Stephen has successfully defended clients in class actions and other complex litigation brought by purchasers, competitors, and employees alleging unlawful price-fixing, wage-fixing, exclusive dealing, group boycott, market allocation, tying, and monopolization claims in federal courts around the country. In addition, Stephen has successfully defended numerous mergers and acquisitions and clients’ business practices from Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice, and State Attorneys General investigations. He also regularly advises clients on pricing, distribution, and joint venture matters.

Stephen represents clients in a wide variety of industries, ranging from consumer goods to healthcare to packaging. He is co-head of the Firm’s Health Antitrust Practice Group.

Stephen has been recognized as a leading antitrust lawyer by The Best Lawyers in America, BTI Consulting, Chambers USA, Global Competition Review, Lawyers of Color, The Legal 500 USA, LMG Life Sciences, The National Law Journal, Super Lawyers, and Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers.

Prior to joining the Firm, Stephen was an attorney for the FTC, where he received its Award for Meritorious Service. At the Firm, Stephen received McDermott’s Pro Bono and Community Service Award for his pro bono efforts.

Show Less

• Obtained dismissal of private challenge to an acquisition (Marion HealthCare LLC v. Southern Illinois Health Services, et al., (S.D. Ill.))
• Obtained favorable settlement for Roger Williams Medical Center after asserting antitrust counterclaims against a pharmaceuticals company in a patent infringement litigation involving oncology drugs (Immunomedics, Inc. v. Roger Williams Medical Center, et al., (D.N.J.))
• Defended Weyerhaeuser Company in class action alleging federal antitrust price-fixing conspiracy claim (Kleen Products v. International Paper Co., (N.D. Ill.))
• Obtained dismissal of federal and state antitrust and unfair competition claims against E3/Alpine Healthcare Management brought by a competitor based on an alleged group boycott supported by allegedly exclusive contracts (Bay Area Surgical Mgmt., LLC, et al., v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., et al., (N.D. Cal.))
• Obtained summary judgment against federal antitrust conspiracy and monopolization claims, a ruling that was affirmed by the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (Mercatus Group, LLC v. Lake Forest Hospital, (N.D. Ill.))
• Obtained dismissal of federal and state antitrust conspiracy and monopolization claims, and state unfair competition claims, a ruling that was affirmed by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Space Exploration Techs. Corp. v. The Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., (C.D. Cal.))
• Obtained favorable settlement of antitrust conspiracy claims brought by the DOJ and a state attorney general against a health system
• Defended several health systems in Illinois, Michigan, New York and Texas against class action lawsuits on behalf of registered nurses alleging the health systems conspired to depress compensation paid in violation of Sherman Act Section 1
• Defeated a preliminary injunction motion in defense of a “bundled” discount arrangement for the world’s largest biotechnology company (Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. v. Amgen, Inc., (D.N.J.))
• Secured global antitrust clearance with minor divestitures for $6.8 billion merger creating the world’s leading flexible packaging firm
• Secured antitrust clearance for the largest United States ambulatory surgery center chain acquisition in the history of the industry
• Secured antitrust clearance for several health system affiliations and mergers and acquisitions across the country

Show Less

• LMG Life Sciences, Leading Life Sciences Lawyer, 2019, 2022-2024
• Lawyers of Color, 2014 Hot List
• The National Law Journal, Rising Star, Chicago’s 40 Under 40, 2013
• Super Lawyers, Antitrust Litigation, 2022-2026
• Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers, 2026
• Federal Trade Commission, Award for Meritorious Service and Stephen Nye Award, 2001

Show Less