Charles H. Samel Joins Perkins Coie’s Litigation Practice

LOS ANGELES – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Charles H. Samel will join the firm as partner in the firm’s Litigation practice group. He joins in Los Angeles where he previously served as partner in the global antitrust and competition group for Latham & Watkins LLP.

“Chuck’s decades of experience add valuable local expertise for our firm to handle antitrust litigation matters,” said Ron McIntire, Los Angeles managing partner. “We are committed to enhancing our presence in California to provide greater value and serve our clients across all industries by meeting their needs in the most effective way possible, and Chuck’s addition will help us do just that.”

Samel has experience in all phases of litigation, including trial and appeal, and will focus his practice on the defense of antitrust and complex commercial litigation matters with a particular emphasis on class actions in federal and state court. He has represented corporate defendants in major litigation matters involving building materials and construction, energy and natural gas, financial services and insurance, gasoline and petroleum products, high technology, hospital services, musical instruments and equipment, paper and paper products, pharmaceutical drugs, professional sports, television, tobacco, and transportation. Most recently, he secured summary judgment on behalf of more than a dozen hospitals accused of participating in an antitrust conspiracy to fix prices and reduce nurses’ wages.

“This is an exciting opportunity to enhance the firm’s antitrust litigation profile in Southern California and nationally,” said Susan Foster, Perkins Coie’s firmwide chair of the Antitrust, Unfair Competition, and Consumer Protection practice group. “Chuck is a well-respected and seasoned antitrust and commercial litigator with a growing practice who adds additional depth to our group.”

Samel earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Maryland. He has been recognized consistently as one of the leading antitrust lawyers in California by Chambers USA and has been listed annually as a Southern California Super Lawyer in both antitrust and commercial litigation. He is a long-time member for the Bet Tzedek Pro Bono Legal Services Annual Dinner Committee, currently serves as a member of the Georgetown Law Alumni Board, and is a past co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation Antitrust Litigation Committee.

Samel joins a litigation practice which includes more than 300 lawyers in offices across the country with extensive jury and bench trial experience in major state and federal jurisdictions and at every appellate level through the U.S. Supreme Court.

About Perkins Coie: With more than 750 lawyers in 18 offices across the United States and in China, Perkins Coie serves great companies ranging in size from start-ups to FORTUNE 100 corporations.