Craig Seebald
(The following information was supplied by the firm)
Partner
Craig serves as Co-Head of Vinson and Elkins’ Litigation & Regulatory department and is a leader of the firm’s renowned global Antitrust Group. With 30 years of antitrust experience that results from working with the world’s leading companies, today Craig represents clients in all areas of antitrust law, including criminal grand jury investigations, civil investigations by the FTC and the DOJ, class action litigation, and merger investigations.
A core area of Craig’s practice involves defending multinational companies in cartel and price-fixing investigations. He has successfully defended Fortune 100 companies in grand jury investigations and coordinated the defense of multijurisdictional cartel investigations. Craig, who is based in Washington, D.C., has represented clients in obtaining amnesty from the Department of Justice, and has successfully defended others in cartel investigations with no charges being brought against the company. “Some of my greatest victories are those that receive no publicity, such when our team convinces the government not to bring charges against a client at the end of grand jury investigation or when my team obtains amnesty for a client.â€
Craig also represents companies in antitrust civil litigation, including follow-on actions to cartel investigations. He has been able to win bet-the-company cases for clients by winning early dismissals, defeating class certification and winning summary judgment motions. While Craig primarily represents defendants in civil litigation, he currently represents 12 large shipping companies asserting claims against the four leading railroad companies in In re Rail Freight Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Litigation.
Craig’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including technology, financial services, chemicals, aerospace and defense, semiconductors, transportation, consumer products, and energy, among many others. His work has involved multinational organizations based in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.
Craig is one of the leading lawyers in the area of antitrust enforcement against government contractors, a particular area of focus within the Antitrust Division. His extensive experience representing the leading aerospace and defense companies throughout his career, along with his current research, speaking and frequent writing about joint ventures and teaming agreements in that industry, places him in a unique position to counsel clients.
Another area of Craig’s practice is advising and representing private equity clients on the antitrust risks associated with managing portfolio companies competing in the same markets.
Craig is ranked as one of the leading cartel lawyers in the world by several publications. He has been annually ranked by Chambers Global Antitrust: USA as one of the top cartel lawyers in the US. He has also been recognized annually in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business since 2009. Additionally, Craig has been recognized by Top Ranked Legal, and Legal 500 as one of the top cartel lawyers in the United States. Craig has been selected by Lawdragon since 2021 as one of the 500 best lawyers in America in the annual Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers Guide.