Howard B. Iwrey Member

Howard B. Iwrey, a Dykema antitrust and trade regulation attorney with more than 30 years’ experience, represents companies from a broad range of industries including automotive, healthcare, food, technology, defense, commercial finance, sports, art publishing, utilities, retail, consumer appliances, electronics and investment services.  Mr. Iwrey is the leader of the Firm’s Antitrust and Trade Regulation.

Some of the largest manufacturing, automotive, health care, financial services, food and franchising companies in the world depend on Mr. Iwrey’s assistance in antitrust litigation, securities arbitration, and franchising advice and litigation. He provides critical guidance to businesses as they navigate complex challenges ranging from risk mitigation compliance to litigation. 

Mr. Iwrey has litigated a number of significant law suits and grand jury investigations involving all aspects of antitrust law, including tying, price discrimination, monopolization, price fixing, bid rigging, market allocation, vertical restraints and mergers.  Mr. Iwrey represents a number of companies in connection with the United States Department of Justice investigation into potential anticompetitive practices in the automotive industry, and related class actions, and represents producers in multiple antitrust class and direct action cases involving alleged anticompetitive practices in the food industry.

In the health care industry, Mr. Iwrey represents systems in antitrust litigation, investigations, mergers and structuring innovative network and joint venture arrangements.  In one major case, he successfully obtained a dismissal of a suit against a hospital brought by physicians who alleged that termination of their medical privileges violated federal antitrust laws.  The case set an important precedent because it furthered the ability of the hospital to monitor the quality of its medical staff.  The case was dismissed at a very early stage, thus avoiding costly discovery.  Mr. Iwrey also successfully negotiated the settlement of a U.S. Department of Justice challenge to a merger of two major Montana health insurance companies.

Mr. Iwrey has represented a number of major Wall Street firms in arbitration before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA, formerly known as NASD).  These matters involved complex securities, tort and antitrust issues.  Mr. Iwrey successfully defended a major Wall Street firm in a case alleging that it “raided” a competitor’s top brokers and “spoliated” critical evidence.  In this case, Mr. Iwrey won a rare motion to dismiss the “raiding” claim prior to the merits hearing, and employed sophisticated forensics analysis to trace and recover allegedly destroyed files to help secure the victory at the final proceeding.

Through his experience with the largest types of cases and governmental investigations, Mr. Iwrey has developed particular skills in discovery management.  Mr. Iwrey has saved clients millions of dollars in discovery by aggressive negotiations and motion practice and implementation of electronic data filtration and prioritization techniques, efficient review protocols, detailed training of reviewer teams and sophisticated monitoring analytics. 

Mr. Iwrey provides live and web-based antitrust compliance training to clients in a wide range of industries.  In addition, Mr. Iwrey has authored a number of articles on regulatory matters and legal decisions and  presented at trade associations and educational and legal forums.  Mr. Iwrey is also a former Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Antitrust, Franchising and Trade Regulation Section.