Christopher H. Casey

Partner

  • Christopher H. Casey
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1155
    Washington, D.C.: +1 202 776 5255

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA
  • Duane Morris LLP
    901 New York Avenue NW,
    Suite 700 East
    Washington, DC 20001-4795
    USA

Christopher H. Casey is a Chambers-ranked, first-chair trial lawyer with extensive experience at the highest levels of federal law enforcement. His practice spans antitrust and complex business litigation, white-collar criminal defense, consumer protection, and complex internal investigations, with particular depth in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, fintech and cryptocurrency industries. Drawing on his more than 15 years of government experience — including at the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the United States Attorney’s Office — Mr. Casey brings a distinctive understanding of how state and federal government authorities investigate, enforce, and resolve civil and criminal matters affecting major corporations and individuals. In most cases, Mr. Casey successfully works out resolutions for his clients. But when an advantageous settlement is not available, he draws upon his litigation and trial skills to fight for his clients.

State Attorneys General Experience

Mr. Casey has represented companies and individuals facing a wide range of enforcement actions brought by state attorneys general in a variety of areas including antitrust, consumer protection, political corruption, and environmental and safety violations. His clients in these matters have spanned the health care, pharmaceutical, energy, transportation, education, financial services, and cryptocurrency industries. He currently serves as co-leader of the firm’s State Attorneys General Group.

Senior-Level Government Experience

Mr. Casey previously served as a Deputy Associate Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice, advising the Department's most senior officials on the formulation and execution of enforcement policy in the areas of financial fraud, antitrust, tax, and bankruptcy. He had direct oversight responsibilities involving the Antitrust Division, the Tax Division, and the United States Trustee Program. Mr. Casey was one of two deputies to the Associate Attorney General — the Department's third-highest ranking official — who supervised the Department's landmark cases against the world's largest financial institutions for the packaging and sale of Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) following the financial crisis. Working with the President's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force and the RMBS Working Group, as well as lawyers across the Civil Division and U.S. Attorney's Offices nationwide, he helped oversee matters that produced multibillion-dollar settlements.

While at the DOJ, Mr. Casey led the Department's development of a first-ever policy governing the selection of compliance monitors in civil corporate settlements. He also led the Department's response to the 2016 White House Executive Order on Competition, working directly with the Antitrust Division. Mr. Casey was a member of the working group that developed the Department's September 2015 policy statement on "Individual Accountability for Corporate Wrongdoing," widely known as the "Yates Memorandum." In addition, he worked closely with the leadership of the United States Trustee Program — the watchdog of the U.S. bankruptcy system — on investigations of mortgage-loan servicing violations by major financial institutions.

Antitrust and Competition Experience

Antitrust and competition law is a core pillar of Mr. Casey's practice. Prior to his tenure at the DOJ, where he supervised the work of the Antitrust Division, Mr. Casey spent more than five years litigating antitrust merger challenges at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., with a primary focus on the healthcare, telecommunications, energy, chemical, and food industries. This deep grounding in federal antitrust enforcement, combined with his senior-level DOJ policy work on competition matters, positions Mr. Casey to advise clients facing antitrust scrutiny from federal agencies, state attorneys general, and private litigants. He is listed in Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers for 2025-2026.

White-Collar Defense and Internal Investigations Experience

Mr. Casey is an experienced white-collar defense attorney who regularly conducts sensitive internal investigations for corporate clients. This aspect of his practice draws directly on his years as a federal prosecutor: as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 1999 to 2006, he prosecuted felony white-collar, narcotics, firearms, and immigration crimes. This prosecutorial background, combined with his subsequent policy-level work at Main Justice, gives him an informed perspective on every phase of a government investigation, from the initiation of an inquiry through resolution. His first-chair trial skills, honed as an AUSA, make him a formidable adversary if settlement talks fail.

Education

Mr. Casey earned his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and his B.A. in mathematics from The College of the Holy Cross.

Areas of Practice

  • Antitrust and Competition

  • White-Collar Criminal Defense

  • Regulatory Compliance

  • Internal Investigations
  • State Attorneys General Matters

Representative Matters

    State Attorneys General

  • Represent bitcoin company defending subpoenas by Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

  • Represent Spark Energy, LLC and Spark Energy Gas, LLC, defending a civil action by the Illinois Attorney General alleging consumer fraud in the sale of gas and electricity to Illinois residents, People of the State of Illinois, ex. Rel. Kwame Raoul v. Spark Energy, LLC And Spark Energy Gas, LLC, Case No.: 2025-CH-00428 (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division).

  • Represent college defending subpoena by Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

  • Represent political campaign organization in investigation of voting irregularities by Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

  • Represented Pennsylvania educational training and testing firm in internal investigation arising out of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's termination of contract for testing of commercial driver's license (CDL) applicants; achieved favorable settlement of investigation with PennDOT agreeing to rescind its previous termination.

  • Represented national trucking company defending lawsuit by Massachusetts Attorney General alleging environmental and safety violations; matter resolved with a settlement the client found favorable.

  • Lead counsel for Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus defending investigation by Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General of alleged illegal use of government resources, known as “Bonusgate.”

  • Represented Pennsylvania internet retailer defending investigation by Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General for price-gouging arising from COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Successfully defended manufacturer of wastewater treatment systems against subpoena by Antitrust Section of Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office in bid-rigging investigation.

    • Antitrust

  • Represented the CEO of online auction house in negotiating a Non-Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, resolving potential charges in bid-rigging investigation.

  • Represent investment bank Moelis & Company in litigation relating to DOJ Antitrust Division’s federal court challenge to proposed merger of American Express Global Business Travel and CWT Holdings (SDNY).

  • Represent Equifax Inc. and Equifax Workforce Solutions LLC, as local counsel, defending class action alleging monopolization, Greystone Mortgage Inc., et al., v. Equifax Workforce Solutions LLC, et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-2260 (E.D.Pa.)

  • Federal Trade Commission, et al. v. Vyera Pharmaceuticals LLC, et al: Lead attorney for former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli defending against complaint brought by FTC and seven state attorneys general alleging monopoly maintenance and anticompetitive conduct under the Sherman Act (S.D.N.Y.); lead trial counsel in 8-day bench trial before Judge Denise L. Cote.

  • United States v. CVS Health Corp, et al.: Lead attorney in first and only evidentiary hearing with live witnesses in the nearly 50-year history of the Tunney Act, on behalf of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, amicus curiae participant in challenge to CVS Health/Aetna merger, before Judge Richard J. Leon (D.D.C.).

  • Conducted analysis of antitrust risk of proposed merger of large Pennsylvania-based healthcare delivery systems.

  • Represented national manufacturing company in bid-rigging investigation by DOJ Antitrust Division.

  • Represented packaged seafood company against allegations of price-fixing.

  • Successfully defended aviation fuel refiner against refusal to deal claims by retailer in Hawaii state court.

  • Represented airline in dispute with competitor raising potential antitrust issues.

  • Obtained business review letter from DOJ Antitrust Division approving merger creating largest physician network in northeastern Pennsylvania.

  • In re Polyurethane Foam Antitrust Litigation - Successfully represented executive in price-fixing class action litigation (N.D. Ohio).
  • In re Chocolate Confectionary Antitrust Litigation - Liaison counsel for indirect purchaser class in nationwide price fixing class action (M.D. Pa.).
  • In re Mushroom Direct Purchaser Antitrust Litigation - Represented mushroom grower defending price-fixing class action in federal court (E.D. Pa.).

    • Federal Government and Internal Investigations

  • Achieved declination of prosecution from U.S. Attorney’s Office and DOJ Public Integrity Unit for former congressional candidate for alleged campaign finance violations.

  • Represented executive in pharmaceutical industry defending against federal False Claims Act case; achieved favorable settlement with minimal fine.

  • Represented pharmaceutical company in defense of investigation by DOJ Immigrant and Employee Rights Section; investigation closed without charges.
  • Represented pharmaceutical software company defending subpoena in federal False Claims Act case.

  • Represented defendant charged by U.S. Attorney’s Office with filing false tax returns; after defendant pled guilty, sentencing guidelines called for range of 10 to 16 months imprisonment, but the court granted motion for downward variance and sentenced defendant to probation. (United States v. Kauffman, E.D.Pa.).

  • Conducted internal investigation of allegations of commercial bribery for national food service company.

  • Conducted internal investigation of possible violations of wiretapping laws for national health care company.

  • Lead counsel defending investigation by U.S. Attorney’s Office (E.D. Pa.) of sitting member of Congress.

  • Lead counsel for Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus defending document subpoenas in corruption investigation by U.S. Attorney’s Office (M.D. Pa.).

  • Achieved declination of prosecution from U.S. Attorney’s Office (M. D. Pa.) for prominent attorney in investigation involving alleged theft of estate funds.

  • Achieved declination of prosecution from U.S. Attorney’s Office (W. D. Pa.) for alleged promoter of fraudulent investment scheme.

    • Complex Business Litigation

  • Obtained dismissal of all counts against six executives, including the CEO, CFO and general counsel, of the former Southwestern Energy Corporation (now Expand Energy Corporation), in a federal civil RICO case. On June 20, 2025, Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the Southern District of Texas granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss civil RICO, conspiracy to violate RICO and state law civil conspiracy claims filed against all six executives.

  • Represented Virtua Health System and Our Lady of Lourdes Health System in commercial litigation brought by Deborah Heart & Lung Center in New Jersey state court whereby Deborah claimed that Virtua’s acquisition of Lourdes in 2019 caused Lourdes to breach a restrictive covenant in a contract between Deborah and Lourdes, and resulted in Virtua inducing the alleged breach and competing unfairly with Deborah. This matter was resolved by the mutual agreement of the parties and dismissed in its entirety with prejudice.

  • Successfully represented Singerman Real Estate LLC, a Chicago real estate firm, in defending a request for disclosure of confidential and proprietary information under Pennsylvania Right to Know Law. Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court upheld Pennsylvania Office of Open Records decision protecting the confidential material from disclosure. Davis v. SERS, No. 399 C.D. 2021 (Oct. 27, 2022).

  • Secured summary judgment, affirmed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, for Acme Markets Inc., directing $4.15 million in lottery ticket winnings to ACME in a conversion suit concerning an employee who had taken a Pennsylvania Lottery “Match 6 Lotto” ticket after determining it was a winner. 

  • Successfully defended executive against breach of fiduciary duty claims; plaintiff had sued for $5.3 million, court awarded approximately $22,000 after trial (Delaware Court of Chancery).

  • Represented Turkish chemical company defending trade secret litigation in Delaware Court of Chancery and Pennsylvania state court.

  • Successfully defended real estate developer from suit by neighboring landowner seeking specific performance of right of first refusal to 75-acre property; obtained denial of specific performance after trial in Pennsylvania state court, allowing developer to keep land (Lebanon County C.P.).

  • Successfully defended roofing company in contractual dispute with supplier; obtained $2 million judgment after federal court trial (E.D.Pa.).

  • Successfully defended cable television distribution company against claim of tortious interference with contract; obtained favorable verdict after trial in Pennsylvania state court (Luzerne County C.P.).

  • Successfully defended three health insurers against requests for disclosure of proprietary rate information under Pennsylvania Right to Know Law; obtained reversal in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court of adverse trial court ruling.

  • Successfully represented bank in foreclosure action in Pennsylvania state court, obtaining $1 million equitable lien (Bucks County C.P.).

  • Successfully represented The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News, and several of their reporters, in defamation suits, access litigation under Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, and subpoena defense.

  • Harmelin v. Man Financial Inc. - Member of litigation team that successfully represented receiver in hedge fund fraud case, resulting in recovery of $96 million for investors (E.D.Pa.).

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • Washington, D.C.
  • New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Education

  • The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1987
  • College of the Holy Cross, B.A., 1983

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2018-present

  • Hogan Lovells US LLP
    - Partner, 2016-2018

  • United States Department of Justice
    - Deputy Associate Attorney General, 2014-2016

  • Dilworth Paxson LLP
    - Partner, 2006-2014

    -Chair, Corporate Investigations and White Collar Group, 2013-14

  • United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania
    - Assistant United States Attorney, 1999-2006

  • Sole Practitioner/Assistant Public Defender, Scranton, Pennsylvania, 1995-1999

  • Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Competition
    - Antitrust Litigator, 1990-1995

  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
    - Law Clerk, 1988-1990

  • Cozen O’Connor
    - Associate, 1987-1988

Board Memberships

  • Kimmel Cancer Center, 2013-14

Honors and Awards

No aspect of these rankings has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Professional Activities

  • Member, Executive Committee, Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

  • American Bar Association

    • Criminal Justice Section
      • White Collar Crime Committee
    • Antitrust Law Section
      • Cartel and Criminal Practice Committee
      • Pricing Conduct Committee
      • Trial Practice Committee
    • Litigation Section
      • Business Torts and Unfair Competition Litigation Committee

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Featured Guest, "Another DOJ View: The Return of FIRREA," The Duane Morris Money and Banking Law Podcast with Joe Silvia, November 25, 2025
  • Speaker, "Criminal Antitrust Enforcement Under Trump 2.0:  The State of Play, and What to Expect," Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Practice Seminar, Philadelphia, November 13, 2025
  • Speaker, "Compliance Incentives: Compensation, Clawbacks, and Non-Monetary Rewards," Temple University Beasley School of Law Center for Compliance and Ethics and Duane Morris LLP, February 27, 2025
  • Speaker, "Antitrust Compliance in Labor Markets: Don’t Trust Your Instincts Alone," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, March 28, 2024
  • Moderator, "Antitrust and Politics: Are We Entering a New Era?"  Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual White Collar Practice Conference, November 11, 2021
  • Presenter, "Mitigating Civil and Criminal Antitrust Risks During a Pandemic and the 'New Normal,'" Duane Morris COVID-19: Navigating Forward Webinar Series, February 25, 2021

  • "White Collar Practice," Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, November 21, 2019

  • "Dealing with Corporate Crisis," The Directors Roundtable, New York, June 28, 2018

  • Presenter, "Antitrust Enforcement Action Update," Commercial Dispute Resolution Magazine's Spring Competition Litigation Symposium, London, February 23, 2017