(Philadelphia) February 15, 2013 – DLA Piper announced today that Robert Connolly has joined the firm’s Litigation practice in the Philadelphia office as of counsel to the firm.
Connolly had served from 1994 until recently as the Chief of the Middle Atlantic Office of the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division. In this role, he led major national and international white collar crime investigations in the areas of antitrust, fraud and obstruction of justice. Notably, Connolly led a four year graphite electrodes international cartel grand jury investigation, resulting in seven corporate and three individual convictions and approximately $437 million in fines. The investigation culminated with a successful criminal jury trial and the largest (at the time) post-trial criminal fine in Antitrust Division history for which he was awarded the DOJ John Marshall Award for Outstanding Legal Achievement for Trial Litigation. More recently, Connolly’s office led the extradition from the UK of Ian Norris. Connolly supervised the subsequent trial and conviction of Mr. Norris for obstruction of justice.
“With more than 30 years of litigation experience, Bob has a notable reputation for his representation in high-stakes matters. His addition will strengthen our ability to represent multinational clients in complex litigation matters and high-profile regulatory and governmental investigations,” said Robert Mathias, joint global leader and US chair of DLA Piper’s Litigation practice. “His seasoned experience provides him with valuable credentials that will greatly benefit our clients and our Litigation practice, particularly in the area of criminal antitrust.”
“Bob has an extraordinary track record of investigatory and compliance work at the DOJ’s Antitrust Division and his inside knowledge of criminal antitrust prosecutions will be an invaluable asset to our firm’s clients as they navigate the criminal and civil waters of an ever more dangerous antitrust tide surging nationally and internationally,” said Carl Hittinger, leader of Philadelphia’s Litigation practice. “Bob’s addition will also be instrumental in enriching the already strong antitrust and unfair competition practice group in our Philadelphia office. Bob joins, among others, partner Lesli Esposito, a former senior supervising lawyer with the Federal Trade Commission, who also works with me in our Philadelphia antitrust group.”
Earlier in his career, Connolly served as a trial attorney and subsequently assistant chief at the Antitrust Division’s Middle Atlantic office. He has taught antitrust law at both Drexel’s Earle Mack School of Law and Rutgers-Camden Law School. He earned a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law and a B.A. from the State University of New York, College at Cortland.
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