Julie A. Gryce

Julie Gryce Cooker

Of Counsel
About

Julie Gryce Cooker is a competition and commercial litigator and trial lawyer who focuses her practice on antitrust law, representing clients in complex litigation, arbitration, and internal and government investigations. She is also a trusted business lawyer who frequently counsels clients on antitrust compliance issues, and she regularly collaborates with corporate clients to develop pre-litigation and litigation strategy on commercial disputes that aligns with their business objectives.

Julie's experience includes representing clients in consumer class actions and competitor suits around the country, multi-district litigation, and arbitrations. She has also represented clients in government investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, the Federal Trade Commission, and state Attorneys General. She also has experience in matters relating to US merger enforcement, including compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

In addition to her disputes practice, Julie frequently assists companies in the life sciences, technology, and retail industries in developing and implementing antitrust law compliance policies and practices. She assists clients in conducting legal risk assessments of their business practices and strategies, and frequently advises them on competitor collaboration, pricing and distribution strategies, data collection and sharing, and other antitrust and competition law issues.

Julie is Of Counsel in DLA's Antitrust and Trade Regulation practice group, and is a member of the Antitrust Life Sciences Task Force, as well as the Antitrust Technology Task Force. In 2017 -2022, Julie was recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Antitrust Litigation. She also has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2021 for her work in antitrust litigation. Julie also serves as an associate editor on the board of the American Bar Association's Antitrust Law Journal.

Bar admissionsCaliforniaDistrict of ColumbiaVirginia
CourtsUnited States District Court for the Southern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Central District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Northern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of CaliforniaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of VirginiaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth CircuitUnited States District Court for the District of Columbia

EXPERIENCE

  • Secured company-saving trial victory in international arbitration for branded-pharmaceutical innovator before unanimous tribunal of retired judges in New York. Achieved critical savings for the client by having long-term patent license and product supply agreements declared unenforceable. Publication of the trial victory caused the client's stock price to rise by more than 50% in before-hours trading.
  • Won a bet-the company arbitration in San Diego as co-chair trial lawyer on behalf clinical-stage therapeutics company involving allegations of breach of contract and trade secret misappropriation, which resulted in final award in client's favor.
  • Achieved full victory on summary judgment, later affirmed by the Ninth Circuit, for healthcare staffing company in competitor antitrust lawsuit in Southern District of California involving non-solicitation provisions. 
  • Obtained dismissal with prejudice of breach of contract and business tort claims on behalf of contract manufacturing organization for pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and life science products, later affirmed by the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit.
  • Secured victories on two motions to dismiss in antitrust putative class action in Northern District of California involving allegations of price-fixing in the market for bail bonds.
  • Represented insurance agency in multiple lawsuits in the Northern District of California pertaining toinvolving non-solicitation provisions and corporate raiding.
  • Defended major hair salon franchise in consumer class action litigations across the country arising under the federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act related to printed credit card receipts.
  • Represented major healthcare company in FTC antitrust investigation; achieved complete resolution of the matter in client's favor following litigation in federal court.
  • Represented major US retail company in DOJ antitrust investigation involving potential hub and spoke allegations; resulted in closing of investigation in client's favor.
  • Conducted internal investigation into allegations of corporate raiding.
Education
  • J.D., American University, Washington College of Law 2010
    Editorial Board, Administrative Law Review
    cum laude
  • M.A., International Affairs: International Politics, American University 2010
    School of International Service
  • B.A., International Relations, Brown University 2007

Awards

  • Julie has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch consistently since 2021 for her work in antitrust and commercial litigation
  • Super Lawyers recognized Julie as a "Rising Star" in 2017 - 2022

Pro Bono

Julie is actively engaged in the pro bono community and was a 2012 and 2022 recipient of DLA Piper's National Pro Bono Award. She has successfully represented clients at the trial and appellate levels.  Julie has also testified before the Council of the District of Columbia Committee on the Judiciary in support of the Bill 210-0879, the "Expanding Access to Justice Act of 2016," as part of her involvement in the D.C. Housing Right to Counsel Project. Julie also currently serves as Senior Counsel for the DC Affordable Law Firm, an innovative not-for-profit law firm founded by Georgetown Law School, Arent Fox and DLA Piper, that is dedicated to low bono work – providing affordable legal services for those with modest incomes who do not qualify for pro bono assistance. 

Bylines

  • Assistant Editor, American Bar Association Antitrust Law Journal
  • Co-Author, "Suspending antitrust limitations periods during the COVID-19 pandemic: Constitutional and practical implications," WestLaw, May 19, 2020

Prior Experience

Julie worked for the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG) where she worked on post-conflict legal and policy initiatives for clients in East Africa on issues involving legislative, judicial and constitutional reform, the formation of effective and accountable governance mechanisms and national reconciliation, enactment of fair and legitimate laws, and protection of human and minority rights. Her work at PILPG also involved aspects of conflict resolution and peace negotiations with respect to the conflict in Darfur, advising a coalition of Sudanese opposition groups to support their engagement in the ongoing Sudanese peace process.

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