Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (“Freshfields”) announced today that Julie Elmer, one of the US Department of Justice’s leading antitrust trial lawyers, has joined the firm as a partner in Washington, DC. Ms. Elmer joins Freshfields from the DOJ Antitrust Division’s Technology and Financial Services section, where she led two of the DOJ’s last three merger trials, including its last trial victory in US v. Energy Solutions, Inc., et al.

At Freshfields, Ms. Elmer rejoins Eric Mahr, former Director of Litigation at the Antitrust Division, and Andy Ewalt, another former trial attorney at the Division, in the firm’s industry-leading global antitrust litigation practice. The move continues a series of aggressive steps taken by Freshfields to expand its capabilities and platform in the US, following on the heels of the firm’s launch of a new, seven-partner Silicon Valley office and the addition of Mary Eaton to its securities and shareholder litigation practice in New York.

“In addition to being a wonderful colleague and a devoted mentor to junior lawyers, Julie is one of the very top antitrust trial lawyers in the nation,” said Mr. Mahr, Co-Chair of the firm’s Global Antitrust Litigation Group. “In the last five years, no one has led more DOJ antitrust merger trials than Julie and no one has been more successful in those trials.”  

Ms. Elmer brings more than 20 years of civil litigation experience and her extraordinary record of success to a Freshfields antitrust team that in January ranked No 1—for the 12th time—in Global Competition Review’s ‘Global Elite’ listing of the world’s top 25 firms for antitrust. The team’s global antitrust litigation practice is also consistently ranked at the top of the league tables, and just months ago, Freshfields’ US antitrust litigators defeated the FTC’s attempt to block client Evonik’s acquisition of PeroxyChem—a rare loss for the FTC, breaking the agency’s seven-case winning streak in litigated merger challenges.

In addition to her trial work, Ms. Elmer handled DOJ merger and conduct investigations under two administrations, giving her a unique perspective on the agency’s approach to antitrust enforcement. Prior to her tenure at DOJ, Ms. Elmer’s private practice focused on defending clients against class and mass action lawsuits in antitrust, business tort, contract, and a variety of other contexts.  

“I believe we now have the preeminent team for US government antitrust litigation,” said partner Paul Yde, who founded Freshfields’ US antitrust practice in 2002. “We have long had an excellent agency-facing practice with significant antitrust litigation experience, but the litigation team Eric Mahr has created—now with the tremendous addition of Julie Elmer—has a track record that cannot be topped.” 

“The broadening risk and scope of antitrust litigation will continue to be a key concern for our clients, especially as the DOJ and FTC come under greater pressure for increased antitrust enforcement,” said Thomas Janssens, Freshfields’ Global Head of Antitrust, Competition and Trade. “Julie further strengthens our standout team in the all-important US market and complements our international reputation as leaders in this field.”

“Julie’s unsurpassed trial leadership further strengthens our outstanding antitrust litigation team, which remains in a class of its own,” said Matthew F. Herman, Freshfields’ US Managing Partner.  “We are excited to welcome her to our US practice and know that her expertise and experience will be invaluable to our clients.”

“It has been an honor to serve the United States and work with the talented and committed lawyers in the Antitrust Division. Now I am excited to return to private practice and rejoin my former colleagues Eric and Andy in a firm with an expanding US practice and an unrivaled global platform,” said Ms. Elmer. “I look forward to working with my partners at Freshfields to help our clients achieve their strategic goals, both here in the US and around the world.”