Michelle A. Freeman
Senior Counsel
Michelle A. Freeman is a Senior Counsel at 番茄社区; Lardner LLP, focusing on high-stakes investigations and complex litigation. She is a member of the firm鈥檚 Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations, Antitrust, and Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution practices. Michelle represents corporations and individuals in criminal, antitrust, and regulatory matters, guiding clients through complex government investigations and white-collar defense involving the U.S. Department of Justice, state Attorneys General, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other enforcement bodies. She leads internal corporate investigations to uncover and address potential legal exposure鈥攐ften before government authorities become involved鈥攁nd counsels clients on proactive compliance measures to minimize future risk. In addition to her investigations work, Michelle represents clients in a broad spectrum of commercial litigation, delivering strategic counsel in sensitive disputes.
Michelle was a summer associate with Foley in 2014. Prior to joining Foley, she participated in the Geneva Fellowship Program at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights where she worked on the implementation and enforcement of the United Nations Human Trafficking Protocol. Michelle has held positions as an intern for the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office and judicial intern for the Honorable Judge John W. Darrah, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Michelle worked for several years as a senior policy and advocacy specialist for an international women鈥檚 organization where she focused on the congressional appropriations process and authorizing domestic and international antiviolence initiatives connected to the Violence Against Women Act and related state and federal legislation.
Representative Experience
- Represented healthcare company in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal antitrust investigation, helping the client secure immunity from prosecution through participation in the Antitrust Division Leniency Program and avoid civil liability
- Conducted an internal investigation for an industrial equipment manufacturer, evaluated antitrust violations and exposure across multiple jurisdictions and advised on remediation efforts with third-parties
- Represented several healthcare companies in responding to DOJ civil investigative demands (CID) regarding potential antitrust violations. Successfully resolved these matters with no further actions taken against the companies
- Served as pool defense counsel for multiple employees in criminal and civil proceedings conducted by federal and state agencies, regarding environmental emissions from certain automobiles relating to alleged defeat devices, and represented employees in the related multidistrict civil litigation
- Represented advertising agency in a DOJ criminal antitrust investigation, helping the client avoid criminal and civil liability
- Represented employee in a federal criminal investigation into potential corruption in dealings between an automotive company and the United Auto Workers union
- Represented hospital in a civil dispute with a subcontracting physician health care group
- Investigated allegedly stolen manufacturing goods and represented the company in related state and federal investigations, helping the client avoid any criminal or civil liability
Awards and Recognition
- 搁别肠别颈惫别诲,听 Best Lawyers庐: Ones to Watch recognition for:
- Commercial Litigation (2022-2024)
- Government Relations Practice (2021-2024)
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (2024)
Presentations and Publications
- Co-author, 鈥淢embers of Congress Call for DOJ to Investigate Possible Antitrust Violations in Oil Industry,鈥 Foley Insights (June 18, 2024)
- Co-author, 鈥,鈥 Foley Forward: Trends 2023 (March 30, 2023)
- Co-author, 鈥,鈥 Law 360 (March 30, 2023)
- Co-author, 鈥,鈥 Law 360 (February 2, 2023)
- PLI Audit Committee Deskbook 2022 & 2023
- Co-author, 鈥Sentencing Guidelines: Third Circuit Rejects Use of 鈥淚ntended鈥 Loss in Favor of 鈥楢ctual鈥 Loss,鈥 Health Care law Today (December 16, 2022)
- Co-author, 鈥Procurement Collusion Strike Force Acts Broadly and Often in 2022,鈥 Foley Insights (October 20, 2022)
- Co-author, 鈥Antitrust Division Announces Update to Its Leniency Program and Revamps Answers to Frequently Asked Questions,鈥 Foley Insights (April 5, 2022)
- Practical Law 鈥 Multiple Representation of Individuals: Acting As Pool Counsel (Subscription required)
- Co-author, 鈥淏racing For The Next Wave Of Health Care Enforcement,鈥 Law360 (May 11, 2021)
- Co-author, 鈥淢ultiple Representation of Individuals Acting as Pool Counsel,鈥 Thomson Reuters庐 Practical Law (June 2020)
- Co-author, 鈥淎 Checklist for Managing a Dawn Raid in India,鈥 The Anti-Corruption Report (April 17, 2019)
- Co-author, 鈥淗ow to Prepare for the Possibility of a Dawn Raid in India,鈥 The Anti-Corruption Report (February 20, 2019)
Key Health Care Enforcement Trends Under the Trump Administration: FCA, Data Analytics, and Emerging Risk Areas
For Your Eyes Only? Not Quite: Shadow AI in the Workplace
DOJ Announces First Corporate Enforcement Policy for Criminal Matters
The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section White Collar Crime Institute
DOJ Announces First-Ever Antitrust Whistleblower Award 鈥 Is Your Compliance Program Ready?