LAWYER PROFILE

Thomas Mueller

Global 2026

WilmerHale

Ranked in 2 practice areas

Antitrust: Cartel

USA

12 years ranked

Competition/Antitrust

USA

14 years ranked

About

Provided by WilmerHale

Global

Practice Areas

Thomas Mueller's antitrust practice focuses on global cartel enforcement matters, as well as merger and other investigations. Having practiced both in Brussels and Washington, Mr. Mueller has insight into antitrust issues on both sides of the Atlantic and has helped steer clients through the difficulties and opportunities created by the closer cooperation between the US and EU authorities. Chambers describes him as "a figure of great stature within criminal and cartel investigation circles" and "a creative strategist, which makes him a perfect choice for this often complicated and rapidly moving area."

Career

Clerkships:

The Hon. Walter J. Skinner, US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 1990 - 1991

Professional Memberships

He has served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center where he taught a course on comparative US and EU competition law.

Admissions:

District of Columbia

Massachusetts

New York

Brussels (associate member)

Publications

Balancing Act: Navigating Nuances in Labor Market Enforcement - Competition Policy International’s Antitrust Chronicle

Antitrust Division’s Implementation of the Department of Justice’s Safe Harbor Declination Policy – A Policy in Search of a Fact Pattern - WilmerHale

Cautious about Collaboration: Antitrust Scrutiny in Oil and Gas Exploration - WilmerHale

Experience

Cartel and Civil Investigations and Litigation

Mr. Mueller has extensive internal investigation and litigation experience. His experience in both the US and Europe has been helpful in developing strategies in responding to price-fixing allegations, often from multiple antitrust authorities around the world. He has successfully persuaded authorities to close investigations without taking enforcement action and has secured non-prosecution agreements and leniency protection for clients. A selection of recent cartel investigations and litigation matters include:

Company representations:

Representing a leading residential leasing company in a criminal investigation involving algorithmic price setting

Representing G4S in the criminal investigation of guarding services contracts for the US Army and NATO

Representing a major financial institution in an antitrust investigation following the Archegos collapse

Representing a leading defense and intelligence contractor in an investigation of sub-contracting relationships

Representing numerous companies in numerous industries regarding labor market investigations

Representing Cargill in class action litigation concerning labor market practices in the beef and pork meatpacking industry

Representing DaVita in one of the first-ever criminal labor market allocation cases brought by the Department of Justice

Representing BlackRock in the State AG litigation regarding alleged ESG investment practices with regard to the coal industry

Representing a leading German automotive manufacturer in an investigation of automotive emission standards agreements

Representing a leading ocean shipping company in a criminal antitrust investigation

Representing a Japanese capacitor manufacturer in the DOJ’s investigation and class action and opt-out litigation

Representing a leading college in antitrust investigations

Representing the leading North Sea oil and gas producer in the FTC’s investigation related to the Brent Crude index

Representing Chesapeake Energy in DOJ and State AG investigations of leasing practices

Representing one of the world's largest auto parts manufacturers in resolving its criminal liability in the US

Representing a leading bearing manufacturer in the DOJ's investigation of that industry

Representing CSAV in the DOJ’s investigation of automobile ocean shipping

Representing Lufthansa in investigations and litigation concerning the air cargo business

Representing JP Morgan Chase in the DOJ's investigation of the municipal derivatives market

Representing a major Japanese freight forwarder in DOJ investigations of the logistics industry

Representing Chi Mei Optoelectronics in the LCD investigation

Representing Odfjell ASA in the investigation by the US and EU of an alleged conspiracy among major chemical tanker companies

Representing a major private equity fund regarding the conduct of a portfolio company

Individual representations:

Representing Citibank’s euro-dollar trader in the foreign exchange investigation, successfully obtaining an acquittal at the criminal trial and dismissal of the complaint by the OCC. Citibank had previously agreed to plead guilty and pay a record $925 million fine on the basis of our client’s purported conduct.

Representing the CEO of a generic pharmaceutical company, including at a contested sentencing hearing in which he was sentenced to one-year probation

Representing the founder and company in an alleged bid rigging conspiracy among asset acquisition businesses

Representing a head of sales in the investigation of air bag and seat belt manufacturers

Representing the head of rates at a major bank in the LIBOR investigation

Merger Clearance:

Mr. Mueller has represented clients in numerous in-depth investigations of transactions, including post-closing investigations of purported “killer acquisitions.”

Conduct Counseling:

Mr. Mueller counsels clients in a wide variety of industries on issues of monopolization and vertical and horizontal restrictions of competition. He has particular experience in the logistics, energy, manufacturing, finance and tech industries.

Education

Harvard Law School

1990

Williams College

1987