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Sub practice

Cartel Investigations

Allen & Overy’s international Cartel and Antitrust Investigations practice represents clients on complex cross-border and national investigations.

Cartel investigations are by their nature high stakes, and cross-border. We help clients in relation to aggressive cartel enforcement across the globe, with highly experienced teams across Europe, the U.S., Asia and Australia that have been involved in most of the leading cartel cases over the past 20 years. We helped shape current U.S. and EU leniency and enforcement policies, and our team covers every aspect of government investigations and enforcement.

Our work on cartel cases includes:

  • Developing and executing global defence strategies, including negotiating leniency, settlement terms, deferred prosecution agreements or plea agreements where appropriate and advising on formal proceedings
  • Attending dawn raids and subpoenas served on premises to ensure our client's rights are preserved
  • Implementing national or international rapid response teams to interview witnesses, review documentation and assess risk
  • Creating internal and external communications strategies
  • Representation of senior executives under investigation or accused of criminal antitrust violations
  • Preparing for potential further inspections

Related content

News and insights

Solar panels in field

Publications: 20 March 2023

Focus on dawn raids, international cooperation, private damages and sustainability

A ‘new dawn’ for dawn raids 2022 saw a surge in the number of dawn raids conducted by antitrust authorities across the globe, continuing a trend that commenced in the second half of 2021. After an…

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View of sky between high rise buildings

Publications: 20 March 2023

General downturn in immunity and leniency cases continues

Overall, the number of immunity/leniency cases decided in 2022 (18) was lower than both 2021 (32) and 2020 (31), driven largely by a downtick in the Americas.  The costs and uncertainty associated…

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Publications: 20 March 2023

A changing landscape for vertical and other non-cartel enforcement

Overall, global fines for vertical and other non-cartel conduct in 2022 were significantly down on previous years (less than half the 2021 and 2020 totals). However, the total number of decisions…

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Publications: 20 March 2023

Cartel enforcement remains a priority

Overall, global fine levels for cartel activity in 2022 (USD2.1bn) were just half the 2021 total (USD4.0bn). However, the high 2021 total was largely attributable to a small number of significant…

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Recognition