Stolt-Nielsen Trial Verdict Press Coverage
November 29, 2007, ongoing

On November 29, 2007, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania threw out a federal antitrust indictment against Stolt-Nielsen SA, a global transportation company based in Norway.  The case was the first ever to involve a written promise not to prosecute under the Department of Justice Antitrust Division's amnesty program.

“The indictment sent shock waves through corporate America because the amnesty program has been widely used," said White & Case partner Christopher Curran, who co-led the team representing Stolt-Nielsen with partner J. Mark Gidley.  Both are in the Antitrust Practice in White & Case's Washington, DC office.

"The simple message of the Stolt-Nielsen case is that promises made by prosecutors will be enforced," Gidley said.

"When the government grants amnesty, it must honor its promise," Curran continued. "Due process and fundamental fairness are at the heart of a prosecutor's promise."

The case was closely watched in business and legal circles and the verdict received significant coverage, including articles in Wall Street Journal Law Blog, Philadelphia Inquirer, Lloyd's List, National Law Journal, Legal Times, Tradewinds, Competition Law360 and Global Competition Review, among others.