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Richard Schwed

Partner

Rich is Global Co-Head of Litigation & Investigations. He is an accomplished trial lawyer who regularly represents corporations, global financial institutions and individuals in their most important and high-stakes litigations and investigations.

He has achieved a strong record of success for clients in trial and appellate courts across the country, in arbitrations, and in investigations and proceedings before government and self-regulatory agencies.

Clients trust Rich to represent them in matters involving all aspects of federal and state antitrust laws, including claims involving allegations of price-fixing, boycotts, collusion and monopolization, direct and indirect purchaser class actions, and merger and joint venture challenges. He regularly litigates complex commercial matters and disputes involving the Commodity Exchange Act, consumer protection laws and unfair competitions statutes. He has handled more than two dozen cases involving different financial products and financial markets, and has worked in a wide variety of industries, including financial services, airlines, consumer products, mining & metals, healthcare, manufacturing and technology.

Experience

Representative matters

Multiple financial institutions in antitrust and Commodity Exchange Act class actions and private litigations involving allegations of manipulation, collusion, price fixing, bid rigging and group boycotts related to a vast range of products and markets, including interest rate swaps, corporate bonds, securities lending, airport financing, credit cards, foreign exchange, silver futures, SSA bonds, financial benchmarks, credit default swaps, precious metals, European government bonds, initial public offerings and credit default swaps.

Companies in confidential internal investigations and investigations by the FTC, DOJ, SEC, CFTC, FINRA, state attorneys general, and foreign authorities, including investigations into allegations concerning derivatives trading, securities law violations, consumer protection, manipulation, fraud, and executive compensation.

JetBlue in a month-long trial against the Department of Justice and numerous state attorneys general in defense of an alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue.

PayPal in a lawsuit alleging that its terms and conditions violate federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws.

Covidien in a five-week class action jury trial alleging improper monopolization of a medical devices market.

A multinational consulting firm in a jury trial involving allegations of negligence and fraud arising out of an agreement to provide consulting services.

An international client in a lawsuit and multiple arbitration hearings involving multibillion dollar claims.

A European manufacturer in an arbitration hearing arising from the sale of a business.

JetBlue in a lawsuit concerning alleged antitrust violations and breach of contract claims in connection with dispute with online travel agency.

Anglo American in connection with claims arising from an mining projects in Alaska and South America.

Dun & Bradstreet in class action lawsuits alleging violation of federal antitrust laws and state consumer protection laws.

An international chemical company in a lawsuit involving allegations of misrepresentation and breach of contract arising out of the sale of a chemical company.

Sun Pharmaceuticals in multiple lawsuits relating to its acquisition of Taro Pharmaceuticals and its ownership of Caraco Pharmaceuticals.

Ardagh in administrative and federal court actions seeking to enjoin an acquisition.

Syngenta in a lawsuit against Monsanto alleging monopolization of markets for genetically modified corn seed.

BASF in a criminal investigation and in hundreds of class action, Attorney General and private lawsuits alleging price fixing of the vitamins markets and the magnetic audiotape markets.

 
Recognition
Adept in a spectrum of litigations
The Legal 500, 2023

Awards

  • Recognized by The Legal 500 Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star”

Qualifications

Admissions

New York, 1994

Courts

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1995

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 1996

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2014

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1999

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1999

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2002

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, 2002

Academic

A.B, magna cum laude, Dartmouth College, 1987

J.D., magna cum laude, University of Michigan, 1993

Order of the Coif

Contributing Editor, Michigan Law Review

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.