Todd Ehlman is a commercial litigator representing major corporate clients in complex U.S. and international business disputes. He has particular experience representing manufacturing and industrial companies in nationwide antitrust class actions, financial services firms in investor class action and shareholder derivative cases, and pharmaceutical makers in patent infringement and other intellectual property matters.
Mr. Ehlman previously worked in the firm’s Paris office, counseling clients and local counsel on pending and threatened litigation throughout Europe and the Middle East. He continues to draw on his multinational, cross-cultural background to assist clients facing multi-front matters, including in his current representation of a trading firm in government investigations in the United States, France, and Germany.
Mr. Ehlman has practiced at Winston & Strawn throughout his career, and has been a key member of the trial teams for a number of the firm’s most high-profile litigation matters during that time, including:
The successful defense of General Electric in the U.S. Department of Justice’s landmark criminal case alleging price-fixing in the industrial diamond industry.
The largest civil racketeering lawsuit in history, United States v. Philip Morris USA, in which the government sought $289 billion in damages against the major U.S. tobacco companies, but was awarded no damages after a nine-month bench trial.
Mr. Ehlman’s recent significant engagements have included:
Current representation of a major financial institution in putative nationwide class actions alleging breach of fiduciary duty and violations of ERISA in connection with its securities lending program.
Current representation of Nucor Corporation, the largest U.S. steel producer, in In re: Steel Antitrust Litigation, a putative nationwide class action alleging a conspiracy to reduce output of steel products throughout the United States.
Represented officers and directors of a major financial institution in shareholder derivative litigation arising from the 2008 financial crisis, winning dismissal after motion practice.
Represented Toronto-based Marsulex Corp. and ChemTrade Logistics in In re Sulfuric Acid Antitrust Litigation, a nationwide class action alleging anticompetitive conduct in the sulfuric acid industry in the United States and Canada. The court granted our clients’ motion for civil amnesty, invoking the new federal amnesty statute for the first time.
Represented Abbott Laboratories in several patent infringement cases, including a five-year battle with Sandoz, Inc. involving Abbott’s antibiotic Biaxin XL®, securing preliminary injunctions against generic competitors.
Represented Abbott Laboratories in a case against a gray market diverter of infant formula, obtaining summary judgment for the client.
Represented Abbott Laboratories in numerous arbitration proceedings regarding pharmaceutical patent license agreements.
Represented Philip Morris International in litigation in France, Spain, and Israel by public health insurers seeking reimbursement for alleged smoking-related expenditures.
Represented Philip Morris U.S.A. in cost recovery litigation brought by state Attorneys General.
Conducted an internal investigation of alleged contraband cigarette trafficking in Europe and Latin America.
Represented former U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL) in connection with his indictment in the House Post Office scandal.
Obtained dismissal of a nationwide class action alleging defective voting equipment in connection with the 2000 presidential election.
Mr. Ehlman is a 1989 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where he ranked second in his class, was the youngest member of his graduating class, was elected to the Order of the Coif, and served as an editor of the Michigan Law Review. He graduated, with honors, Phi Beta Kappa, from Northwestern University in 1986.
Honors & Awards
In 2014, Winston & Strawn was named the Chicago Litigation Department of the Year for white-collar defense by The National Law Journal.
Activities
Mr. Ehlman currently serves on the boards of three non-profit organizations: Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago (Board of Advisors); the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Board of Trustees, Greater Illinois Chapter); and the Evanston Dance Ensemble (Board of Directors). He also serves as a member of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of the Village of Wilmette, Illinois. He previously served in leadership roles with the Alumni Board of the College of Arts and Sciences of Northwestern University; the Northwestern Gridiron Network; the Raven Theatre Company; and St. Francis Xavier School.
