Douglas M. Garrou

Doug’s practice focuses on antitrust, environmental, and other complex litigation.

Doug is a member of the firm’s litigation team. For more than 30 years, he has litigated a wide range of antitrust, environmental, and commercial disputes, with a particular focus on class actions and multidistrict proceedings in federal courts. In antitrust matters he has represented industries including trucking, air cargo, electronics, medical products, forest products, metals recycling, and telecommunications.

Doug is admitted to practice in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the state of Washington and has litigated cases in numerous federal and state courts.

Doug is a board member of CA Human Services (formerly Commonwealth Autism), a non-profit organization providing direct support and services for people with autism and developmental disabilities, and also working to improve the systems that serve them. Doug’s pro bono litigation work includes residential landlord-tenant matters coordinated through the firm’s Church Hill Office and representation of federal pro se civil litigants in mediations. Doug is also an instrument-rated private pilot.

Relevant Experience

Antitrust defense, compliance and class actions

  • Represented a major forest-products company in a multi-plaintiff antitrust matter in Mississippi State Court. Tried antitrust claims to a favorable judgment in a two-week jury trial, and obtained a complete dismissal of the antitrust claims from the Mississippi Supreme Court.
  • Represented a major Japanese lithium-ion battery manufacturer against cartel allegations in multidistrict proceedings in federal court in Oakland, California.
  • Represented a health care products manufacturer in a multidistrict class action in Philadelphia alleging price-fixing.
  • Represented a major wireless carrier in a multidistrict class action alleging “tying” violations under the Sherman Act.
  • Represented a Fortune 500 manufacturer in a price-fixing class action brought in state court in Corpus Christi, Texas. Defeated class certification.
  • Represented food commodity purchasers in an antitrust claim against an agribusiness consortium.
  • Helped to address and prevent risk of “gun-jumping” during extensive pre-merger activity associated with the creation of a major airline.

Environmental Litigation, including toxic torts

  • Represented a major forest-products company facing a putative class alleging damage from PFAS contamination in Parchment, Michigan.
  • Represented a major forest-products company in CERCLA contribution litigation regarding PCB contamination of the Kalamazoo River in Michigan. The representation included two multi-week trials, dealing first with liability and then with allocation.
  • Represented the government of Japan in appellate litigation relating to personal injury claims arising from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
  • Represented a major forest-products company in environmental contribution litigation associated with hydrocarbon and other contamination of a former sawmill site in Northern California.
  • Represented a steel rolling mill in CERCLA contribution litigation associated with the Western Processing Superfund Site in Kent, Washington.
  • Served as one of three trial counsel for a major forest-products company in a 240-plaintiff, three-month jury trial of claims related to alleged exposure to toxic wastes, including dioxins.

Econometric analysis

  • Defended Daubert challenges to the work of two of plaintiffs’ econometric experts in groundbreaking multibillion-dollar RICO lawsuit against a major labor union via briefing and during a multi-day evidentiary hearing in the Eastern District of Virginia.

IT/Data Litigation

  • Worked with database specialists and other IT personnel to obtain, review, analyze, and produce information drawn from large and complex data environments, including customer care, billing, and ERP software.

E-Discovery

  • Advised various clients on innovative techniques for avoiding satellite litigation of e-discovery issues and ensuring opposing parties’ compliance with preservation and production obligations related to e-discovery.

Other jury experience

  • Obtained punitive damages under Virginia law in a jury trial on behalf of a pro bono client. Staged and participated in several jury focus-group exercises and simulations.

Other cases tried to judgment

  • Served as sole trial counsel for a Washington State manufacturer in a successful five-day bench trial in which the client alleged theft of trade secrets, breaches of non-competition agreements, and breaches of corporate fiduciary duties.

Pro bono matters

  • Sought emergency injunctive relief on behalf of initiative signature gathers in Seattle, Washington.

Memberships

  • Former Chairman, Antitrust, Franchise, and Trade Regulation Section, Virginia State Bar
  • Board Member of CA Human Services

Awards & Recognition

  • Named Best Lawyer in Commercial Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024

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