EXPERIENCE
Antitrust/Competition
- In re Google Play Developer Antitrust Litigation – Represents a class of app developers that sold apps or in-app products via the Google Play store. The developers allege that Google has abused its market power to exclude competing app stores from Android phones, stifling innovation and consumer choice, and resulting in a supracompetitive default 30% transaction fee.
- In re Rail Freight Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Litigation – Represents large corporations that directly purchased rail freight shipping services from BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific in their claims for damages stemming from the alleged rail freight cartel in the early 2000s.
- In re Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation – Represents various car manufacturers and other OEMs, working to recover damages incurred from the massive worldwide auto parts cartel. The cartel has resulted in over 80 guilty pleas in the United States, and fines and decisions by regulatory authorities around the world.
- In re Thalomid and Revlimid Antitrust Litigation – Represents a class of end-payors of Thalomid and Revlimid in antitrust litigation against Celgene (settled for $34 million), and In re Zymar and Zymaxid Litigation, representing a class of direct purchasers of two eye medications against Allergan, Kyorin, and Senju.
- In re Broiler Grower Antitrust Litigation – Represents a class of poultry growers alleging a nationwide conspiracy among vertically-integrated poultry companies to suppress and maintain compensation for growing services below competitive levels.
- In re Air Cargo Antitrust Litigation – Represented freight forwarders and other direct purchasers of air cargo shipping services against a worldwide price-fixing cartel, in which her clients and the class recovered over $1 billion in settlements.
- In re Vitamin C Antitrust Litigation – In 2013, Melinda served on the trial team for the plaintiff class at trial in this case which secured a trebled jury verdict of $162 million against Chinese vitamin C manufacturer defendants. On appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in favor of Hausfeld’s clients, creating an important precedent for any transnational litigation where U.S. victims’ rights are threatened by interpretations of foreign law and international comity principles.
Environmental & Product Liability
- In re Prempro Products Liability Litigation – Served as primary brief writer on liability issues and represented dozens of women in a mass tort action against Pfizer and Wyeth over their hormone replacement therapy and links to breast cancer.
OVERVIEW
As the US Managing Partner, Melinda oversees the US operations and finances and collaborates with its 60+ US attorneys to ensure the firm's success.
Experience
Melinda represents large companies and classes of direct and indirect purchasers of products that have been the subject of antitrust violations across the globe. She has litigated complex class actions through the hurdles of class certification, summary judgment, and trial. In her cases, clients and classes she represents have obtained more than $1 billion in settlements, and in one recent case, a 9-0 victory in the U.S. Supreme Court. Melinda works hard to ensure private enforcement of the country’s antitrust laws and to safeguard free and open markets and is proud to be named one of the Top 100 Women in Antitrust by Global Competition Review.
Clients
Melinda has represented clients in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, industrial gas, auto parts, and rail freight and air cargo industries. She represents companies listed in the Fortune 200, as well as classes of direct and indirect purchasers of products impacted by antitrust violations.
EDUCATION
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., cum laude, 2008; Former editor of the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law
Tufts University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2003
BAR ADMISSIONS
Maryland
District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Maryland
United States District Court for the Western District of New York
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States Supreme Court
AFFILIATIONS
Member, American Bar Association - International Cartel Task Force (2018 - Present)
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2016)
EVENTS
- "Pharma Conduct Trends: Biosimilars, Generics, Pay for Delay," ABA Antitrust in Healthcare Conference (June 3, 2022), Panel Speaker
- "National Why Antitrust: Discussing Big Tech," ABA Antitrust Section Membership, Diversity, & Inclusion Committee (Feb. 26, 2021), Panel Speaker
- "The Present and Future of Antitrust Litigation," George Mason Law Review’s virtual 24th Annual Antitrust Symposium (Feb. 17, 2021), Panel Speaker
- "Cartels Hit the Kitchen Table," ABA Section of Antitrust Law (May 28, 2020), Panel Speaker
- "What is the Secret Sauce Behind Developing a Complaint?" ABA Section of Antitrust Law’s weekly podcast, Our Curious Amalgam (Sept. 18, 2019), Guest Speaker
- "Antitrust Issues in Private Enforcement Actions Against Agricultural Industries," AAI 11th Annual Private Antitrust Enforcement Conference (Nov. 7, 2017), Panel Speaker
- "Did the enforcers go bananas in Dole v. Commission? What are the boundaries of cartel conduct - and why does it matter?" GCR Live Cartels (April 5, 2016), Panel Speaker
- "Antitrust Claims: Class Actions and Opting Out," AAJ Annual Convention (July 26-29, 2014), Panel Speaker
PUBLICATIONS
Press:
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- "Number of price-fixing lawsuits filed against CSX, other railroads jumps to 266," Jacksonville Business Journal (March 2, 2020),
- "Vitamin C Purchasers Win Unanimous Supreme Court Victory in Decade-Long Antitrust Litigation," AP News (June 14, 2018)
- "100 Women In Antitrust," Global Competition Review (2016)
- "Law360 Names Attys Who Moved Up The Firm Ranks In Q1," Law360 (April 15, 2015)
- "The Class of 2014," Global Competition Review (Mar. 5, 2015)
- "At Some D.C. Firms, More Women than Men Make Partner," The National Law Journal (Jan. 19, 2015)
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Global Competition Review
- Litigation of the Year - Cartel Prosecution in 2019: an honor she received as part of the In re Vitamin C Litigation case team, which she led.
- Top 100 Women in Antitrust in 2016
Lawdragon
- Top Plaintiff Financial Lawyer since 2019
Legal 500
- Next Generation Lawyer in Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Plaintiff since 2019
- Recommended Attorney every year since 2017
- Rising Star in Antitrust – Cartel Enforcement in 2015
"Melinda Coolidge is easy to work with and very smart and responsive." (The Legal 500 US, Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Plaintiff, 2021)
"Melinda Coolidge and Scott Martin go above and beyond at all hours to provide the best level of customer service. They are always there with an explanation." (The Legal 500 US, Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Plaintiff, 2020)
"Brian Ratner and Melinda Coolidge are both first class. They are personable, knowledgeable and deliver results." (The Legal 500 US, Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Plaintiff, 2020)
Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyer, Antitrust Litigation in Washington, DC in 2020
- Rising Star, Antitrust Litigation in Washington, DC five years consecutively between 2014-2019
Other
- Antitrust Trailblazer by the National Law Journal in 2016
- Rising Star, Class Actions in 2015 by Law360
WHAT OTHERS SAY
-
Legal 500 US, 2021
Easy to work with and very smart and responsive.
-
Legal 500 US, 2020
Melinda Coolidge and Brian Ratner are both first class. They are personable, knowledgeable and deliver results.
-
Legal 500 US, 2020
Melinda Coolidge and Scott Martin go above and beyond at all hours to provide the best level of customer service. They are always there with an explanation.
