The Dean of the Cartel Bar: The Legacy of A. Paul Victor

In the antitrust world, A. Paul Victor needs no introduction. Widely known as the “Dean of the Cartel Bar,” Paul has defended some of the most important cartel investigations around the globe and has secured countless victories for major corporations and individuals in criminal and civil cartel cases in his over 50-year career. Jeffrey Kessler, co-chair of Winston’s Antitrust Group, summarized Paul’s storied career in the New York Law Journal when Paul received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.^[1] As Jeffrey stated, even at the end of his career, Paul would still “wake[] up every morning thinking about his cases, ready to mentor a new generation of lawyers and leading by example.”

Paul is known for providing sound legal advice, sharp litigation strategy in both trade law and competition law cases, and his dedication to clients and the profession. Paul’s legendary career includes victories in landmark cases, including the Zenith v. Matsushita litigation, which set the standard for summary judgment in antitrust cases. Paul was at the forefront of defending global cartel investigations at the advent of the U.S. Department of Justice’s leniency program, starting with the famous lysine price-fixing investigation. New York Partner Molly Donovan’s interview of Paul on his career and the evolution of antitrust leniency programs over the years is available here.

Even if you did not know Paul, you soon would, as he has the uncanny ability to break the ice with a joke and to get to know and take interest in the career of even the most junior associate. His ability to form relationships with law students, junior associates, partners, foreign legal advisors, and clients alike has created a close network of friends and colleagues around the globe. Paul was integral in forming a foreign legal advisor internship program that has continued at Winston, welcoming over 40 attorneys from Japanese law firms. Paul is an active member of the American Bar Association and was formerly vice chair of the Antitrust Law Section. He was also an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law and taught an International Cartel Enforcement course at his alma mater, the University of Michigan Law School.

Paul retired from Winston & Strawn in January 2021. He has been an inspiration, mentor, and friend to everyone in the antitrust group, throughout his tenure at Winston and beyond. While the email correspondence and meetings will be less entertaining without Paul’s banter, we will carry on the lessons he taught us in dedication to client service, the importance of prioritizing family and relationships, and how to properly order a vodka with a lemon twist in any country.

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^[1] Kessler, Jeffrey L., Lifetime Achievement Award: A. Paul Victor, New York Law Journal (Oct. 5. 2018), available at https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2018/10/05/lifetime-achievement-award-a-paul-victor/.