Colin C. West

Partner

Colin C. West is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer, with an emphasis on antitrust cases, class actions, Native American tribal issues, and other high-stakes litigation. He has achieved defense verdicts and other favorable results for his clients in a wide variety of industries, including high technology, chemical additives, energy, and automotive. He is also a frequent instructor and lecturer on litigation techniques and strategies. Colin also has experience in internal investigations.

Extended Profile

Colin frequently counsels clients in the United States and the Pacific Rim on antitrust and ediscovery issues and issues regarding Native American tribal sovereignty. He is the former chair of the Antitrust and Business Regulation Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, and is a frequent contributor to industry and legal publications in the United States and Japan.

Colin is also deeply involved in efforts to reform police use-of-force policies. He served as an adviser to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability and Fairness in Law Enforcement on this issue, and on a working group advising the San Francisco Police Commission on changes to its use-of-force policies.

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Colin was a partner in the antitrust and trade regulation practice of another international law firm, where he led the Northern California regional hiring committee. He also was an assistant district attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

selected representations

Alameda County Flood Control, et al v. California Department of Water Resources — Obtained defense verdict at trial for a group of water contractors in a trial over the allocation of benefits from the Hyatt-Thermalito power facility. This was named one of the top defense verdicts of 2009 by the Daily Journal.
In re Methionine Antitrust Litig. — Represented a trading company in a series of class and individual actions alleging that the company participated in an international cartel among producers of a synthetic amino acid
In re TFT-LCD Antitrust Litigation — Represented Sharp Corp. and Sharp Electronics Corp. in connection with class and individual actions in the Northern District of California related to alleged price fixing of TFT-LCD panels that are used in TVs, computer monitors, laptops, cellphones and other products
In re Vitamins Antitrust Litig. — Represented two large corporations in a multijurisdictional class action and suits by attorneys general alleging price-fixing in the vitamins market

In re New Motor Vehicles Canadian Export Litigation — Defended BMW and Nissan in antitrust class actions involving restrictions on car exports in the late 1990s and early 2000s
Shahbazi v. Equilon Enterprises — Represented a major petroleum manufacturer in a series of cases alleging conspiracy, price discrimination and franchise violations in the wholesale gasoline market, obtaining summary judgment in each of them
Nicolosi Distributing, Inc. v. BMW of North America, LLC — Defended BMW in an antitrust lawsuit alleging tying in the market for automobile collision repair
In re Media Vision — Obtained summary judgment for a major accounting firm in a case alleging civil conspiracy
Marketlink v. Snap — Obtained summary judgment in a breach of contract and treble damages suit against a data storage manufacturer
Intel v. Multivideo Laboratories — Obtained summary judgment for a large technology company in a case alleging monopolization of the computer peripherals market
Sycomp v. Compaq — Successfully defended a large technology company against allegations of price discrimination and restraint of trade in the market for high-end computer servers