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Gregory J. Commins Jr.

Partner

Washington, D.C.
T +1.202.861.1536
F +1.202.861.1783
gcommins@bakerlaw.com
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Overview

Greg Commins is an established trial lawyer who focuses his practice on matters involving antitrust class action litigation, intellectual property disputes and complex commercial litigation. He has experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in multiweek trials and on appeal throughout the country, as well as providing counsel on a variety of complicated commercial issues.

Greg is a contributor to BakerHostetler's Antitrust Advocate blog, providing informative commentary on the latest developments in the antitrust litigation sector. He is also an Accredited Mediator through the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution.

Select Experience

  • Representing a diversified media company in a putative antitrust class action related to broadcast TV spot advertising.
  • Key member of a team that litigated liability and damage estimation issues against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) on behalf of 75,000 victims of the 2017 and 2018 northern California wildfires in connection with BakerHostetler’s representation of the Official Committee of Tort Claimants in PG&E’s historic Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which resulted in a $13.5 billion settlement on behalf of wildfire victims.
  • Representing a class of dairy farmers in the northeastern United States against defendants in an action alleging violations of sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by unlawfully conspiring to eliminate competition for the marketing, sale and purchase of raw milk in the Northeast.
  • Represented a certified class of dairy farmers located in 14 southeastern states against Dairy Farmers of America, Dean Foods and a number of other defendants in an action alleging violations of sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by unlawfully conspiring to eliminate competition for the marketing, sale and purchase of raw milk in the Southeast. The litigation was settled for more than 70 percent of the alleged damages.
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Experience

  • Currently representing a TV broadcaster in an antitrust class action where the plaintiff is alleging conspiracy to unlawfully impact the market in the Northern District of Illinois.
  • Key member of a team that litigated liability and damage estimation issues against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) on behalf of 75,000 victims of the 2017 and 2018 northern California wildfires in connection with BakerHostetler’s representation of the Official Committee of Tort Claimants in PG&E’s historic Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which resulted in a $13.5 billion settlement on behalf of wildfire victims.
  • Representing a class of dairy farmers in the northeastern United States against defendants in an action alleging violations of sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by unlawfully conspiring to eliminate competition for the marketing, sale and purchase of raw milk in the Northeast.
  • Represented a certified class of dairy farmers located in 14 southeastern states against Dairy Farmers of America, Dean Foods and a number of other defendants in an action alleging violations of sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by unlawfully conspiring to eliminate competition for the marketing, sale and purchase of raw milk in the Southeast. The litigation was settled for more than 70 percent of the alleged damages.
  • Represented a manufacturing client in two five-week jury trials regarding the prosecution of breach of contract and trade secret misappropriation claims involving the proper ownership and inventorship of fuel injector patents in which the plaintiff's verdicts were rendered. Moved for summary judgment against the defendants' counterclaims for breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation and fraud, which was granted.
  • Represented a manufacturing client in a private antitrust case challenging parts acquisition and distribution practices. The client prevailed on directed verdict motion on the antitrust claims and obtained a jury verdict on the state law claims after presentation of the case to a jury in a five-week trial. 
  • Represented a manufacturing client in nine lawsuits over seven years involving claims of breach of contract, breach of license agreements, tortious interference, trade secret misappropriation and fraud in which settlements were obtained. Handled similar matters for the client against the same parties in multiple federal districts (patent infringement cases), Illinois state court (breach of contract claims) and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (separate interference and reexamination proceedings).
  • Represents a manufacturing client in a patent infringement action with a supplier alleging the client's infringement on five patents related to tool production. Countered with a claim that the supplier had infringed on two of the client's patents. The ongoing matter is challenging the business relationship between the client and supplier, adding challenges to the business operations feeding into competing lawsuits.
  • Served as counsel on behalf of steel company plaintiffs alleging unlawful conspiracy to monopolize against various railroads. The matter resulted in a plaintiff's verdict, which was upheld on appeal.
  • Represented a client in a patent infringement lawsuit involving WCDMA and GSM technology in which the stipulation of noninfringement of one patent was reached following the court's Markman ruling; on the second patent, an order was entered precluding the plaintiff's damages expert under Daubert and summary judgment of no-pursuit damages based on the plaintiff's failure to mark under 35 U.S.C. 287(a) was obtained.
  • Representing a manufacturing client in a patent infringement lawsuit involving vehicle tracking technology.
  • Representing a manufacturing client in a patent infringement suit related to vehicle management systems.
  • Representing a manufacturing client in a patent infringement suit related to an internet organizer for accessing geographically and topically based information.
  • Served as counsel in a four-week jury trial involving claims of copyright infringement and breach of contract involving software. Following the trial, the parties settled the case.
  • Acted as counsel in a bench trial. Sought a preliminary injunction against trade secret misappropriation in a case involving the provision of technical support services to the Royal Saudi Air Force.
  • Serving as counsel in a six-week jury trial, defended a client against antitrust, fraud and misrepresentation claims based on a manufacturer's export restrictions that were promulgated in order to support overseas distributors and customers. Obtained judgment as a matter of law on the antitrust claims at the close of all the evidence. The jury returned verdicts in favor of the client on all remaining claims. The judgment was affirmed on appeal.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • The Legal 500 United States (2014 to 2019)
    • Recommended in Antitrust - Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
  • Washington, D.C. "Super Lawyer" (2012 to 2021)
  • CEDR Accredited Mediator

Memberships

  • Pauline Newman American's Inn of Court
  • American Bar Association

News

News

Publications

Articles

Events

Pro Bono

  • Worked with the Archdiocesan Legal Network.

Services

Prior Positions

  • Howrey LLP, Commercial Litigation Group: Co-Chair

Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • District of Columbia
  • New York

Education

  • J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1990, magna cum laude; Order of the Coif; Executive Editor, Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics (1989 to 1990)
  • B.A., Cornell University, 1987

Blog

In The Blogs

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Antitrust Advocate
Dan Foix, Carl Hittinger and Tyson Herrold Author Article on Efforts to Renew Enforcement of Largely Dormant Act
March 16, 2023
Partners Dan Foix and Carl Hittinger and Counsel Tyson Herrold authored a Feb. 27, 2023, article for Westlaw Today titled “The FTC considers reviving Robinson-Patman enforcement.” The authors write that the Federal Trade Commission, which...
Read More ->
Antitrust Advocate
DOJ Likely to Scrutinize Personal Device and Corporate Chat Policies of Investigation Targets
By Alyse F. Stach
March 15, 2023
Through recent motions filed in district court and a policy memo issued last year, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has signaled that it has its sights on instant messages and personal devices as potential sources for uncovering...
Read More ->
Antitrust Advocate
The Growing Threat to ESG Initiatives
By Michael E. Neminski, Julian D. Perlman
February 13, 2023
On Jan. 26, 2023, twenty-four states sued the Department of Labor to block a new rule allowing retirement plans to consider environmental, social, and governance concepts (known as ESG) when administering plan assets.[1] The lawsuit, while...
Read More ->
Antitrust Advocate
2023 HSR Filing Thresholds and New Filing Fee Structure Announced
By Thomas E. Hogan, Jeffrey E. Liskov
January 30, 2023
On Jan. 25, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the 2023 filing thresholds under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the HSR Act). The notice also announced the new...
Read More ->
Antitrust Advocate
FTC Seeks to Ban Non-Compete Restrictions in Employment Contracts
January 6, 2023
Key Takeaways On Jan. 5, the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-1 to propose a new rule under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act that would largely ban non-compete agreements between employers and employees. If passed, the...
Read More ->

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