Nicholas S. Cheolas

Nick is a strategic antitrust litigator who advises clients on complex competition issues, merger strategies, and regulatory compliance within the digital economy. His 15 years of experience in high-stakes investigations and litigation includes serving five years with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division.

Prior to joining Wiley, Nick served in the DOJ Antitrust Division, including as Counsel to the Director of Civil Enforcement. In that role, Nick advised Division leadership on enforcement strategy and policy across more than 50 matters, coordinated civil enforcement efforts across sections, and worked closely with economists, technologists, and agency partners.

As a Trial Attorney in the Antitrust Division’s Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Nick played a key role in one of the agency’s landmark monopolization cases relating to a tech company’s digital advertising technology business, leading teams during both the investigation and trial stages. Nick also led and contributed to a range of high-profile civil antitrust merger and conduct matters, working closely with other federal, state, and international competition enforcers.

In private practice, Nick represented corporate clients in antitrust litigation and counseling matters involving monopolization and price-fixing claims, competitor collaborations, information sharing, and merger reviews. His combined experience spans virtually all industries – with an emphasis on digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), financial services, health care, and life sciences – and a broad spectrum of antitrust and competition issues under the Sherman Act and Clayton Act.

In 2018, Nick was elected to a two-year term as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Washington, DC, where he advised DC government officials and agencies on local development, zoning, transportation, public safety, recreation, and public policy issues.

Representative Matters

At Wiley

• Secured early termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification waiting period for a broadcaster acquiring multiple television stations following antitrust review by the DOJ.

• Defended a media broadcast company in district court and on appeal against antitrust claims arising from retransmission consent fee negotiations and FCC regulations.

• Represented a manufacturing government contractor in a putative class action alleging a no-poach conspiracy in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

• Works with the firm’s trade and regulatory attorneys to advise trade associations and manufacturers on potential remedies for competitive harm arising from tariffs and other trade actions.

• Advises companies on HSR requirements, transaction planning, merger-clearance strategy, and engagement with the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission.

• Guides companies through federal and state antitrust inquiries, including targets and third parties responding to civil investigative demands and regulatory requests.

• Counsels companies in regulated industries on antitrust compliance and strategic business arrangements, including competitor collaborations, information sharing, pricing practices, and trade association activities.

At DOJ

• Led teams through significant phases of investigations, litigation, and trial in major monopolization matters involving digital platforms, advertising technology, ticketing, and entertainment markets.

• Advised Division leadership on investigative decisions, litigation strategy, and legal risk across more than 50 merger and conduct matters spanning every civil enforcement section.

• Led and supported multidisciplinary teams in merger and conduct investigations involving digital platforms, telecommunications, media, AI, labor, and information sharing.

• Managed core aspects of civil investigations, including civil investigative demands and Second Requests, and coordinated with federal, state, and international authorities.

• Contributed to amicus briefs, competition-policy initiatives, and attorney training on merger enforcement and recurring civil investigation issues.

In Private Practice

• Pursued antitrust claims for government entities in litigation involving alleged price fixing and manipulation of financial benchmarks.

• Advocated for a class of airline passengers in litigation challenging alleged restrictions on price and capacity.

• Counseled and defended a technology manufacturer in antitrust class actions alleging bid rigging and cartel conduct.

• Secured favorable outcomes for a manufacturer and a trade association facing claims involving allegedly anticompetitive agreements and a group boycott.

• Represented a manufacturer in litigation involving monopolization and exclusive-dealing claims.

• Served as counsel to a pharmaceutical company in a three-week international arbitration over licensing and breach-of-contract claims, and advised an electric utility in state regulatory proceedings.

Professional Experience

• U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division
  
  • Trial Attorney, Technology and Digital Platforms Section (2020-2025)
  • Counsel to the Director of Civil Enforcement (2023-2024)

• Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, Washington, DC (2019-2021)
• Antitrust Senior Associate and Counsel, Corporate Law Firm (2016-2020)
• Business Litigation Associate, Corporate Law Firm (2011-2016)