of litigation. O’Brien, who also leads the firm’s criminal antitrust and cartels sub-group, takes point on agency-facing litigation, leveraging her experience from working at the Antitrust Division. Michael Cohen left the firm in 2023.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Sheppard Mullin’s antitrust team provides antitrust litigation expertise in both criminal and civil antitrust matters. The team has successfully guided us through complex and novel no-poach class action litigation. The antitrust team excels in providing strategic advice and provides tenacious litigation prowess and savvy negotiation skills.'
'‘Leo Caseria and Ann O’Brien have been working on a large no-poach litigation for us in a civil class action. Leo and Ann (along with their associates) are doing an excellent job and we couldn’t have asked for a better team. Their subject matter expertise is unparalleled that has assisted us in achieving the desired outcomes in the matter. ’
Key clients
- Essex Property Trust
- Hartford HealthCare Corporation (“Hartford HealthCare”)
- JRK Residential Group
- Export Packers Company
- Samsung Electronics
- The Reynolds and Reynolds Company
- CalPortland Company
- Cyient
- Strong Home Mortgage
- Smart & Final
Work highlights
- Defending Essex Property Trust in an antitrust class action, claiming a conspiracy to inflate the cost of renting apartments nationwide.
- Representing Hartford HealthCare Corporation in litigation filed by Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in January 2022, claiming that Hartford HealthCare violated the Sherman Act and Connecticut law by acquiring physicians and physician practices, and demanding that they refer their patients only to Hartford HealthCare.
- Defending The Reynolds and Reynolds Company against state and federal antitrust claims relating to data and data management system access.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Leo Caseria, Ann O'Brien