Thomas Mueller

Thomas Mueller is chair of WilmerHale’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group. He joined the firm in 1992. Mr. Mueller’s antitrust practice focuses on global cartel enforcement matters, as well as merger and other investigations with transatlantic implications.

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.”

Mr. Mueller is a member of the International Cartel Task Force in the American Bar Association’s Section of Antitrust Law. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center where he taught a course on comparative US and EU competition law.

Experience :

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 :

• Representing the leading North Sea oil and gas producer in the FTC’s investigation related to the Brent Crude index
• Representing a major natural gas company 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 major Japanese freight forwarder in DOJ investigations of the logistics industry

Mr. Mueller has represented clients in numerous in-depth investigations of global transactions, including serving as lead EU counsel in the merger between America Online and Time Warner, at the time, the world’s largest merger.

He has obtained early conclusion of phase II cases before the European Commission, as well as the clearance by US and EU authorities of Tetra Laval’s acquisition of Sidel—the only transaction to have been successfully appealed and then approved by the European Commission.

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

EDUCATION :

• JD, Harvard Law School, 1990
• BA, Williams College, 1987

ADMISSIONS : District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York.

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