Michael J. Guzman

Michael Guzman represents plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes disputes.  He has tried a broad range of cases to decision before juries, judges, arbitrators, and administrative panels in federal and state proceedings.  In total, Mr. Guzman has taken on lead roles in more than a dozen trials. 

Mr. Guzman’s representation of his clients has resulted in precedent setting verdicts, including two of the largest antitrust verdicts in U.S. history.  In total, he has won more than $2.5 billion to date in verdicts or settlements for his clients, and he has secured summary judgment for clients facing claims exceeding $2 billion.

Mr. Guzman has substantial expertise handling matters involving antitrust, class actions, and commercial litigation.  He has prosecuted claims of price-fixing, unfair competition, and abuse of market power.  He has defended clients against similar claims and also fraud, tortious interference, and negligence.  In class action litigation, Mr. Guzman has served as court-appointed co-lead counsel, trial counsel, and a member of executive committees.  He has also represented direct action plaintiffs.    

Mr. Guzman’s experience representing clients in private practice is complimented by his government service.  He served as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice in the Environment and Natural Resources Division from 2008-2009.  In that position, he shared responsibility for managing more than 300 attorneys in the Division with an active case load exceeding 5,000 matters.  He also clerked for the Honorable Douglas H. Ginsburg of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and served as a legal assistant to the Honorable George H. Aldrich of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal.

Noteworthy Representations

In re Urethane Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1616 (D. Kan.)
In one of the few antitrust class actions to go to trial, Mr. Guzman served as co-lead trial counsel for a class of direct purchasers in a four-week trial alleging price fixing by the Dow Chemical Company.  The jury ultimately rendered a $1.2 billion verdict.  The verdict was upheld by the Tenth Circuit, and the case settled while under review by the United States Supreme Court.  In its final approval order, the District Court wrote: “[i]n almost 25 years of service on the bench, this Court has not experienced a more remarkable result.” 

In re Steel Antitrust Litigation, 08-cv-5214 (N.D. IL)
Mr. Guzman served as court-appointed co-lead class counsel on behalf of a class of direct purchasers that included all the major automakers as well as a number of other Fortune 500 companies in a proposed class action alleging manufacturers colluded to reduce steel output and stabilize prices.  After defeating a motion to dismiss and persuading the Court to certify a class, the claims were settled for nearly $200 million in the aggregate.  This case was built by the investigation of counsel and without the benefit of a Department of Justice investigation. 

Baker et al. v. Anschutz Exploration Corporation et al. (W.D.N.Y)
Mr. Guzman represented defendant Anschutz Exploration Corporation (AEC) against claims by a group of local homeowners that AEC’s natural gas exploration activities in New York contaminated residential water wells.  Plaintiffs originally sought $2 billion in alleged damages.  Mr. Guzman persuaded the court to focus discovery on issues of causation and contamination as a way to streamline discovery and require plaintiffs to carry their burden of proof.  Ultimately, Mr. Guzman persuaded the court to preclude plaintiffs’ causation expert and grant complete summary judgment in favor of AEC.

Presentations and Publications

Mr. Guzman frequently presents on complex litigation topics.  In May, he will speak on a panel at a litigation finance conference in New York. 

Co-author: With Motor-Voter Bill, Congress May Have Invited a Constitutional Challenge, Washington Legal Foundation (1994) (with Neil Gorsuch)