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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
Joseph Ostoyich

Joseph Ostoyich

Partner

Partner
Joseph Ostoyich

Joe Ostoyich is the head of Clifford Chance’s US Antitrust Litigation practice. He has been lead counsel in dozens of bet-the-company class action and individual price fixing, monopolization, merger challenges and other antitrust matters, and his trial prowess has earned him recognition for “excellence among American litigation and trial counsel.” Antitrust trial victories have twice earned his teams recognition as "Legal Lions of the Week" from Law360, and once as "Antitrust Behavioural Matter of the Year" from the Global Competition Review.

Over the course of his career, he has represented companies across a wide range of economic sectors, including agricultural commodities, consumer products, energy and infrastructure, financial services, food and beverage, tech, telecommunications, industrials, and pharmaceuticals. His clients have included Ashland, AT&T, BHP Billiton, Brown Forman, Colfax, Eaton, Exxon Mobil, Imperial Chemical Industries, Intel, Olin, MeadWestvaco, Total, WestRock, and Woodside.

  • Obtained defense jury verdict as lead trial counsel in favor of Caterpillar Inc. in a lawsuit alleging the company conspired with a competitor and its own dealers to boycott the distributor of a foreign supplier seeking to enter the United States. This result was recognized by Law360 as a Legal Lion of the Week in April 2025.
  • Obtained dismissal of case against Energy Transfer L.P. alleging company conspired with major U.S. oil producers, refiners and industry-wide trade association to reduce the supply of crude oil and raise gasoline prices affirmed on appeal by the Ninth Circuit
  • Representing a client in a non-public government investigation in the food and beverage industry into pricing conduct.
  • Representing Merck in a class action alleging the company monopolized certain pediatric vaccines.
  • Representing Paccar in two cases alleging that its adherence to California vehicle emissions requirements violates federal and state laws, including the Nebraska antitrust statute.
  • Lead trial counsel for Patterson Companies, Inc.* in a Part 3 administrative trial brought by the FTC and four related “follow-on” federal court cases accusing the company of conspiring with its primary rivals to fix prices and boycott ‘buying groups’. His team won dismissal of two putative class actions, favorable settlements in two separate competitor boycott cases, and resolved the FTC lawsuit following an 8-week trial, with no monetary penalty or independent monitor.
  • Represented AT&T and its top executives* in obtaining dismissal of private challenge to its merger with Time Warner, Inc. that was affirmed on appeal to the Ninth Circuit.
  • Defended a Fortune 50 client* in a complex DOJ investigation into conspiracy to boycott emerging technologies which the DOJ closed with no enforcement action.
  • Defended a Fortune 150 company* in a DOJ investigation into an alleged ‘no poach’ cartel which resulted in the DOJ closing its investigation with no enforcement action.
  • Represented leading spirits provider* in obtaining voluntary dismissal on the eve of non-public administrative trial brought by Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau alleging it excluded rivals.
  • Lead trial counsel for Respondent McWane, Inc.* in two-month “Part 3” trial against the Federal Trade Commission alleging price fixing and monopolization. The Commission dismissed six of its seven counts and subsequently closed multiple related investigations with no enforcement action. This case was recognized as "Antitrust Behavioural Matter of the Year" and as a "Legal Lion of the Week" in the Global Competition Review and Law360, respectively.
  • Obtained summary judgment for ExxonMobil Corporation* in district court in Washington, DC in a case accusing the company and its primary competitors of conspiring to fix the price of natural gas. The D.C. Circuit affirmed.
  • Represented Eaton Corporation* and received a final judgment of zero-dollar damages and an order excluding the opposing damages expert as “insufficient and unreliable” in a monopolization case claiming several billion dollars in damages. In follow-on customer litigation, the court denied certification of putative classes of direct and indirect purchasers based, in part, on Mr. Ostoyich deposition of plaintiffs’ class certification expert.

*Prior to joining Clifford Chance

News and client work

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Contact details

Career and qualifications

  • Cornell University (B.A) 1988
  • University of Chicago Law School (J.D) 1991
  • Admitted as an Attorney-at-Law in New York 1992
  • Admitted as an Attorney-at-Law in Washington D.C 1993
  • Joined Clifford Chance as a partner 2023

Awards and citations

  • "Joseph Ostoyich is well known for his work acting for clients in significant antitrust disputes often involving monopolization and price-fixing allegations." Chambers USA 2024: Antitrust (District of Columbia)
  • Chamber USA 2024, Ranked Lawyer – Antitrust: Litigation Specialists (11 years ranked)
  • "He really knows his way around an antitrust case."
    Chambers USA 2023: Antitrust: Litigation Specialists
  • Joe Ostoyich has to be the best-qualified competition law attorney we have ever worked with. He has spent countless hours over the years learning our business and it shows in the quality of the advice he provides.” “The consummate consigliere in terms of client service" and "an outstanding trial lawyer," with "excellent recall, in-depth knowledge and exceptionally good judgment," he is "one of the best antitrust counsellors, a “very effective and strong strategist,” who can “distill matters clearly and is an incredible advocate.Chambers USA and The Legal 500 (2017-2022)
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (inducted 2022)
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation (inducted 2025)
  • One of ten lawyers nominated as Litigator of the Year
    Global Competition Review (2020)
  • BTI Client All-Star (2019)
  • Awarded Behavioural Matter of the Year: Americas
    Global Competition Review (2015)
  • Named a “Legal Lion” along with his trial team – Law360’s Weekly Verdict
    Legal Lions (2025 and 2014)
  • Highly ranked in Martindale-Hubbard (4.9/5.0 ranking)
  • Lexology's Who Who Legal: Competition (2024-25)
  • Selected to Super Lawyers (Washington, DC) for 2013 – 2025