Recent DOJ Antitrust Cartel Trials

Agenda

12:00 p.m. – 12:05 p.m.                 Welcome and Introduction

12:05 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.                 Recent DOJ Antitrust Cartel Trials: A Look Back and a Look Ahead

At the beginning of 2022, the DOJ scored a trial victory against a government contractor in a big rigging case. Since then, however, the DOJ has suffered trial losses in multiple high profile cases. In the DOJ’s first-ever trials involving no-poach and wage-fixing charges, the juries returned not guilty verdicts in favor of the corporate and individual defendants. In the DOJ’s price-fixing case against chicken industry executives, the jury found the 5 remaining defendants not guilty. This trial loss came after two earlier mistrials resulted in DOJ dropping the charges against other defendants and having to respond to the judge’s questions about the appropriateness of a third trial.

Despite these recent setbacks, the DOJ Antitrust Division has signaled that it will “continue to bring cases” and is “not backing down.” True to its word, the DOJ Antitrust Division has a number of upcoming criminal trials where it will seek to get back on a winning streak.

This panel discussion will include defense counsel involved in the DOJ’s 2022 criminal antitrust trials. The panelists will discuss key issues from these trials and best practices for trying cartel cases against DOJ. The panelists will also discuss key takeaways from these trials and how these takeaways may influence DOJ and defense counsel’s strategies in upcoming trials..

Moderator:

Juan A. Arteaga, Esq.

Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP

New York, NY

Panelists:

Anna T. Pletcher. Esq.

Partner, O’Melveny

San Francisco, CA

Thomas M. Melsheimer, Esq.

Partner, Winston & Strawn

Dallas, TX

Ripley Rand

Womble Bond Dickinson

Raleigh, NC

1.0 Credits in Areas of Professional Practice

12:55 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.                   Q&A