Experience

• Cartel and Civil Investigations and Litigation

  Mr. Mueller has extensive internal investigation and litigation experience. His experience in both the US and Europe has been helpful in developing strategies in responding to price-fixing allegations, often from multiple antitrust authorities around the world. He has successfully persuaded authorities to close investigations without taking enforcement action and has secured non-prosecution agreements and leniency protection for clients. A selection of recent cartel investigations and litigation matters include:

  Company representations:

  • Representing a leading residential leasing company in a criminal investigation involving algorithmic price setting
  • Representing G4S in the criminal investigation of guarding services contracts for the US Army and NATO
  • Representing a major financial institution in an antitrust investigation following the Archegos collapse
  • Representing a leading defense and intelligence contractor in an investigation of sub-contracting relationships
  • Representing numerous companies in numerous industries regarding labor market investigations
  • Representing Cargill in class action litigation concerning labor market practices in the beef and pork meatpacking industry
  • Representing DaVita in one of the first-ever criminal labor market allocation cases brought by the Department of Justice
  • Representing BlackRock in the State AG litigation regarding alleged ESG investment practices with regard to the coal industry
  • Representing a leading German automotive manufacturer in an investigation of automotive emission standards agreements
  • Representing a leading ocean shipping company in a criminal antitrust investigation
  • Representing a Japanese capacitor manufacturer in the DOJ’s investigation and class action and opt-out litigation
  • Representing a leading college in antitrust investigations
  • Representing the leading North Sea oil and gas producer in the FTC’s investigation related to the Brent Crude index
  • Representing Chesapeake Energy in DOJ and State AG investigations of leasing practices
  • Representing one of the world's largest auto parts manufacturers in resolving its criminal liability in the US
  • Representing a leading bearing manufacturer in the DOJ's investigation of that industry
  • Representing CSAV in the DOJ’s investigation of automobile ocean shipping
  • Representing Lufthansa in investigations and litigation concerning the air cargo business
  • Representing JP Morgan Chase in the DOJ's investigation of the municipal derivatives market
  • Representing a major Japanese freight forwarder in DOJ investigations of the logistics industry
  • Representing Chi Mei Optoelectronics in the LCD investigation
  • Representing Odfjell ASA in the investigation by the US and EU of an alleged conspiracy among major chemical tanker companies
  • Representing a major private equity fund regarding the conduct of a portfolio company

  Individual representations:

  • Representing Citibank’s euro-dollar trader in the foreign exchange investigation, successfully obtaining an acquittal at the criminal trial and dismissal of the complaint by the OCC.  Citibank had previously agreed to plead guilty and pay a record $925 million fine on the basis of our client’s purported conduct.
  • Representing the CEO of a generic pharmaceutical company, including at a contested sentencing hearing in which he was sentenced to one-year probation
  • Representing the founder and company in an alleged bid rigging conspiracy among asset acquisition businesses
  • Representing a head of sales in the investigation of air bag and seat belt manufacturers
  • Representing the head of rates at a major bank in the LIBOR investigation