Leo Caseria

Leo Caseria is an associate in the Antitrust & Trade Regulation practice group in the Los Angeles office of Sheppard Mullin. 

Areas of Practice

Mr. Caseria specializes in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on antitrust law.  In the antitrust area, he has defended corporations facing allegations of unlawful price-fixing, group boycott, monopolization, and information exchange.  Mr. Caseria recently engaged in extensive trial preparation on behalf of a defendant in two large antitrust cases that settled on the eve of trial in 2010 and 2011.  He has worked with experts, prepared for mock trials, and has extensive experience with motion practice and discovery in major antitrust matters.

Mr. Caseria also has extensive experience defending corporations against class actions in federal court, particularly consumer class actions.  Mr. Caseria has worked on numerous briefs relating to class certification issues in federal district and appellate courts, including several Rule 23(f) Petitions.  He also has experience with consolidated Multi-District Litigation ("MDL") pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407 where numerous related class actions are involved, including JPML practice and procedures. 

He has defended clients including Samsung, Live Nation and Philip Morris against consumer antitrust class actions. 

Education

• J.D., Columbia University, 2005, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Executive Editor, Columbia Journal of Environmental Law, Board Member, Columbia Environmental Law Society
• B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 2002

Admissions

• California
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

Representative Engagements

• Represented DRAM manufacturer against California Cartwright Act and tort claims involving alleged horizontal boycott conspiracy in California state court.
• Represented SRAM manufacturer against federal and state antitrust claims brought by direct and indirect purchasers alleging horizontal conspiracy to exchange information for the purpose of fixing prices.
• Represented diversified media company and concert promoter against Sherman Act § 2 monopolization claims brought by purchasers of rock concert tickets in multi-district class action litigation.
• Represented tobacco company against Sherman Act § 1 allegations based on the $246 billion dollar Master Settlement Agreement between leading tobacco companies and 46 states. Contributed to successful U.S. Supreme Court brief in opposition to petition for certiorari following favorable ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Sanders v. Brown.
• Represented tobacco company against Kansas state law antitrust claims brought by indirect purchasers alleging horizontal price-fixing in Kansas state court.

Memberships

• Member, Antitrust Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association

Articles

• Using Prior Expert Testimony Requires Extra Effort, New York Law Journal, July 18, 2011

Antitrust Law Blog Articles

• "In re American Express Merchants' Litigation - Plaintiffs Survive Three Rounds In The Second Circuit, But Can They Survive The Supreme Court?" February 7, 2012
• "Wal-Mart v. Dukes: Implications For Antitrust Class Actions," July 11, 2011
• "AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion - What Does It Mean For Class Arbitration And Class Actions In Federal Antitrust Cases?", May 13, 2011
• "Blue Skies For Continental Airlines In Bid To Join Star Alliance", August 12, 2009
• "Plaintiffs Granted Leave to Amend Complaint Alleging Monopolization of Grapes Under Walker Process Theory", April 13, 2009
• "Complaint Alleging Conspiracy to Fix LTL Freight Fuel Surcharges Dismissed", March 6, 2009